Volume 113 >> Issue 29 : Wednesday, June 23, 1993

PDF of This Issue

1500 Participate in Summer Softball

The MIT Community Summer Softball League was created in 1973 by a group of students, staff, and faculty whose goal was to provide a softball league that was enjoyable for everyone: relaxed for those who wanted to play for fun and competitive for those who sought to contest playoffs and crown champions.

Led by present Muddy Charles Pub manager Joe Contrada and current faculty member Paul LaGace, and with the help and support of the Athletic Department, the league began with only a handful of slow-pitch and fast-pitch teams loosely organized around academic departments, fraternities, living groups, and staff offices. Since that founding year, the league has grown to 92 teams this year with well over 1,500 players.

These players mostly consist of undergraduate and graduate students, but alumni, staff members, and Industrial Liason Companies are participating as well.

The MITCSS is actually three separate leagues.

The fun and relaxed Kentucky Fried Pitch league boasts 40 teams this year competing in six divisions appropriately entitled Box, Barrell, Bucket, Nuggets, Extra-Crispy, and Original Recipe. There are no playoffs or umpires, so games tend to beinformal but still extremely fun for all of its players.

The Fast Pitch league features very competetive games where pitches are sometimes thrown at 80 miles per hour. The high pace creates exciting and entertaining games, but the lack of true Fast-Pitch pitchers has led to a decline in the number of teams competing in this league. This year's league consists of only four teams, but league organizers are encouraged by the participation of some players from the Women's Softball Team, most notably Lynn Albers '92 and Lori Swenson '93. Albers pitched very effectively last year, and Swenson is picking up where she left off with strong performances this year.

The Serious Slow Pitch league is for those looking for very organized and competitive games. The league is divided into seven divisions based on skilland level of competetiveness. This league features umpires, playoffs, and pitches that have a mandatory six to 12 foot arc. Forty-eight teams represent this league.

Teams compete in games played every week, Monday thru Friday, on Briggs' Field at 5:30, 6:00, or 8:00 pm. The league started play in late May and will continue until mid-August. Schedules, standings, and other informations can be found on the Rockwell Cage bulletin board.