Hall of Fame weekend offers plenty of activities

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame have big things in store for its annual Hall of Fame weekend.

In addition to its regular softball tournament and Hall of Fame induction, the organization has expanded to festivities to a three-day celebration with a golf tournament and a concert.

“We're trying to get a lot of people out there,” CRSHOF President Don Weaver said. “Hopefully they have a good time.”

The four-person best shot at St. Andrews Golf Course is scheduled for noon Friday. The cost is $55 for the round, cart and food. Most important is part of the money raised from the golf outing will help fund an annual $500 scholarship for a softball player who attends Kirkwood. Former Cedar Rapids Xavier prep McKenna Miller was the first recipient of the gift.

“Basically what we're trying to do is try to infuse funds into the scholarship,” 2002 Hall of Fame inductee and tournament organizer Rocky Woods said. “Our ultimate goal is to have an endowed scholarship that is to benefit a deserving student athlete.”

Awards and a social will follow the tournament before the regular softball tournament begins Saturday at 8 a.m. at Ellis Park.

The tournament will be a 16-inch softball competition, featuring eight teams from Iowa and Chicago. Pool play and the opening rounds will be held Saturday with the conclusion of the Sunday.

The event will offer entertainment with a concert from a local performer Saturday evening at 8 p.m. at the softball diamonds. Between the golf and softball tournaments, the concert and the honoring of local players, people have number of reasons to be attracted to the event.

“It all falls in place,” Woods said. “It makes it a very enjoyable weekend.”

Weaver, 56, a 2001 CRSHOF inductee, said they hope former softball players of all disciplines - slow pitch, fast pitch and women - come to the ceremonies. They would like to build their list of deserving players for possible future induction, which requires a player to be at least 50 years old, absent from state competition for five years and play in Cedar Rapids for five years.

“Get more resumes in,” Weaver said. “We don't have many.”

The primary focus is the Hall of Fame induction, which includes four new members this year. Jerry Corrigan, Bob Hasley, Greg Mara and Randy Miller will be inducted Sunday. Corrigan played 20 years, including five national tournaments and was a member of the 1991 16-inch slow pitch state championship team. Hasley also played 20 years and was a member of state title teams in 1978 and 1990. Mara played fast-pitch for two decades, playing in multiple state, regional and national tournaments, including playing the 1985-86 season in New Zealand. He switched to 16-inch in 1995 and managed a state title team in 2007. Miller played 26 years in the 16-inch game. A former district tournament co-MVP, who had a lifetime batting average over .500, Miller was a member of state title teams in 1980 and 1982.

“It's a good class,” Weaver said. “All of them were good ball players, All won state and district titles.”

The organization has also recognized a specific group for their accomplishments and this season umpires will be honored. The group is asking all softball umpires of all levels to join the ceremony that will be held at noon next Sunday.

“It had been brought up a couple times before and we decided to go with umpires this year,” Weaver said. “They're part of the game like the people who are playing.”

For more information visit,

www.crsoftballhof.com.