Sorenson and Weber pick up awards

Press, 4 April 1989, Page 32

Sorenson and Weber pick up awards

By

TIM DUNBAR

Mark Sorenson and Gina Weber were obvious choices for this year’s New Zealand softball “player of the year” awards.

Sorenson, still only 21, emulated his father, Dave, by captaining the New Zealand men’s team in the five-test series against the world champion United States side which finished in Christchurch on Sunday.

He was also a member of the silver-medal winning New Zealand team in the men’s world series at Saskatoon, Canada, last August, his outstanding batting form being reflected in hitting three automatic home runs on the final day. The trophy, presented at the Winfield softball media awards dinner at the Hotel Russley on Sunday evening, was a timely one. Sorenson gets married on Saturday. Weber, perhaps the most formidable pitcher in women’s softball, was named the female player of the year for the second time running.

In the course of the summer she spearheaded Auckland to yet another national inter-provincial title and was then instrumental in New Zealand A winning the Winfield South Pacific Classic in Christchurch. She was named

“most valuable player” at the five-nation tournament. United States’ Dave Scott was presented with the “most valuable player" award for the Winfield Challenge men’s test series against New Zealand. He threw two of the Americans’ three winning games in the series. Both Scott and the United States coach, Russ Boice (celebrating his birthday), expressed tongue-in-cheek pleasure that the expatriate Kiwi, Peter Meredith, had an injured arm and inflammation in the shoulder which precluded him pitching either of

the last two tests. The Americans were obviously mildly sensitive about the flak generated when a New Zealander, Meredith, had pitched his adopted country to victory in the world series final at Saskatoon. When picking up his M.V.P. trophy Scott said that the Winfield Challenge victory was “one time a United States guy came through for us.” Earlier an almost equally amusing Chad Corcoran had collected the challenge trophy (to be renamed the Winfield golden bat) on behalf of the American team. On his way back to his table with the weighty trophy hoisted over his shoulder, Corcoran muttered: “I could get a hit with this sucker." He had gone through the whole series without a safe hit in 14 turns at bat.

His parting shot as he was about to sit down was a reference to the sailing shenanigans in San Diego. “We’re not going to court with this one either,” Corcoran said.

Other awards presented included "journalist of the year” — Russell Gray (“Dominion”) and “broadcaster of the year” — Tony Johnson (Radio New Zealand).