Softball team loses catcher

Press, 1 December 1987, Page 68

Softball team loses catcher

The Canterbury women’s softball team will be without one of its key players, the catcher, Penny Salton, for the Rothmans national interprovincial championships in Christchurch next month. Salton severed the ligaments in her right thumb at training last week and had surgery at Burwood Hospital yesterday. Her thumb is expected to be in plaster for at least six weeks.

Describing the injury as “one of those freak accidents,” the provincial coach, Cheryl Kemp, said that Salton might be lucky to play softball again this summer. The Albion player caught for the New Zealand side which won the 1982 women’s world series in Taiwan and, in the opinion of Kemp, also her club coach, was playing her best softball since then. "Without doubt Penny

is the best calling catcher in New Zealand. She is going to be a loss to the team,” Kemp said. Salton’s reflexes had improved markedly and she was also much quicker around the bases than in the past. Her coach hopes she will break back into the national side next year. Kemp said that she had every confidence in Canterbury’s other catcher, Raelene Forde (Burnside), who had “gone

from strength to strength” in recent seasons. Forde is the club catcher for Canterbury’s top pitcher, Chris John, and has represented both Mid-Canter-bury and Canterbury at previous national tournaments. Before the Rothmans tournament begins at Porritt Park on January 4 Salton will be spending time with Forde, passing on her knowledge of batters Canterbury will come up against.