For a detailed early history of the league by Wes Weddle, league founder and President emeritus click on this link. Early History
Wes Weddle
A Brief History of our League (updated Jan 2009)
The evening of Saturday June 3rd, 1990 was a beautiful spring
evening in Kansas City when our league’s first three softball teams
played their first league ball games. The first game was played by two
of these teams. Upon the completion of this game, each team’s
scorekeeper showed their team winning by the score of 9 to 8. What a way
to begin! One of these teams then played the third team so that all
teams could compete. This was the format used each Saturday evening.
The
Following season the league started play with seven teams and added an
eighth team during the season.
Two years later play began during
the day on Saturday and a conference was added one evening during the
week. An effort was also made to offer at least three different levels
of competition.
In 1996 the league produced it’s first team with a
father-son combination and also had it’s first female team manager.
In
1997 the league sponsored its first qualifying tournament and the KC
Classic continues to be an annual event. In 2004 the KC Classic hosted
52 teams, 30 of which were from out of the area.
In 1998, play
began on Sunday at Cottonwood Park in Lenexa, KS. In 1999, a
double-header league was started on Thursday nights at the Mid America
Complex in Shawnee, KS with two skill levels.
In 2003, a 40+
Women’s League was started on Monday nights and play is now at Hartman
Park in Lee’s Summit. In 2005, The Saturday Morning Draft Leagues were
expanded at Roe Park, in Overland Park, KS. In 2006, play began on
Wednesday nights at Hartman Park.
In 2008, play began at Happy Rock
Park in Gladstone, MO on Tuesday nights, Black Bob Park in Olathe, KS
on Tuesday & Sunday nights, and Heritage Park in Olathe on Thursday
nights.
In 2004, the Kansas City Metro Senior Softball League
fielded forty-two teams comprised of over 500 members playing in various
divisions five days and evenings per week.
In 2008, we had
sixty-four teams playing six days a week and we have grown to over 700
members.
Our league regularly has representation in national
tournaments throughout the United States. We have had nationally ranked
teams and produced national championship teams. Teams have been on
goodwill tours to Hawaii and distant countries including Europe and
Australia.
To further promote Senior Softball in our area, last
year, we hosted the SSUSA “First Annual Kansas City Last Chance
Qualifier”. It is our intention to host a National tournament soon. We
hope the Kansas City area can become a more important part of the
national Senior Softball picture.
Our goal is to promote the game
of slow pitch softball for men over the age of 35 and women over the
age of 40. We bring together mature adults to enjoy fun, fellowship,
and good health through athletic competition. You don’t have to be a
super athlete to play. Many of our members, aged 35 through 80+, have
not played the game for years.
Attitude can be the most powerful
stimulant to staying young at heart, mind and body. Join the fun, build
friendships, enjoy the sport with interesting, enthused seniors and add a
spark to your life. Many members engage in basketball and volleyball in
the off-season.
We have teams for every level of competition and
welcome new members. If you are interested in playing slow pitch
softball, please contact Randy Rowe at 816-623-3355 or rrr5850@aol.com,
or Wes Weddle at 816-331-3878 or wesplayball@aol.com. You may also
email us at info@kcseniorsoftball.org. We have a new player
questionnaire on our site at
http://kcseniorsoftball.org/12.html that you
can complete and return to us.
We
encourage prospective sponsors to look into our organization as a way of
advertising and helping the community. We are a 501(c)4 not for profit
Missouri Corp. We contribute to local charities annually. If you are
interested in league or team sponsorship, please contact Charlie Hiller
at 913-649-3816 or via email at leftyks10@yahoo.com