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Out and About in RI: 7th annual Rhode Island Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame – John Cardullo
by John Cardullo, sportswriter
The 7th annual Rhode Island Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame is in the books!
On Saturday November 16, 2024, close to 300 people attended the 7th annual Rhode Island Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame induction dinner at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick, Rhode Island. The event is considered the official end of the softball season as it celebrates the accomplishments of those ball players, Directors, Umpires, Sponsors and those who have enhanced and enriched the game of softball in Rhode Island.
It was back in 1997 when I wrote in the publication, The Fielders Choice, that it was time for Rhode Island to consider starting up a state softball Hall of Fame. The Fielders Choice was a publication that was devoted into writing about the local Rhode Island softball scene. Although the publication stopped publishing after its tenth year, the spark remained on the idea of a Hall of Fame. After several attempts to get the Hall of Fame into existence, it was the winter of 2018 that plans to induct the first class of hall of famers became a reality.
The first induction ceremony was held at the Cranston Country Club in November of 2018. The capacity crowd witnessed 33 people inducted into the first ever class. The next year the ceremony moved to the spacious Crowne Plaza in 2019 where another 25 were inducted bring the total of 58 inductees into the Hall of Fame.
The pandemic of 2020, derailed plans for the third induction, however it was determined that in 2021 a double induction dinner was to be held, and no single year was going to be skipped over. The 2020 and 2021 induction dinner had over 500 people attending the double event. As the class of 2020 inducted 24 people and the class of 2021 welcomed another 28, the total now was 110 inducted members. In 2023 an additional 18 members were added and in 2024, this year, the Hall of Fame welcomed in another 18 members bringing the total to 128 members.
Welcome, Class of 2024!
The Crowne Plaza once again was the venue for the 2024 induction dinner. The Class of 2024 includes Mitchell Kuras, Ken Boucher, Jim Angell, Stu Crowley, Jeff Sinku and John Mello Sr. are inducted in the Men’s Players wing.
USSSA’s Umpire in Chief Rob Barr was the only Umpire inducted this year.
Wayne Freitas and Robert Puopolo were inducted as Directors. Puopolo has been the longtime director in Pawtucket, while Freitas began the very successful “Indoor softball program” that plays their game at the indoor sports complex in North Kingstown. It was based on this innovated contribution added to his already impressive resume that he was ushered into the Hall of Fame.
The Women’s class had Karen “Boo” Rego and Paula Gordon inducted.
Last season saw the category of the Team of Excellence introduced into the Hall of Fame. This was to honor those incredible teams that went on to be successful on both the National and Regional stages. The 2024 selection acknowledged and honored the 1979 Clark & Sons Locksmiths team that was the first Rhode Island team ever to win a National Championship. Members of the 1979 team were in attendance as well has current members of the team as it celebrates 60 years of continued play. Now a Sunday morning team, the team plays out of East Providence in the Sunday morning league and is still winning league championships. It was mentioned that team founder, player, coach and sponsor Robert Clark who was inducted into the Rhode Island Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame in 2018, had a field named after him last year before he passed away.
A new special category was added into the Hall of Fame this year – The Pioneers who Enhanced and Enriched the Game of Slow Pitch Softball, and the founding members of the original 50 & Over league in Rhode Island – Dan Quin, Raymond Chalonne, Louis Pennacchia, Sr., John DiMaio and Pasquale DiMaio. These gentlemen were determined to play softball into their 50’s and beyond, so they gathered a bunch of ball players that still wanted to continue to play the game not just for the competition but for camaraderie. They secured the field behind St. Rocco’s Church and began 40 years ago, and the league that these members began continuing to play today.
No sooner had the last inductee was honored and the 2024 ceremony ended, plans have already been talked about for the 8th annual induction dinner.
The Rhode Island Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization, and all monies raised throughout the year goes back into the financing of the dinner and the event. The inductees receive impressive custom rings and Hall of Fame certificates. Fundraising events throughout the year include a pasta dinner and the annual golf outing. It also provides the members of the Hall of Fame to continue to stay in touch with each other. You can get more information about this organization by going to their Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/share/g/Jis8fHHubGXYBbrh/
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John Cardullo, sportswriter. John is 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. Both the Cranston East and Cranston West football, Cranston East Boys and Girls basketball for 12 years before moving onto the Central, Juanita Sanchez and Mt. Pleasant football teams. Also, 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 teams 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 softball magazine “The Fielders Choice” which was dedicated to all topics related to adult softball. As a feature writer, John and the publication 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 softball umpire in Warwick, Rhode Island.
In his spare time John golfs with his life long friends on a weekly basis in season. After retiring from the printing Industry after a 45-year career, he now writes specialty sports columns for RINewsToday.com.