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. . . This Fall Season Teams That Were Thought To Handily Win Did Not . . .
And that is why our league is that fun! We never know who is going to win- regardless of subs or not on any team- It is about the team. It is not about any one player!
Let's keep cheering on all the teams as they move closer to the final championship game! this season's play off games have been awesome!
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SAVE THE DATE! SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10TH!
Rec D4- The Division With A Cause! Please make checks out to Villages Honor Flight.
My husband Nick and I have been supporting the vets for many years. Both of us are members of Tybee Island American Legion Post 154. He served as procurement officer and junior vice. I still take care of their website design and their posters for their events.
This year, I had the honor of joining up with Ernie Joyal organizing the Annual Vets Tournament continuing in my support for our D4 vets.
As a way to support our local vets, Nick and I began a fundraiser last year for Honor Flight playing Clincher softball.
It is a 16" ball but was also the beginning of softball today! We thought it a fitting way to support the Villages Honor Flight!
We thank all the D4 family for participating in this fun morning for a great cause!
We were happy to initiate the interest for a softball game with Villages softball players and the local school for Honor Flight- Let's all keep giving!
Read more about Honor Flight and last years game on the site. . .
Thank You To All Who Played In The Annual Veterans Day Softball Tournament!! And- All Who Came Out To Watch Those Great Games!
YES! AIR FORCE & FIRST RESPONDERS NAILED IT THIS YEAR!
Look For Action Shots Soon!
Thursday, September 14th- well, once again this week the only games that played 7 innings were at 9AM.
Although there was an occasional sweet breeze, the Villages rec personnel said "games over" shortly after the 10:30 games began.
Sure, there were a number of pissed off guys about this but it is the current rule for playing in this opressive heat.
Some have commented on where this index reading is being collected- it does fluctuate from place to place so perhaps have a reader at the field being played on? Hmmm... maybe we should solicit for lights and play night games? :)) Or, maybe we should pause, chillax, and think about the possibilities of what may happen physically to any players, umpires, spectators, or workers at the fields.
Since summer, at all fields, there have been heat issues. Someone shared a D3 player was taken by ambulance from their field this week. So- who wants the responsibility for being the active, caring person to say- game over? Only one thing I noticed that could help-there has been a field open during games so, why not play on all four fields, if possible, to get more games played? Just a suggestion.... Next week's weather looks a tad cooler, high 80's- let's hope so! And hope the heat index stays below 104!
Lakers 17 Pelicans 16
Jack Spillane was not down from the heat! He does this before the games, laying down and stretching! Bob Newman, Newman Stretch! is not practicing for pole dancing:) He stretches this way for his awesome plays at first base! Regardless, new player or seasoned- stretch those muscles before you play and continue playing in shape!!
The Pelicans/Lakers game was the closest and, 8 innings! The Pelicans looked good, infield plays, outfield, and batting well! When I was shooting this game the score was 14-2, Pelicans winning! Pelican, Bob Litman batted one to the warning track and I thought they would win. I strolled back to field 2 Raptors/Thunder. Raptors had a good handle on their game at the start and still did!
Raptors 14 Thunder 4
Raptors handily beat Thunder. Although Thunder has a decent team they just did not put it together. There had been an issue regarding a Thunder sub, that is when I decided to check out the other games.
Raptors subs; l: Joe Orloski, r: Nick Dorazio
Yepper, It's all in black & white:)
Pistons 19 Timberwolves 2
On field 3 it was a not a great game for Timberwolves. Pistons mercied them. I will say, Pat Housel played well for his team even though his team just could not get things rockin.
What happens when a team needs a sub?
The manager needs to replace the roster player with a player of the same value- A, B, or C . White came up to the plate for Thunder, I'm a sub he said. The tower replied he was not on the Thunder list of players. Thunder manager looked a bit confused. The tower continued, where is your sub that was assigned, specifying the player's name, on the list... This is when I decided to head over to other games. I've seen this happen in previous games, including play offs! No time for this! Ask John Cilento if you need any clarity on sub rules- he heads this up:)
BTW- White did not bat, the assigned sub played and, had a hit for Thunder. Raptors manager, Mark Olson needed 2 subs- he played by the rule book securing the proper subs- they both did very well for the Raptors team....
Monday was 911- although it was not a day we wish to remember- we did.
The 9:00 games played until 10:30 then all came to a halt when the heat index reached 104! The early games, got to the 7th but were set after the 6th inning in the stats. The remaining games were all cancelled. At 10:30 all of us stopped as manager for the Pelicans, Bernie Cook, an ordained minister- spoke to us about that fateful day, offering peace to all who perished, and the loved ones they left behind. Pacers manager, Lamar Young belted out a patriotic
hymn and all joined in.... Yes, a day we wish never happened but did.
Here is a collection of shots from Monday, September 11, 2023.
Click on an image to enlarge...
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Below is a 6 page slide show with highlights and comments on our Fall Season Opening Week!
There's a lot of pics so grab your favorite libation and await the show!
If you can't wait, click on the center of the blue screen for a compressed view:)
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Sign Ups Have Begun! Any Villager who would like to join the rec D4 softball family for a Sunday morning of fun, for a great cause- Villages Honor Flight Fundraiser- let Nick or Jacque know!
Even if you are not playing,
it is a great gathering of giving souls!
Visit the pages on this website to see the fun pics
from last year and to learn about Clincher-
the actual origination of softball!!
