Softball tourists

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33417, 26 December 1973, Page 3

Softball tourists

Mr A. C. Williams, the manager of the Western United States men’s team to tour this country from February 15 to March 3 is well known to New Zealand softball enthusiasts.

Mr Williams, who selected and organised the Western team, was the manager and selector of the Prescott men’s team which visited New Zealand in 1970 and of the Arizona women’s side last year. The 16 players, who include five pitchers, will be making their first tour of New Zealand. The team will play 23 matches including three tests, the final test being in Auckland on March 3. The second test will be at English Park the previous day, and it will be preceded by a match against Canterbury. The New Zealand association’s publicity officer (Mr J. A. Gibson) said the team would be the strongest to visit the country and included several notable players.

LEADING PLAYER i The leading player is W. i IWolf, who is one of the topi I pitchers in the world with a, | tricky finger throw. He is, inot as fast as the New Zealland No. 1, K. F. Herlihy [(Waikato), but Wolf has acquired much skill from more than 20 years of competition. Wolf is aged 40 and has pitched in 11 United States (national championships and has been selected in the Texas team 14 times. He has pitched against the famous “King and his Court” (pitcher and three players) three times in the Astrodome, winning all three. Another exciting player is J. Wells, aged 35, who is the most publicised pitcher of the American West. He has an American record for total career strike-outs and has pitched more than 50 games a season for the last 12 years. Wolf, the pitcher, C. Hol- , land, and an in-fielder, J. Higgins, are the oldest members at- 40 years of age, and the. youngest is a student. R. White, aged 20. an in-fielder.

The coach is Mr L. Jenney. who guided the Prescott team to win the Arizona state title and three state regional championships this yean