You guys can laugh all you want. . Professional Slow Pitch Softball League

Kruser6 · Jun 12, 2009

I have been thinking about this for years. The more I see stuff on ESPN that I can't believe gets aired I have to believe that a Slow Pitch Softball League would do well. I am talking professional. They had one in 1977 and it in 1980 the league was cut.

Come on guys, why? You are telling me that you wouldn't watch a slow pitch softball league on TV? It's a sport that MILLIONS of people play. It's a recreational sport that any man or women can play no matter how old and fat, skinny and young. Sure there is baseball, but can a 40 year old man go out and get a game together on a Wednesday night? No. Softball you can do. People who play the sport are way more interested in watching it then one they don't play in. It wouldn't be baseball huge by any means, but I would say that if properly managed it would be bigger then the arena football league.

Let me hear your thoughts, negative or positive. I have been researching for a long time on this and although I don't know where I would start I am dead serious about trying to start this up.

Think how big poker got because anybody could go play. Think about Milwaukee's Best sponsorship? What sport is beer drinking biggest in? SOFTBALL.
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joebatters · Jun 12, 2009

I would watch it, hell yeah. I think slo-pitch softball gets a bad rap because people think that it's just a bunch of fat guys who can't play baseball, but that's not true at all. I have played, coached, and umpired slo-pitch softball for about 25 years and there are some great athletes in the sport. I think with fan appeal, though, and most 'A' players will tell you this- the higher you go up in class, there's no defense. So if you get the best softball players from all over, of course there will be a lot of HR's
and I don't think that will have much fan appeal. I could be wrong, but I think fans would want to see a little 'D' here and there over a HR hitting contest. You you would have to tamper the rules somehow, like they do in 'A' or 'B' ball anyway. But I, for one always enjoyed the game and would definitely watch it.

Defying · Jun 12, 2009

My first, "Why Won't it work" thoughts...

1. Yes, Everyone can play poker, but not everyone can play it well. Seeing someone overplayed in poker is different than watching a athlete run around a 40 year fat man...

2. Baseball is perceived to be a boring sport by a lot of people..Although not me.. I cannot see people wanting to watch those with less athletic ability to watch an easier version of the sport.. I don't think I would, and I love baseball... oh and I am watchng Hockey right now. LOL

Kruser6 · Jun 12, 2009

joebatters said:
I would watch it, hell yeah. I think slo-pitch softball gets a bad rap because people think that it's just a bunch of fat guys who can't play baseball, but that's not true at all. I have played, coached, and umpired slo-pitch softball for about 25 years and there are some great athletes in the sport. I think with fan appeal, though, and most 'A' players will tell you this- the higher you go up in class, there's no defense. So if you get the best softball players from all over, of course there will be a lot of HR's
and I don't think that will have much fan appeal. I could be wrong, but I think fans would want to see a little 'D' here and there over a HR hitting contest. You you would have to tamper the rules somehow, like they do in 'A' or 'B' ball anyway. But I, for one always enjoyed the game and would definitely watch it.

5 homerun limit.

Don't underestimate defense in softball. I play tournament ball every weekend and defense is very important and there are a number of great plays every game.

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Kruser6 · Jun 12, 2009

Defying said:
My first, "Why Won't it work" thoughts...

1. Yes, Everyone can play poker, but not everyone can play it well. Seeing someone overplayed in poker is different than watching a athlete run around a 40 year fat man... (Not everyone plays professional poker, but all the amateurs love watching it and play on their own as much as possible)

2. Baseball is perceived to be a boring sport by a lot of people..Although not me.. I cannot see people wanting to watch those with less athletic ability to watch an easier version of the sport.. I don't think I would, and I love baseball... oh and I am watchng Hockey right now. LOL

Baseball may seem boring, but I am positive that softball would give that extra action people want in these games.
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joebatters · Jun 12, 2009

Well, that's the thing...what class do you play?
Do they still have NSA and USSSA? I haven't played in like 5 years.
I know how important defense is, but in a 'A' or 'AA' game there are hardly even any ground balls. I'm talking about national 'AA' games, not A ball like some teams think they are playing. I think you know what I mean.
Something like a good 'B' league would be appealing to me, but I'm not sure about everyone else.
ps If you are an Indians fan, I'm sure you remember Cory Snyder?
He played on some 'AA' teams after he retired from baseball. Did well ,too.
I think he played on a team from Kentucky.
Doug Flynn was another ex-big leaguer who had a really good softball career. I'm sure there are others, I can't think of at the moment.
Like I said, haven't played in 5 years.

