The sport of Softball has quickly become a staple in the city of Louisville, and so it makes little sense that the city is nationally represented in the Amateur Softball Association of America Hall of Fame.
The organization has been honoring those that have show the ability and integrity that represents a hall of famer in any field since 1933. Based out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma the organization first looked towards Louisville natives in 1977 with the induction of manager Bud Gagel.
Gagel proved himself an affable and quality manager winning countless local, regional, and national championships with the Jiffy Club team culminating with a victory in the World Series of Softball in 1973.
Eleven years later commissioner John Deaver was inducted into the hall. Acting as the Kentucky ASA commissioner for thirty years Deaver received acclaim not just from local and national softball personnel but got presidential recognition after establishing a National Softball Week from President Eisenhower.
The most recent local member of the hall is catcher Bill Gatti. A star for Bud Gagel with the Jiffy Club, Gatti was a 2000 inductee. A University of Louisville baseball and football star Gatti was a natural athlete proving that every time he stepped on the field.
More than that triple threat though, Kentucky natives are all over the hall. Just this year Maysville native Jerry King was inducted and that’s just scratching the surface.
I suppose was has to come away with the belief that for a city known for baseball, softball’s been pretty good to this town as well.
Image courtesy of the Amateur Softball Association of America
