SYLVANIA SENIOR SOFTBALL

2024 SSS ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING! On Thursday, April 4, the league held an Organizational Meeting at the Moose Lodge, Sylvania, Ohio. Nearly 100-players attended. Board members Terry Patterson, left, Joe Beham and Gary Downey greeted guests with an array of raffle tickets for bats, cash and gift cards from Fricker's and Sidelines.

SSS PRESIDENT Scott Nichols, left, welcomes long time sponsor Jeff Traudt of State Farm to the April 4 Organization meeting. Traudt holds a photo of his 2023 team who won the Tuesday night Masters League Tournament. The photo appeared on a small billboard, near his office at 2828 W. Central Avenue.

LUCKY BAT WINNERS! Gary Downey, left, Phillip Rodriguez and Mike Strobel had the winning raffle tickets at the April 4 SSS Organizational Meeting.

$$$ WINNER! Scott Nichols, right, SSS President, presents Mark Murphy with $280 prize money from the 50/50 raffle held at the April 4 SSS Organizational Meeting.

WALKING WOUNDED! You can't keep a good player down: Left to right, Steve Glass, recovering from shoulder surgery, Brian "Woody" Woodrow, right knee replacement surgery, Dan Leonard, artery stint surgery and Bob Ruckman, quadruple bypass surgery. All hope to play this summer. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

"HE'S A NEW PLAYER!" Perry Chillus, left, points to and introduces Gino Howard, a new SSS member. Thirty-five new players have signed up for the 2024 season at Pacesetter Park. New members and veterans turned out for the April 4 SSS Organizational Meeting. Ten teams will take the field in the Tuesday night Masters League and nine on Thursday.

RJ FENCE'S Virgil Correa come up with the ball and flips to second. Correa is known for being a slick defensive infielder who commands respect with the bat. RJ Fence is a member of the Tuesday Masters League.

FRICKER'S manager, 1B, Phil Richards unloads on a pitch in the Thursday night Legends League. Last year, Richard played LC for Andy & Barney's, co-champs in the Tuesday Masters League. Richard is the owner of Doors and Drawers remodelers.

PERFECT FORM! Sidelines Paul Wesolowski scoops up the ball in Legends League play at Pacesetter Park.

FRICKER'S Bernie LaPoint hits a towering homerun, June 20, vs Fricker's Red in a 26-21 win for Black in Legends League play! LaPoint was 3/4, HR, 2R & 5RBI.

BARROW'S Gabe Barrow lines a hit in the Legends Thursday night league. Barrow is celebrating his 15th year in the league and Barrows Jewelers 47th year in business. Gabe is a City of Maumee Councilman.

PICTURE PERFECT! FRICKER'S shortstop Matt Kwiatkowski gloves the ball, against Fricker's White, in a 25-18 win. Matt was 3/5, 3R & 3RBI in the #3 slot. He's hitting.706 with 9-homeruns, (July 25 '24) for Black.

WINNING EFFORT! Fricker's Larry Hernandez applies the old adage: "see ball - hit ball" in Fricker's 25-18 win over Frickers's White. Hernandez was 3/5, 3B, 3/R, 3RBI.

FRICKER'S Larry "Kid Rock" Wilcznski chases down a triple, hit by Fricker's Black's Wayne Harris. Black won 25-18. Does the eerie shadow forbode White future ?'s

"HOT DOG" veteran, makes a fine back-hand play at third for Rudy's restaurant, Alexis Rd. Mike Betley is the team's manager, and was recently elected to the SSS Board of Directors. Rudy's is in the Masters Tuesday League.

STRETCH, CATCH AND OUT! Fricker's first baseman Phil Richard makes the play for the out in Fricker's White vs. Black Legends League game. Black won the game 25-18. Richards was 2/3.

ELEVEN FOR ELEVEN! FRICKER'S right center, JT Barnes is a defensive gem, and a #2 hitter with speed and power, batting .600 with 11 homeruns in 11-games.

2024 LEGENDS "KING OF SWAT"! Pastorek's Body Shop's left-fielder, Josh Zeitz hit a record - setting 20 OTFHR to win the title, in the Thursday League. Picture-perfect swing! Gregg Hannibal hit 15-OTFHR in 2023 to win the title.

SAFE AT 3rd! Fricker's Carl Clark tags out Dave "Pac-Man" Pacholski at second base. Fricker's defeated Sidelines 17-15 in Legend League play.

2024 MASTERS "KING OF SWAT" trophy winner, Dave Durfey, first baseman for M3 Moar Athletics hit 15-OTFHR. M3 finished 8-10 in the Tuesday night league. In 2023 Durfey won the "King of Swat" title with 15-dingers.

MASTERS LEAGUE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS! William Brothers Auto defeated R.J. Fence in the finals of the 2024 Masters League Tournament 9-8. BIG 3, l-r:, SS, mgr., hit for the cycle, with an ITPHR, John Johnson slammed an OTFHR and Bob Miller chipped in with two clutch hits. (Note: bandage on Jon's chin and blood on his shirt, results of a nasty bad hop at short.)

TOUGH LOSS! Bullmoose battled Sidelines Pub for seven innings, losing in the bottom of the 7th, 21-20, in the 2024 Legends tournament finals. Third baseman, Vergilio Morello was 3/4 with an OTFHR and 6-RBI.

SAFE! Pastorek's Body Shop's Steve Vesschemoet, slides into second, beating the tag from Fricker's MJ Rochowiak. (Strawberry ?)

ANDY & BARNEYS "Mr. Clutch", Mark Murphy, delivered key hits, time after time, in do-or-go-home situations for the Masters League team. Murphy played third base and the outfield. A & B tied for the 2023 League Championship. The pizza tavern has been a SSS sponsor since 2012.

LONG-TIME SPONSOR! Gabe Barrow, OF, for Barrow's Jewelers takes a healthy cut in the semi-finals for his team. A former SSS Board member, Gabe is President of the Maumee City Council. He joined the League in 2009. Barrow's Jewelers team had an 8-8 record in the Legends Thursday night league.

STILL GOING STRONG! Gary Meyer, pushing 79, and one of the original founders of the SSS League played for Pyramid Security on Tuesdays and still travels, playing tournament ball. He was a member of the 2016 Fricker's 70's, SPA AA team that was undefeated in four tournaments and qualified for World at Dalton, Georgia. The former owner of Harvard Barbershop, Meyer sponsored a team, until he sold the business. An Army Vet, Meyer served in Viet Nam.