MinorThreat · Jun 13, 2009

I grew up playing slow-pitch 16" softball in Chicago, and I can definitely say it's of no interest except to children and inebriates. The idea being, the ball never travels that fast, and you never have to run too far. Scoring is minimal, and a good time is had by all. It's a game for players, though, not spectators. Nobody would watch it on TV. I don't even recall anyone betting on it, even though I grew around people who would bet on cockroaches climbing a fencepost.

In other words, softball is about playing ball and drinking beer. Nothing more.

Fishhead · Jun 13, 2009

"Modified" or "Medium" pitch softball is the best brand of softball I've ever played or watched.

Slow pitch is all about BIG GUYS and homers.............Fast pitch is all about DOMINANT PITCHERS and pitching.

"Modified" is where a pitcher cannot bring his pitching arm back more than parellel to the ground, but then can throw it as hard as he can from there.

A great thing about "modified" is that it has no rover and there is bunting and stealing........defense, hitting, and pitching are much more equal in importance in this game.

In my opinion, this is by far the best brand of softball and would be great for TV.

fh

Fishhead · Jun 13, 2009

Fishhead said:
"Modified" or "Medium" pitch softball is the best brand of softball I've ever played or watched.

Slow pitch is all about BIG GUYS and homers.............Fast pitch is all about DOMINANT PITCHERS and pitching.

"Modified" is where a pitcher cannot bring his pitching arm back more than parellel to the ground, but then can throw it as hard as he can from there.

A great thing about "modified" is that it has no rover and there is bunting and stealing........defense, hitting, and pitching are much more equal in importance in this game.

In my opinion, this is by far the best brand of softball and would be great for TV.

fh

The OTTOSEN ORIOLES, a rural based team in Iowa, had a huge in state and national following.................not only because they were a dominant team, but also because of the cast of characters on the club.

FH

WorldNumberOne · Jun 13, 2009

Fishhead said:
"Modified" or "Medium" pitch softball is the best brand of softball I've ever played or watched.

Slow pitch is all about BIG GUYS and homers.............Fast pitch is all about DOMINANT PITCHERS and pitching.

"Modified" is where a pitcher cannot bring his pitching arm back more than parellel to the ground, but then can throw it as hard as he can from there.

A great thing about "modified" is that it has no rover and there is bunting and stealing........defense, hitting, and pitching are much more equal in importance in this game.

In my opinion, this is by far the best brand of softball and would be great for TV.

fh

fish beat me to it.. he is right on.

we played medium pitch for years and yes , your arm could only go back and forward. you couldnt wing it around like fast pitch.

i actually pitched and have to say , i was quite good.. could make the ball move and had many strikeouts.

played against some great hitters and if i put the ball out over the plate , their was a very good chance it was coming back thru the middle alot faster than it went to home plate. only got hit twice though. both times in the ass as i turned sideways.

great game... wish we were still playing

C-Gold · Jun 13, 2009

They could make it like a reality TV league, but yeah, people probably wouldn't watch.

What you could do with softball like that thought that would be cool is that people could play from the age of like 18 to fucking 60. Think about the home run record for that league...

JohnnyMac · Jun 13, 2009

No one would ever use steroids in a softball league, that's for sure.

billhill999 · Jun 13, 2009

Played in very competitive, very good hi arc slow pitch leagues.
You really have to time the pitch, it's harder to hit than you think.
A pro slow pitch league if marketted correctly could have some promise.

