Turning back the clock

Chris Jagerson
Free Press Staff Writer

LAKE CRYSTAL July 18, 2008 01:31 am

— The uniforms were old and didn’t match anyone else’s, but in order to help save a “dying sport,” nobody seemed to care.
Thursday was Throwback Night at the Key City fastpitch softball league at Abbott Field in Lake Crystal under the guidance of organizer Bruce Walters.
Walters first got the idea after playing in a Retro Night softball game in St. Paul about 10 years ago. Back then the fastpitch game was more popular than it is today, so the idea of having a night similar to Retro Night always stuck with him.
Enter Walters’ version to help save the game he loves — Throwback Night.
“Our main objective is to kind of talk about the old times and, at the same time, get interest back in the fastpitch game,” Walters said. “Because it’s been dwindling rapidly.”
Everything about the game itself stayed the same with the exception of the uniforms, with most of the players wearing an old jersey from a now-disbanded softball team from the area or a uniform that’s been in the closet for awhile.
Walters’ team, Fisher Group, played Junker’s in the second game of the doubleheader. The first game featured Weggy’s, led by manager Jack Norman, against Junker’s and pitcher Kirk Parsons.
Norman, one of seven members of the state fastpitch advisory board, used to catch for Parsons until a knee injury ended his playing days four years ago.
“The pitching is so unique, there are very few people who can do it,” Norman said. “We happen to be blessed with some good ones around here.”
Norman also believes the fastpitch game is a dying sport.
Parsons, the oldest player on the field in the first game and starting pitcher for his team, wore an all-yellow Vernon Center Critters uniform for the first two innings before switching to a green Vernon Center State Bank shirt with white pants.
Parsons’ son, Tony, started at second base and also wore a shirt from a Vernon Center team. Walters, who hopes to make this an annual event, believes its family interests like the Parsons have that mainly keeps players interested in the sport of fastpitch.
“It’s just getting the commitment from people to maybe put a little time in,” Walters said. “There’s just so many other things kids can do these days. It just isn’t as appealing to kids anymore or even adults.”
The Key City league has seen a decrease in the number of teams from 17 as few as seven years ago to just seven this year.
The North American Fastpitch Association is holding its yearly World Series tournament at Caswell Park in North Mankato the weekend of August 14-17.
“Hopefully (fastpitch) will comeback someday soon,” Walters said. “At least if not comeback, then remain because we’ve seen a sharp decline in the number of teams that hopefully it doesn’t absolutely fall off the earth.”

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