1992 Mike White video

[Orange Socks]

I love the mullets and Oakley Blades too!

 

[Fury_Mike]

I don't know if you're right or wrong, but you obviously haven't stood in the box and faced an 80+ mph riseball, then a 65 mph change up. It can make even the best hitters look ridiculous. Many of the guys played pro baseball and they look like THIS when trying to hit fastpitch.

All of that said, there's no doubt the swing has become better (for both genders) since 1992. I remember doing a clinic with Okla. State asst. softball coach John Bargfeldt in 1994 (2 years after this was filmed) and he was teaching "squish the bug". I remember hearing for the first time ever when he said it at the clinic. And for the record, Bargfeldt was a GREAT fastpitch player.

I can tell you that the Chicago Bandits used to host a "battle of the sexes" game at their field. They would get a minor league baseball team (usually an A ball, rookie ball, or independent league type team) and give them 3 men's FP pitchers. 1 would be considered an OPEN level pitcher (world class), the next would be mid level, and then usually someone who's ok. I remember the game 10 or so years ago, where the major pitcher sat the Bandits down on about 3 pitches each. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS PART IS TRUE, but I was told by a participant that the game(s) were similar to the King and his Court, the outcome was a show. They'd see the first guy pitch and he'd be awesome, then the fans would cheer loudly when the Bandits would win off the last guy's pitching, which was probably 20mph or more less than the 1st guy. But... with that said... the baseball guys had NO CLUE when hitting off the Bandit pitchers (which is to be expected).

Bill

Not just the 80 mph, with the crow hop you were probably 35’ at release....

 

[Hillhouse]

Not just the 80 mph, with the crow hop you were probably 35’ at release....

Point taken but, starting at 46 feet... a 35' release isn't likely. I remember playing on fields that didn't remove the ladies pitching rubber @ 43' and my back foot landing on it. AND when the 40' rubber was in the ground, my front foot would land on it. OUCH.

 

[Hillhouse]

This is a fun thread. What I noticed. When these guys strike out they are WAY more emotional than than the ladies when they strike out. It reminds of myself in the 80's. It seems that we don't want our girls to show that same emotion in today's game.

On another note. I had a great conversation with Mike Larabee in Boulder last summer when he was still coaching in Wash. He recruited one of our girls when he was at ArK years ago.

Larabee is one of my favorite people in the world. He is, perhaps, one of the most intense people I've met too but is an absolutely awesome guy. Was a real good player too.

 

[Fury_Mike]

Bill did you ever play with or against Ray Reynolds (pitcher)

 

[Hillhouse]

Bill did you ever play with or against Ray Reynolds (pitcher)

That name is setting off all kinds of bells and whistles but I can't place him. Where is he from? IF I knew that I may have a shot at figuring out the team. I know I didn't pitch WITH him but we may have played against each other at one point. Mike this is going to drive me nuts because I can see the name in my head but not figure out from where. This is worse than Coronavirus.

 

[Fury_Mike]

He is from the Rockford, IL area. I’ll dig up the team(s) he played for

 

[Fury_Mike]

He played for:
Rockford Riverhawks
Rockford Blackhawk Athletic Club
BHAC Pride (Men’s Majors)
Was on the ASA Men’s 9-man Major Modified Pitchers List Which you were listed as well

 

[Hillhouse]

YES.. I saw your post earlier about Rockford IL and it hit me!! I remember him from the BHAC team. I don't really think I ever spent any time with him, even in the beer tent. But I remember seeing him pitch.

FWIW, I played in Rockford several times. Sportscore ballpark? In fact, I won a National there in 1994.

Yea, the ASA put almost anyone with a pulse on that pitchers list. It's not really a badge of honor. Are you familiar with what "Modified pitch" is? There's 2 kinds: 9man and 10man. The rules are very different for both. I'm not even sure there is still a Modified pitch division in ASA/USA anymore.

 

[Fury_Mike]

Unfortunately, when I got involved with fastpitch (2008), men's fastpitch was on the decline. I was fortunate enough to begin my coaching career with a few of the players from that team (had daughters the same age), which Ray put me in contact with. He also gave me a lot of guidance on how to teach pitching, especially on pressure points and disguising pitches. Got to see him pitch once, and he was still awfully good, even though he was at the tail end of his career. I meet you up at Steve Krupke's clinic this fall. It would have been great if there was time to have picked your brain more.