Dante · Jun 13, 2009

I play in a slow pitch mens league...usually im at firstbase but can pitch to at times

This season we are 6-2 so far. I will admit I can not hit a home run maybe due to the fact I have no beer gut and the weight of that helps get it over the fence... but I hit singles/doubles almost everytime...

The funniest thing is seeing a BIG guy strike out on slow pitch. It never gets old. I will say this it is awesome fun to play in this league and to play this game....

Akillies · Jun 13, 2009

heard carlos zambrano has been known to play slo pitch and during the season.

no one is gonna wanna watch a bunch of home runs. think about it.

Fishhead · Jun 13, 2009

ottosen orioles

Betallsports · Jun 13, 2009

I will agree with most here. Played Softball for over 24 years
and don't like Slow Pitch at all.
That's for a bunch of guys drinking Beers and hanging out.

modified Fast, or even High arc is the way to go.

I once was on 3 different Teams, in three different leagues.
Played a double header in the Morning, then a Double header in the after noon.
The 3rd one was in the middle of the week, at Night.

Also, once joined a snowbird league...which I really didn't like

C-Gold · Jun 13, 2009

I told you guys I am in a kickball league on the national mall inbetween the washington monument and the capital building. There are like 10 fields/games going on there any given week night. Lots of hot young interns in the league running around and everybody walks to the bar after the games.

I've only made 3-4 games but we won every game my friends and I were at, but we missed a bunch and our team lost all of those games. My one buddy played college soccer in the ACC and kicks a fucking moon shot every at bat.

The funny thing is they don't roll meatballs down the plate, guys pitch and try and throw fast bumpy curvy balls and a lot of people wiff, or time it wrong and hit it with their shin and pop it up etc. Very few people kick HR's but my buddy is something like 8 for 8 with home runs and the dumb shit other teams don't even back up when he kicks again. He's a lock to kick HRs.

The league is worth the comedy in itself. I can't tell you how many times somebody just trips and falls flat on their face, or pegging somebody out, or falling in the mud, or looking at the hot girls titties bounce up and down...

HiPockets · Jun 13, 2009

Good posts above. I pitched slow, medium, fast. I like the idea of a cable pro league (women's NCAA softball is good stuff) and I think it would work. A pro softball league has to be better than chainsaw timber sports. Industrial leagues in the south (semipro) are terrific. I have heard that the Chicago leagues are really good. Good sharp competitive semipro industrial softball teams border being cult and tribal in sports. Spend an afternoon at a top regional tournament and you will understand. Minor league baseball enjoys a resurgence because it is local (irony is that minors disappeared because of expansion of TV national coverage in the 50's and 60's but now the 'pro product ' is getting boring because we can't identify, in any way, with rich transplant professionals many of whom who don't speak english). I think high level softball would work as a TV sport.

CoachLT · Jun 13, 2009

Betallsports said:
I will agree with most here. Played Softball for over 24 years
and don't like Slow Pitch at all.
That's for a bunch of guys drinking Beers and hanging out.

Betall, not ALL slow pitch is played by guys that you describe.

In 1976 I played on a ASA Men's Major SP team in Jacksonville. This was the TOP classification in the US. Warren Motors was the sponsor.Some would say we were semi-pro. We played all over the southeast and as far west as Louisiana and as far north as Ohio.

I was the pitcher on the team and the 76 year was the last year of the unlimited arc. I had a nick name. ''Venus Probe'' :lol:. A 15 ft arc that would hit just behind the plate was a bitch to hit. Now if you got a pitch that was "richard high" you could hit it in the dark. Huge difference.

Our team was 94-2 for the season with a opening streak of 72 straight wins and won the 1976 ASA Men's Major National Championship. Made Ist team All America pitcher. Our team and the records we set can be found in the ASA Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.

Sorry for the semi rant but there were others that were not beer leaguers. Those were GREAT days. OBTW, there were unlimited home runs in the game. If you signed on for a butt kicking, you had to take it. :toast: LT