Fort Wayne Scouts

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, several men's professional slow-pitch softball leagues were formed in the United States to build on the growth and talent in the booming men's amateur game during this period.{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1977/07/29/slow-pitch-pros-fast-becoming-favorites/2dff2748-c53f-4fd6-9a20-b08f18cd2a5c/|title=Slow-Pitch Pros Fast Becoming Favorites|first=John|last=Feinstein|date=July 29, 1977|via=www.washingtonpost.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1977/05/26/pro-slo-pitch-softball-debuts-sunday/cca52509-c3c2-4116-a1d7-323d2e1b6bc3/|title=Pro Slo-Pitch Softball Debuts Sunday|first=Russell|last=Carter|date=May 26, 1977|via=www.washingtonpost.com}} The American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) was the first such league, launching in an era of experimentation in professional sports leagues. The APSPL was formed in 1977 by former World Football League front-office executive Bill Byrne, who would go on to found the Women's Professional Basketball League.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64705618/valley-news/|title=Softball lures big names, .715 batting averages|newspaper=Valley News |date=May 25, 1977|pages=42|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64767329/the-journal-times/|title=Softball takes on a professional look | last = Eickhorst | first = Mark|newspaper=The Journal Times |date=April 3, 1977|pages=47|via=newspapers.com}} Former New York Yankees star Whitey Ford was the first APSPL commissioner.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64607292/lansing-state-journal/|title=Slo-pitch czar named | agency = AP |newspaper=Lansing State Journal |date=July 21, 1977|pages=42|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64783650/the-courier-journal/|title=Ford's lack of a better idea has softball teams seething | first = Joel | last = Bierig | newspaper=The Courier-Journal |date=September 3, 1978|pages=8|via=newspapers.com}} The Scouts were named for the International Scout SUV, which was manufactured in Fort Wayne by their sponsor International Harvester.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64600536/vidette-messenger-of-porter-county/|title=Fort Wayne pro softball team forming|newspaper=Vidette-Messenger of Porter County |date=January 30, 1979|pages=11|via=newspapers.com}} The team was partially owned and managed by former Major League Baseball player Jim Rivera.{{Cite web|url=https://www.angelfire.com/sd/slopitch/pro.html|title=Professional Slow Pitch Softball History|website=Angelfire}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64599743/democrat-and-chronicle/|title=Catching Z's |newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle |date=May 5, 1979|pages=7|via=newspapers.com}}

Fort Wayne would put forward one of the worst records in the 6-year run of professional softball, finishing the 1979 season with a 8-56 (.172) record, 32.5 games behind the Milwaukee Schlitz. Milwaukee would take the APSPL title in 1979 over the Kentucky Bourbons, with Schlitz player Rick Weiterman winning both the series and league MVP awards. This series was the first sporting event to air on the new sports network ESPN.{{cite book|title=International Directory of Company Histories | volume = 56|date=2004|publisher=St. James Press|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/espn-inc-history/|accessdate=March 27, 2018|language=en|chapter=History of ESPN, Inc.}} No Scouts made the all-APSPL squad although Tommy Spahn, who had previously played for the Chicago Storm, and Cardell Collins, made the mid-season all-star game, played in Louisville, Kentucky.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65510078/the-courier-journal/|title=Scorecard: Softball: APSPL All-Star games|newspaper=The Courier-Journal |date=July 23, 1979|page =26|via=newspapers.com}} Former Chicago player Mike Krolicki also suited up for Fort Wayne and Lou Banks (16 HRs) of the Scouts contributed on the year. Dave Evilsizer and Dave France helped to lead the over-matched Scouts, trading off catching and pitching duties.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64905225/the-courier-journal/|title= Schroer hurls another shutout, but Bourbons split with Scouts | first = Jim | last = Terhune | newspaper=The Courier-Journal |date=June 3, 1979|page =47|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64905157/detroit-free-press/|title=Caesars sweep Scouts|newspaper=Detroit Free Press |date=July 5, 1979|page =75|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64906019/democrat-and-chronicle/|title=1,226 watch Zeniths win two games|newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle |date=June 17, 1979|page =54|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64811842/democrat-and-chronicle/|title=Decillis' first victory caps Zeniths' sweep | first = John | last = Kolomic|newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle |date=June 18, 1979|page =29|via=newspapers.com}}

