Subscribe!
The Rhode Island Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame announces the Class of 2026 – John Cardullo
by John Cardullo, sportswriter
The much-anticipated Rhode Island Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame class of 2026 was announced on July 1st. Ten new inductees and a classic team of excellence will join the 175 people who have already entered the Hall of Fame.
The RISPSHOF held its first class in November of 2018 and has had its annual induction dinner every year, except for 2020 when the pandemic stalled the induction ceremony. The Hall of Fame committee decided to have a double induction dinner the following year, determined to keep the streak intact. “We decided to not stop the momentum that had built up leading into the pandemic year.” said the organizations secretary Scott Sunderland.
Sunderland who himself had been inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021, has served on the executive board since the organization was founded and launched in 2018. “Our goal (of the selection committee) is to induct the best of the best in the Rhode Island softball community.”
The organizations treasurer, David Marland, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 said, “Softball in the state of Rhode Island has been around for over 70 years, and the state has a rich history in the sport on both the local and national level. It is still one of the most popular participation sports throughout the world!
The class of 2026 includes two of the best women softball players ever to grace the diamond. Suzy Quinn and Judy Howard played at the top level that the game had to offer and year after year has shown teammates and opponents alike that they can excel at that level.
On the men’s side of the ledger, John Jackson, Rick Creana, Ed Bedrosian, Glenn Blacklock, Melvin Steppo, Jr. and Bill Motte have all made their marks on the men’s game. Spanning their collective careers through the 1960’s until the 2010’s. Some of the members are still playing successfully in the senior softball circuit today. Anthony “Tony” Renzi will be the first ever dual member of the Hall of Fame. Not only did Renzi excel on the fielder as a player, but he was also the sponsor of the Action Auto Collision team that was the last class “A” team to compete out of Rhode Island.
Craig Andreozzi will be inducted as an umpire. Beginning in the game of softball as a player, Andreozzi played for several high profile and very successful teams. But having a remarkable ability to excel at being a game official earned him the admiration and respect of both players and officials alike in the softball community. Starting off as a softball umpire, Andreozzi has become a high school football official as well as a college baseball umpire.
Rounding out the line of inductees will be the Team of Excellence. This year the honor goes to Pariseault Builders of Warwick. Pariseault began in the mid 1960’s and played throughout the 1970’s and into the 1980’s. Considered by many as one of Rhode Island’s best teams ever to take the field. Pariseault Builders will join with other inducted teams of excellence such as Conti Brothers, Clark & Son Locksmiths, Fair Warning who was one of the best women’s teams to ever play the game of softball, including both women’s and men’s teams, and AT Cross.
Golf Outing coming up!
The Hall of Fame will kick off its 2026 celebration by holding its annual fundraising golf outing on Sunday, August 16th at the Richmond Country Club. Tee time is 8:00 am. There will be a coffee and pastry pre-outing registration, golfers will receive an outing favor, a breakfast sandwich at the turn, contests on the golf course, a steak dinner and loads of prizes and surprises. The price to enter is $150.00 per golfer, you can contact either Scott “Stump” Sunderland at 401-623-6094 or David Marland at 401-447-9273.
Hall of Fame Dinner
If you are interested in attending the 9th Annual Induction dinner you can contact either David or Scott. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, November 21st at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick at 5:00 pm. Tickets will go on sale September 1st.
___
John Cardullo, sportswriter. A lifelong Rhode Islander, his sports experience is extensive, as a player, coach and sponsor of youth and high school sports. He has been the Public Address Announcer for the CCRI Men’s and Women’s Soccer teams, and for both the Cranston East and Cranston West football, Cranston East Boys and Girls basketball for 12 years. He then moved on as an announcer to the Central HS, Juanita Sanchez and Mt. Pleasant football teams, as well as Central HS Boys and Girls Basketball, Scituate High School Boys and Girls Basketball, Johnston High School Girls Basketball, Boys Volleyball, Girls Softball, Boys and Girls Soccer teams, and CLCF football.
John has been involved in men’s softball for 61 years, starting as a batboy for his father’s team in 1964. He moved to the team’s scorekeeper then became a player in 1975, and created the men’s team, Players Corner Pub, that went on to win 20 State Championships in their 35 year history.
In the 1990’s he published the statewide, award-winning softball magazine “The Fielders Choice” which was dedicated to all topics related to adult softball, and won several media awards. In 2019 he was elected and inducted into the Rhode Island Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame, which he also helped create. John is a sportswriter for RINewsToday.com, covering the local sports scene.
John has been a softball umpire in Warwick, Rhode Island. After retiring from the printing Industry after a 45-year career, he now writes specialty sports columns for RINewsToday.com, and is still actively engaged in the high school sports scene and athletic administration.
John Cardullo is the General Manager of the Cranston Veterans Memorial Ice Rink. He comes to the rink 50 years after he began at the rink in his first job as a youth.
In his spare time John golfs with his lifelong friends. He has also worked at the Warwick Ice Rink, part time, for the past 8 years, and has worked in several areas as a project manager at the Cranston Senior Center and for the City of Cranston.