Tuesday Green Wins RASSA 2024 World Series
RASSA’s 2024 20th anniversary season ended on November 5 with a win by Cecil Kwong and his Tuesday Green team. RASSA plays a tournament at the end of each season with seeding based on regular season results. This year both the Tuesday and Thursday league teams with the best regular season records, Tuesday Green and Thursday Sky Blue, also prevailed in the post-season playoff to advance to the best of threeRASSA World Series.
Many RASSA players play in both the Tuesday and Thursday leagues and three players, Stan Craft, Gene Garcia, and Dale McWhorter played this year on both the Tuesday Green and Thursday Sky Blue teams. Coin flips determined which team they played for in the World Series.
The series began with a doubleheader on October 31, a sunny warm day perfect for senior softball. Tuesday Green’s heavy hitters were hot in the first game and coasted to a 19 to 13 win. Thursday Sky Blue returned the favor in the second game, winning 19 to 12 after establishing an overwhelming lead in the early innings, setting up a third and deciding game on November 4th.
The day of the final dawned under gray skies and patchy downpours, but the field crew said Liberty Park was playable and prepared the field for a 10:00AM game. Fans streamed in as the largest and rowdiest crowd of the year turned out for the game. Green hitters brought their “A-game” and led 10 to 6 after three innings. They stretched the lead to 16 to 10 after 6 innings and then scored another 5 in the open seventh inning for what seemed like a comfortable 21 to 10 lead. But Sky Blue didn’t quit. The leadoff batter hit a triple and eight of the next nine batters got hits pulling Sky Blue to within three runs, with two runners on base and the tying run at the plate. The crowd roared as the batter hit a solid line drive to right, but then quieted as the Green right fielder made the catch, sealing the win for Tuesday Green, 21 to 18.
Tuesday Green was guided by Cecil Kwong, a veteran of many years as a RASSA manager. Joining him in the regular season were Phillip Cheek, Stan Craft, John Eppenger, Gene Garcia, Harold Hagler, Ron Lentz, Pete Manown, Dale McWhorter, Dan Peek, Mark Tankersly, Jeff Tyler, and Tom Wasmer. Bill Lovell substituted for Dale McWhorter in the playoffs.
Sky Blue was managed by Tom Kilgore, and Jerry Anger, Herman Bell, Stan Craft, Desiree Cook, Gene Garcia, Bob Garlock, Sid Hilton, John Kuklinski, Dale McWhorter, Skeet Mitchell, Royce O’Donnell and Rel Underwood rounded out the regular season roster. Royce O’Donnell missed the final game because he had other commitments and Ken Sransky substituted for him. Frankie Latham substituted for Stan Craft.
RASSA’s 2024 season was fun. Competition was fierce in each game, but RASSA’s real purpose is to give everyone who wants to keep playing softball, games to play in every Tuesday and Thursday, and players often substitute for missing players on other teams. The managers’ main responsibility is to have a team on the field for every game, not so much to win. New managers will be needed in 2025 and volunteers should let their league directors know they are interested. David Ferguson is the Tuesday League Director, and Stan Craft is the Thursday League Director.