The North American Softball League (NASL) split from the APSPL after the 1979 season, as three teams came to the NASL from the APSPL – Fort Wayne, the Cleveland Stepien's Competitors, owned by Ted Stepien, who served as NASL President, along with the APSPL champion Milwaukee Schlitz. Six of the eight NASL teams (all except Fort Wayne and Milwaukee) were owned by Stepien.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-10-02-sp-45743-story.html|title=With This Team, He'd Better Have a Sense of Humor|date=October 2, 1994|website=Los Angeles Times}} Former MLB player Mudcat Grant served as a PR official for the league.{{Cite web|url=https://thisgreatgame.com/mudcat-grant/|title=They Were There: The TGG Interview with Mudcat Grant}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65289366/lexington-leader/ | title= From cash to enthusiasm, new softball league has it all | first = Mike | last = Fields | newspaper=Lexington Herald-Leader | date=16 May 1980 | page= B1 (16) }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65289431/lexington-leader/|title= Rardin seeks softball success | first = Mike | last = Fields |newspaper=Lexington Herald-Leader |date=May 16, 1980|page = B5 (20) |via=newspapers.com}} The NASL would last just one season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/07/15/archives/connecticut-weekly-new-haven-pros-ride-slowpitch-boom.html|title=New Haven Pros Ride Slow‐Pitch Boom (Published 1979)|first=John|last=Cavanaugh|newspaper=The New York Times |date=July 15, 1979}} The Fort Wayne Huggie Bears were formed by Rivera and also played at the Tah-Cum-Wah Complex in Fort Wayne. The team was named after a lollipop manufactured by a local candy company.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64600705/tipton-county-tribune/|title= Huggie Bears sells suckers |newspaper=Tipton County Tribune |date=August 20, 1980|page =6|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64599789/the-indianapolis-news/|title=You Can Do It: Slo-Pitch Softball |newspaper=The Indianapolis News |date=September 20, 1980|page =35|via=newspapers.com}}

The Huggie Bears fared only slightly better than the Scouts, finishing the year 11-49 (.183), 36 games behind Milwaukee in the NASL Eastern Division.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64904832/chicago-tribune/|title= New pro softball team sweeps home opener | first = Linda | last = Kay |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=May 25, 1980|page =60|via=newspapers.com}} No Huggie Bears made the all-pro team but Lou Banks and Cardell Collins represented Fort Wayne at the mid-season All-Star game played in Willoughby, Ohio. The team did feature former San Francisco Giant Bruce Miller, a Fort Wayne native.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64600742/the-indianapolis-star/|title='Huggies' Cuddle Into Last Place | first = Tom | last = Keating |newspaper=The Indianapolis Star |date=August 19, 1980|page =21|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/millebr01.shtml|title=Bruce Miller Stats|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64961034/the-lexington-herald/|title= Stallions Swap 6-3 Victories With Huggies |newspaper=The Lexington Herald |date=June 23, 1980|page =13|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64960992/lexington-leader/|title=Stallions write incredible screenplay | first = John | last = Clay |newspaper=Lexington Herald-Leader |date=July 7, 1980|page =9|via=newspapers.com}} Dave France pitched again for Fort Wayne in 1980, Cardell Collins and Lou Banks provided power, and Eddie Echols and Clint Werley added depth for the Huggie Bears.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64904786/the-lexington-herald/|title=Stallions Split With Fort Wayne|newspaper=The Lexington Herald |date=June 22, 1980|page = C5 (37) |via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64905495/lexington-leader/|title=Stallions write incredible screenplay | first = John | last = Clay |newspaper=Lexington Herald-Leader |date=July 7, 1980|page =9|via=newspapers.com}} The NASL disbanded at the end of the season, bringing the disastrous run of professional softball in Fort Wayne to a close.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64600283/the-courier-journal/|title=Rudderless? | first = Joel | last = Bierig |newspaper=The Courier-Journal |date=June 2, 1979|page =25|via=newspapers.com}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://funwhileitlasted.net/2014/05/23/1979-fort-wayne-scouts-softball/ Fort Wayne Scouts on Fun While It Lasted]
• [https://www.angelfire.com/sd/slopitch/pro.html Softball History Data]
• [https://www.softballhistoryusa.com/ Softball History USA]
• [https://detroitcaesars.weebly.com/ Detroit Caesars Online Home]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20190324200635/https://www.teamusa.org/usa-softball/national-softball-hall-of-fame National Softball Hall of Fame]

Category:Softball teams in Indiana

Category:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1979

Category:Men's professional softball teams

Category:Sports in Fort Wayne, Indiana