Softball Hall of Fame building reopens Sunday

Gregg Bosch is calling it the biggest and best yet. George Steinke had no problem picking his highlight of the weekend.

Rick Sampson just smiled, thinking about what the Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame event will mean.

The annual CRSHOF weekend starts Friday with a golf event at St. Andrews - spots still are available - and concluding Saturday and Sunday with an eight-team 16-inch slow-pitch tournament that will feature Open state champion C.J.'s Sports Bar and Class A state champion Roto Rooter.

"From 11:45 (a.m. Sunday) to 1 (p.m.) is the highlight of the weekend," said Bosch, CRSHOF secretary.

That's the time frame for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the reconstructed Hall of Fame building behind Diamond 1 at Ellis Park, badly damaged during the flood of 2008, and the induction of the five new CRSHOF members - George Hamman, Robert "Bobby" Harris, Mike "Scoop" Simmons, Ken "Bear" Stalkfleet and Steve "Yogi" Frese.

"The rededication" of the building, Steinke, CRSHOF president, said about his highlight this weekend. "We put a lot of effort to get back in that building."

Historic photos and trophies were damaged, as well as the building. There had been hope of the reopening each year since 2008, but raising nearly $16,000 of the $25,000 to $30,000 needed to rebuild - and the work itself - took longer than hoped.

Donations continue to be accepted toward the cost.

"We really didn't want to go out on a limb last year," Steinke said.

"Our goal was to rebuild bigger and better than before," Bosch said. "We're not bigger, but we're certainly better."

The golf tournament is $55 (contact Rocky Woods, 551-2259). The softball tournament begins at 8 a.m. both days with local musician Jeff Bruner holding a free concert at the park after Saturday's last game, starting at approximately 7:30 p.m. Sunday's final game will start around 3 p.m.

McKenna Miller, a 2010 Cedar Rapids Xavier graduate, will receive the first CRSHOF Kirkwood Softball Scholarship.