Softball Hall of Fame ready to welcome 12 new inductees
Twelve current and former players, managers and umpires and one sponsor will be inducted into the Summit County Softball Hall of Fame on Nov 13 at Guy's Party Center on Waterloo Road.
The doors will open at noon and the banquet begins at 1 p.m. with the induction ceremonies.
For tickets and buffet reservations, please call Bernie Factor at 330-858-8176. Tickets will also be sold at the door.
Here is a list of the inductees:
Joe Funk, Slow pitch
A first baseman and pitcher, Funk played slow pitch from 1972 to 1993. Joe hit over .600 in the Goodyear League and averaged over .500 for his career overall. Joe’s teams won league championships and numerous tournaments. He once pitched a perfect game, which was unheard of in slow pitch. Funk was all-tournament and MVP pick in the NSA State Tournament in 1991 in Painesville going 18 for 23 (.736). He lives in Doylestown.
Ann Marie Rotunda, Fast pitch
Rotunda played fast pitch from grade school through college. An outfielder, primarily center field, played CYO (1984-1987), four years for Cuyahoga Falls High School (1988-1991), and in between for the Buckeye Slammers travel team. The University of Akron (1991-1995). In high school she made first-team all-Metro (3 years), first-team All-NE Ohio (1991) and was first-team All-MAC (1993, 94, 95) at Akron. She was named one of the top 40 female athletes in school history (2012) at UA. Rotunda lives in Cuyahoga Falls.
Larry Courtney, Slow pitch
Courtney began playing slow pitch in 1981 and continues to play today. He was a power hitter for his size who hit over .600 throughout his career as well as being known for his defensive prowess with an extraordinarily strong arm. He has played in over 100 tournaments in his career including the NSA State in Kansas City where he was selected to the all-tournament team and named MVP of the tournament. Part of numerous league and tournament titles his teams won, he was selected 20 times to all-tournament teams. Courtney lives in Massillon.
Marc Popp Slow pitch
Popp played slow pitch from 1980 to 2009. Known for his power hitting, he hit 198 home runs in 1985 for league and tournament play. Popp's teams were state champs four times, regional champs and numerous tournament champs. He was named MVP of tournaments 10 times. He played in the World Tournament with Smith Electric. Popp also did a little umpiring. He lives in Copley.
Bill Blake, Slow pitch
Blake played slow pitch from 1961 to 1979. He was a versatile player who could play infield or outfield with equal skill. He played most of his career with Van Buren Steak House in Barberton. Blake hit over .500 in his career and hit clean up. He was instrumental in leading Van Buren to several league titles and many tournament championships. Blake is deceased.
Joe DiFrancesco, Slow Pitch
DiFrancesco played slow pitch from 1977 to 2000. Primarily an infielder (SS, 2B) he also played some outfield. He was named to all-star teams in 1979 and 80 in Kent with Club Wonder, 1985, 86, and 1991 in the Firestone Premier League, named to all-tournament teams in 1983, 84, 85 and 1992 in the Tournament of Champions and Stroh’s tournaments in Kent. His teams won tournaments eight times including an NEO title in 1985 with Smith Electric. DiFrancesco lives in Tallmadge.
Mike Bixentine, Fast pitch
Bixenstine played fast pitch for 19 years. A first baseman and outfielder, he hit .335 for his career with 75 home runs, 750 RBIs, stole 300 bases, played in 15 tournament championships, three national tournaments and was named to four All-Tournament teams. He played with the Akron Merchants in a national tournament in Minot, North Dakota, in 1990, the first fast pitch team from Akron to ever qualify for a national tournament. Bixenstine lives in Akron.
Jim Prarat, Slow pitch
Prarat was a master at pitching slow pitch with 20 foot arcs for strikes that frustrated the best hitters in the game. He was also a very good hitter, hitting over .500 in tournament after tournament, coupled with excellent defense up the middle. His teams won the NEO in 1976 and 1977, won the Alliance Tournament in 1986, won USSSA “D” Tournament in Kent in 1990, USSSA Tournament of Champions in 1991 and ASA Tournament in Painesville. Prarat lives in Fairlawn.
Tom Lower, Manager
Lower played and managed The Chapel softball team from 1974 to 2016. During that tenure The Chapel won nine NEO Tournament Championships and were runner up five times. They won the Monday night Church League 23 times and finished in the top 4 in the state tournament five times. In 1991 they were ranked eighth in the nation for Church teams and 17th in 1992. Overall they were 661-142 in league play under Lower's leadership. In Open league play they were 116-34 between 1976-1985. Besides managing the team, he played as well and was selected team MVP in 1977, hitting 17 home runs in league play. Lower lives in Akron.
Joe Gordon, Umpire
Gordon umpired softball from 1985–2016 as an ASA (USA) umpire belonging to the Greater Akron Umpires Association. He was also a sanctioned OHSAA umpire from 1986-2016. He worked slow pitch and fast pitch leagues throughout the Akron area. He officiated local college softball for Muskingum College, Hiram, Ashland and Kent State. Joe also worked ASA Men’s slow pitch tournaments and ASA fast pitch Regional and Sectional play for 30 years. Gordon lives in Akron.
Tony Ninni, Umpire
Ninni started umpiring in 1990. He was named Rookie of the Year for the Greater Akron Umpires Association after working in slow pitch leagues in Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, Kent and the Firestone Stadium League. He worked ASA National Qualifiers and championship games. Tony also worked in the Silver League and SPA, Softball Players Association, National Qualifiers, including 2 National SPA tournaments. A former high school fast pitch coach, Ninni umpired youth, adult, OHSAA and college games including the MAC, GLIAC, GMAC, OAC and NAIA conferences. He began training umpires, was Umpire-In-Chief and Assigner for WABL, Copley and Revere Youth Baseball and Softball leagues. Past President of the GAUA and Board member of the Summit Umpires Association, Ninni lives in Akron.
Christi Hornish, Miktarian Service Award
When you needed to find someone who could fix your swing or teach you how to swing, teach you how to play defense, instruct you on the catcher position, encourage you to stick with the game and how to play the game, the one you could turn to would be Christi (Robinson) Hornish. Dozens of young girls and even boys have sought out Hornish's expertise in softball and baseball hitting instruction following in the footsteps of her father. An all-district, all-Ohio catcher at Archbishop Hoban High School and Bowling Green State University, Hornish continues to leave a mark at the center of softball in NE Ohio. Her tireless efforts, dedication to the game and love of the game have contributed to her most deserving of the Joe Miktarian Service Award for 2022. Hornish lives in Springfield Township.
Oakwood Bar/Grille-River City Bar/Grille, Sponsor
It started with the Carousel Bar and owner/manager Archie Tarr, and has continued for well over 50 years sponsoring men's and women’s softball. The location changed, the management and ownership changed as the bar moved to Oakwood and became known as the Oakwood Bar/Grille with Dick Barger owning and managing, then one more time the name changed to River City Bar/Grille under owner and manager Ron (Fuzzy) Poole. As the bar changed names and owners, the sponsorship of softball teams stayed constant in Cuyahoga Falls. In the early 1970’s Tarr sponsored his first softball team in the Falls Rec League. As softball grew, the sponsorship increased to include women and Co-Ed teams in both leagues. It was the place to be after games. As one player put it, “we are all grateful for Archie, Dick and Fuzzy for their many years’ of sponsorship and promoting men and women’s softball.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Softball Hall of Fame ready to welcome 12 new inductees
