|
||||||
|
||||||
|
Meierhoffer enjoys life as
ASA champ |
|||
| St. Joseph
News-Press SAVANNAH, Mo. -- They face everybody's best pitcher. They're automatically the favorite at almost every tournament. They're in demand in places that didn't know much about Meierhoffer Fastpitch until last September. That's what life is like for Meierhoffer Fastpitch, the defending Amateur Softball Association Men's Major champions, one summer after winning the big one. It's tough, because everybody wants to knock off the champs. But the champs aren't presenting an immobile target. Meierhoffer made some roster changes for 1999, with an eye on defending the ASA title and making a big push at the more prestigious International Softball Congress World Tournament later this August in Sioux City, Iowa. That tournament, no one needs to be reminded, comes to St. Joseph in 2000. "Before last year we weren't considered an elite team," outfielder Grover Musser said. "We command a little more respect when we come to the ballpark these days. Everybody knows who we are." For those who don't, here's brief recap: Meierhoffer (then officially named Meierhoffer-Fleeman) went 59-12 last season and won the ASA title in five games without allowing a run in front of the hometown fans at Phil Welch Stadium. Meierhoffer finished 12th in the 1998 ISC tournament. The ISC tournament is tougher to win because foreign players are allowed. Fastpitch is a popular sport in Canada and New Zealand. This year's team may be even better, team members and opponents say. Meierhoffer is 21-2 after victories over Sioux City (Iowa) and Decatur (Ill.) at Johnson Field in Savannah Saturday. Sunday's games were rained out. "We've got a better team, position-by-position," Musser said. Everyone agrees winning the ASA tournament is helping Meierhoffer improve, even as it makes the team a target of upset dreams. The team leaves this week for a series of games and a tournament in Canada against some of the world's best. It's an invitation-only affair. That's the kind of respect Meierhoffer earned by winning the ASA title. Meierhoffer's roster is dominated by players with Missouri roots. The roster includes most of the top players from last year: Musser, pitcher Doug Middleton, shortstop Kerry Shaw, third baseman Ross Dey, second baseman Chris Miljavac and outfielder Mike Dryer. Winning the ASA title helped Meierhoffer fill a few holes with some of the world's best talent. First baseman/outfielder Steve Schott travels from Florida for games. New Zealander Greg Newton lives in St. Joseph this summer. He replaces Chris Bigelow, the winning pitcher in last year's ASA title game. Outfielder Richard Lira is another important addition. Players such as those don't sign up with just any softball team. After last summer, Meierhoffer isn't just another team. Meierhoffer is a team that can win fastpitch's most desired titles. "I'd like to play on a team I have a belief in," Schott, a regular on All-World teams, said. "I think (we've) got a great team. Good pitching. Good manager. Good sponsor." Schott, opponents say, is the kind of player needed to win the major tournaments. "He's scary," Sioux City (Iowa) Huskies pitcher Joey Termini said Saturday after Schott tripled, homered and bunted for a single. "He can homer, then the next time up he can bunt. It seems like the ones they did add are going to help them tremendously." Meierhoffer manager Rodney Gray estimates it can cost anywhere from $25,000 to $500,000 to run a softball team for a summer. He says Meierhoffer -- because of its reliance on local players -- is on the low end of that scale. Winning the ASA didn't hurt their budget or ability to attract elite players. Meierhoffer pays Schott's expenses when he flies in from Clearwater, Fla. Meierhoffer is able to take care of more expenses on the road and play in better tournaments, thanks to its sponsor and others who rewarded the team after the tournament. The bait is this: Meierhoffer can tell players it will play in top tournaments against good competition and take care of some bills. It's still not posh. Players often use their own cars and pay for gas to go to some tournaments. They play at ballparks in front of a few fans where they often have to buy their own cold drinks. Meierhoffer "has been really good to us," Gray said. "And we expect that to continue." Scott Meierhoffer said his family's business, Meierhoffer Family Funeral Care, benefits in several ways from sponsoring the team. Meierhoffer has bankrolled the team for four years and the family sees it as a way to help revive the fastpitch tradition that once was a big part of the St. Joseph sports scene. The team's past success helped St. Joseph land the ASA tournament because organizers require a strong home team to help attendance. St. Joseph's success with the ASA tournament led to landing the bigger ISC tournament in 2000. In all, it's a significant boost to local softball and fills up a number of hotel rooms and restaurant tables. The ISC will bring in 48 teams and the projected direct economic impact is $816,000, based on participants spending $120 a day. "No doubt about it, it gets our name out there a little bit," Meierhoffer said. "More than anything, it was just kind of a good thing for the community. It showed that supporting local guys and local sports teams can be a benefit." All moves are made with 2000 in mind, when Meierhoffer once again has a chance to win a title at home. "Next year, we're aiming to be the best we've ever been," Musser said. |
|||
|
