U.S. Softballers Aim To Tie Test Series

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32222, 14 February 1970, Page 13

U.S. Softballers Aim To Tie Test Series

The Arizona Ail Stars softball team arrived in Christchurch last evening determined to win at least one of the remaining three tests against New Zealand.

The first test was won, by New Zealand. 3-0, and the second was abandoned because of rain, with New Zealand leading 7-0 after three innings.

The third will be at English Park today, and the fourth and fifth in Auckland tomorrow

"We have the potential to win one test, possibly two, to tie the series," the team s manager (Mr A. C Williams), said yesterday.

“The team is probably better off now than at any other stage on the tour The first week in the North Island was the part that killed us.” The tourists played a total of 12 games in the week lead-

ing up to. the second test ands the pitchers were badly over-1 1 worked. Asked if he would rest any of his leading players for the game against Canterbury, to be played before the third teest, Mr Williams said that ' the best team available would

pressed with the standard of softball in the South Island, and described Invercargill as “a real fan town " “1 think that Peter Roberts will be the star of the future in this country." he predicted of the 19-year-old Otago pitcher who fought out the marathon 17-innings Beatty Cup match against the Hutt Valley and New Zealand pitcher, J D Dawson, at Invercargill recently Asked to elaborate on his statement in Palmerston North last week that the Aurora Sealmasters (the team which successfully represented the United States at both the 1966 and 1968 world championships) would be of little benefit to New Zealand softball, Mt- Williams explained that such a team would be too strong “The Sealmasters are no longer the United States champions anyway But there would be seven or eight teams in the United States who might come here and only be tested by the New Zealand re presentative side, Wellington, Hutt Valley, and maybe Southland " Mr Williams feels that the United States association should be sending teams to New Zealand, South Africa and Japan every year "Softball will only thrive on international competition, just like your other sports of Rugby and cricket.”

Ibe selected All the pitchers, apart from T. King, who pitched in the Otago game on Thursday evening, were well rested Mr Williams said the team was not disheartened about its record of 10 wins and seven losses for the tour so far. “We figured that if the team won more games than it lost, the tour would be a success.” Although the amount of travelling involved was extremely tiring, the team had had no injuries or illness. But the inconsistency of the team’s batting was probably caused by fatigue, Mr Williams said. He had been greatly im-