Softball policy jeopardises chances

Press, 26 January 1988, Page 32

Softball policy jeopardises chances

PA Auckland New Zealand softball administrators appear to be at last realising that selection policy could jeopardise the New Zealand team’s chances of defending its world championship at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in July. While the world championship committee of Mike Walsh, Lester Baldwin, Rusty Hay and John Joyce had first made the recommendation that New Zealand players who did not play in the Rothmans men’s championships and a full season in this country would not be eligible for selection, some ' have changed their minds. What has brought about the about-face was a full realisa-

tion of the quality of New Zealand pitchers employed by United States teams.

Some of those who have been watched by Walsh, the national coach as well as one of the national selectors, include Brendon Keehnan (Larry Miller Toyota), Mike White and Steve Schultz (Penn Corp.), as well as Peter Meredith, who will pitch in the coming week’s Vic Guth tournament in Auckland. “While we have great pitchers in New Zealand, all we want is New Zealand policy which allows us to choose the best possible players for the championships defence regardless of where they are playing,”

Walsh said. “We are not giving guarantees that the overseas-based players will be selected, but merely that we want the opportunity to select them if they are good enough.” The politics involved had some councillors looking after the pitchers in their home area, rather than seeing the world-title defence as one which transcends all association boundaries. That view according to one reliable source is gradually changing towards one which will best benefit New Zealand softball.

It is expected that the agenda for the next New Zealand Softball Association council meeting next month

will include the item of selection policy which will reverse the present ruling. That ruling had any New Zealand player wanting to be considered for the team to play in New Zealand from October to April unless there were medical grounds for dispensation, or other compelling reasons for granting dispensation. White has already been granted dispensation because of a shoulder operation. A change in the N.Z.S.A. policy will make it harder for Waish and his selectorial colleagues instead of making it easier, since they will then have to consider more players — mainly pitchers — for their final team.