Interview With Dave Blackburn
by Merle Brendeland

Following are excerpts of an interview with Dave Blackburn, commissioner from Southern California. Thanks to Dave for his responses.

1. Why did you agree to become a commissioner and what is your background as a player, manager or supporter of the game?

I became ISC Commissioner for the California Area because I was asked by Milt Stark and Al Rueggsegger, and I felt it was important for me to give positive energy back into the game. When I arrived in Southern California to play for the Camarillo Kings in 1982, this was the geographic area that had the most top fastpitch talent, sponsors, and teams in the US. In the 18 subsequent fastpitch seasons that I have spent out here in the LA Area, I have witnessed firsthand the dwindling number of teams, players, and most importantly, sponsors. I felt like I had some good ideas for attempting to reverse this trend.

My background starts with my father, Ernie Blackburn who pitched for 42 years, and was inducted into the Indiana ASA Hall of Fame in 1987. I have been pitching for 25 seasons, and because we play year round in Southern California, I estimate that I have thrown somewhere between 1,300-1,400 games. Since 1985, I have also pitched for seven different Maccabi USA fastpitch teams that have played in International fastpitch Tournaments in places like Buenos Aires, Argentina; Caracas, Venezuela; Mexico City, Mexico; and Tel Gezer, Israel. 

In 1991, I was named Logistics Chairman of the Men's Softball competition for the US Olympic Festival, which was held in Los Angeles that summer. This was my first role in an administrative capacity for a fastpitch event.

In 1998, I moved into a team administrative role for the first time, as GM of the Long Beach Painters, which helped lead to my offer and acceptance of the California Area Commissionership starting with the 2000 Season.

2. How do you view the responsibility of being a commissioner and what opportunities for change do you see?

I take the responsibilities of being the California Area ISC Commissioner quite seriously. As Commissioner, I have been entrusted with rebuilding and maintaining the well-being of an elite level of Men's Fastpitch representation by the state of California. The biggest opportunity for change is in convincing teams to take the attitude that they should "play-up", and participate in the ISC State Tournament Program, rather than exclusively "playing down" in the lower levels only. 

For the 4 seasons between 1996 and 1999, there was no ISC State Tournament in California. In attempting to re-establish the area with an ISC presence, I was able to convince 5 teams to come to the 2000 ISC State Tournament. I am hoping for between 10-12 teams for 2001. This is part of the reversing the trend remedies I referred to earlier.

3. What role should the commissioners play in developing, encouraging younger players or youth teams?

The Commissioner should at least hold one annual pitching and hitting clinic for young players in their area. I am working closely with Central California ASA Commissioner Dick Grove and the USA Softball Program on an April 2001 clinic in conjunction with the Central California Men's Softball League Weekend.

I am also helping to organize another pitching and hitting clinic on April 14 in Palmdale. There are literally dozens of ASA and ISC Hall of Famers currently living in the state of California. I view these great players as a vast resource of knowledge of how to play fastpitch softball at the elite level. If I can convince a select few of these legendary players to lend their expertise to a few developmental clinics, it could go a long way to raise the skill level of players at all divisions in the state.

4. How would you promote growth of the ISC in your area?

One of the off-season projects that I am developing with Jim Flanagan and Robert Hernandez, is the California City League Project. This is where we are creating a Web based resource and listing of the contact info and directions to every Men's Fastpitch City League that still exists in California. Once we know how many leagues exist, we can hopefully contribute support that helps cities launch new leagues, and make sure that the existing leagues remain in operation, and continue to grow the overall number of men and boys who are playing fastpitch.

Another important resource of the California City league project is to be an aid in helping existing fastpitch players quickly hook up with city league teams, if they relocate within California, as well as players who find themselves moving to California, from another part of the country or the world.

I also run an event called the Best of the West Tournament the weekend before the ISC opens, which has grown over the last three years.

I have been working closely with Mark Smith, Head Coach of the Jr Men's National Team from Canada in scheduling a series of 9 games for his team during their 7 day training camp in Long Beach from April 8 - 14, 2001. This will be their preparation before leaving for the ISF World Championships for young Men under 19 years of age, to be held in BlackTown, Australia. We will do our best to get as many young people as possible to view these games, and it will hopefully inspire more fastpitch participation.

5. How could we all better publicize and promote the ISC?

I am in discussions with the Internet's leading sports talk channel in regards to producing a weekly, live call-in show dedicated to men's fastpitch softball. I would like to combine this with live and archived streaming audio coverage of the ISC World Tournament each year. I am of the opinion that this Internet Show would be a great vehicle for promoting the game, and its growth. 

Anyone who has not seen Jeremy Spear's award winning Feature length documentary film FASTPITCH, should definitely see it, and encourage friends to see it when it comes to a theater near you. This film captures the essence and unique culture of the game and the world tournament event in a way that had not previously been expressed via any medium.

6. With having respect for the history and tradition of the ISC, what changes would your representation request?

I think that the ISC needs some kind of plan to ensure that every year, the Championship game is recorded on video, even if it is a single amateur video camera operator who records the game for the organization. 

In the last 20 years, broadcast and cable TV productions for the Tournament and or the Championship games were done in 1981, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, and 1994. In years when TV deals are not consumated by the ISC, or the World Tournament organizing committee, The ISC should at least record the game for it's own promotional purposes, and take pride in maintaining a complete library of it's championship games.

Merle Brendeland
mailto:mbrendeland@sauer-danfoss.com