Visit VillagesHonorFlight.org to learn about this wonderful group of vets and dedicated guardians supporting our vets!
Yes, The Sizzling Summer Season Has Come To An End... For Highlights Of The Tournament Games, The Bracket Schedule, And The League Standings Of Players & TeamsClick On This Link
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CELTICS! back row l/r: John Blough, Jim Culhane, Tom Wainwright,
Joe Ford, Don Barry
front l/r: Rick Niblett, Felix Rodriguez, Rudy Rugraff, Dan Beattie,
Rodger Penley, Ken Day, Frank Spalla, Pete Smith
link to
... 2023 Summer Recreational
Division 4 Team Pics Page ...
Welcome to the D4 Recreational Softball site!
This project began in August 2020 when my husband, Nick Dorazio, began playing softball with all of you! It has since morphed into my personal project highlighting all of the D4 family of players, their significant others, and friends.
I have gone to other divisions, rec and neighborhood, within the softball league and found the rec D4 group is certainly the coolest, having a good time playing and socializing!
Since 2020 I continue to capture your moments on and off the fields... this photographic project expounds on maintaining one's youth, our youth. Regardless of that number referred to as our "age" by playing this game of life and softball, I hope to instill one's positivity to never give up on ourselves and support each other.
Thank you to all for your kindness and captured moments! Thank you to all the 2022 Fall season rec D4 team managers for contributing so we may enjoy the rec Division 4 family, on and off the field!
. . . Your RecD4 photographer and web mistress . . .
Jacque Dorazio
Here are FYI moments and Links To Special Features On This Site . . . Anything You Wish To Share? ... email me!
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Maybe you have not played for a long time and are just beginning again- perhaps try out some used gear before making the plunge or, you have played for a number of years and have gear taking up space... check out this page on the site . . .
"Guess Who This Is?"
This challenge began in the 2023 Winter season for fun and continues to grow...
...Check Out The Big Kids of D4 page...
You can check out the recent mystery kids and past mystery kids on the link above.
You don't need to hit a home run. You just need to guess who these guys are- you will be amazed when you discover who they are!
email me your sweet pic today!
This little sweetness was the first to kick off this ongoing, fun challenge to guess who the mystery kids may be... How fitting to kick it off with our rec D4 league president, Dave Bigelow! seen here, holding what else, a softball!!
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FYI- just a suggestion- this is a handy device to loosen up those muscles, quads, calves- use a massage gun before playing, during, whatever works for you... stretch, loosen up and hopefully, avoid pulled groins, etc! .... no endorsing any specific mfg just advice on keeping you in the game!! Ask around!
Click on the navigation menu at the top right corner- the 3 lines. It will drop down showing all the active pages on the site.... all the team pictures, the special events, Vets tournament and sooo much more! If you have anything you would like to add to the site, email me! jacq@d4softball.org
A Link To What CLINCHER Softball Is And All The
Cool Action Shots Of This Year's Game
Click On The Link
Clincher Softball Game Fund Raiser
... We All Hope You Join Us In 2023 For This Great Cause!
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This past December was the month of giving and this D4 family does just that! Jerry Saltness has dedicated many years organizing and collecting donations for our local neighbors. We hope that perhaps you would like to step into Jerry's shoes and continue his outstanding efforts providing food for those in need! Thank you to Jerry and his wonderful group of friends who have participated so kindly.
Thanks to all who volunteer to umpire the games!
Perhaps you would like to join the umpire league and be part of the fun on the field! ... More to come on how to join! ... Conversations with Jack DiMaggio, UIC, and Bob Litman will be coming- highlighting all the important information to run each game fairly, and smoothly!
At the end of Winter season Jack stepped down from position of UIC, Umpire In Chief. The D4 family of players graciously acknowledged Jack's dedication over the years presenting him with a framed photographic memory of him umpiring and a gift certificate for dining out. Although Jack will still be umpiring, Steve Lefebvre now holds that position, UIC. Additionally, there is a need for scorekeeping- paper and computer! More to come on how to learn this easy and important task! And join that crew:)
Congrats To Jeff For Stellar Smash!
Since then I learned there was another player more recently to snag that achievement, after Bill Oar- was Rick Egan!
I asked many players at the field when the last time someone had smashed it over the fence- Bill Oar was the collective answer.
Congrats to all for their legendary hits!
The 2022 Annual Veterans TournamentARMY 2 BEATS NAVY/COAST GUARD 9-8!
A great, warm, sunny day for the opening of the Annual Vets Softball games! The color guard, Ernie Joyal, Matt Spanier, Buck Buchanan, Dave Czohara, Larry Rivellese, Reverend Bernie Cook and me, the special guest, throwing out the first pitch... Hey, I've never thrown a softball and was happy with a high arc landing to the left of the plate!... I didn't want to disappoint you boys:) Thank you for the honor!
For All The Pics Of The Annual Rec D4 Vet Games Check Out This Page Rec D4 Vet Games
The Geezers!
Check out the Geezers player Jim Culhane above- he snagged the only home run against the Disciples!
Below is the awesome Bob Newman with a stretch that you have to see to believe! and yep, he blasted that Sputnik outta there!
So, who are these GEEZERS? Most are players from rec D4, rounding out the team were players from D2 and D3! Click on the blue link below to discover more about The Geezers, and their take on engaging in this tournament along with all the action shots of the 4 games played. They got a second place award BTW :)
Check out the the Geezers page featuring our softball guys, and their families and friends...
