 Tequila All Stars |  |
Take Senior Softball USA World Championship despite injury to first baseman
Tequila All Stars first baseman Dave Kunz, 58, stretched for an errant throw during the men's 55 AA bracket at Senior Softball USA's 2007 World Championships in Phoenix in October.
For his trouble, Kunz collided with the hitter sprinting to first base, and he ended up face first in the dirt. Kunz first thought was that he felt pain in his neck, and with several of his upper vertebrae already fused, a neck injury was not welcome.
Looking up from the ground, Kunz saw his teammates, who, like him, hail from Ventura County California, and their opponents, members of the Ohio Silverados, gathered around him. Together the men said a prayer, and the competition, for a moment, was forgotten. An accident such as Kunz's is a rarity in senior softball. There are actually two bases at first to avoid such collisions.
Nevertheless, it happened, and the All Stars were now without one of their best hitters; the team ended up losing 13-12. "Our minds weren't on the game at that point," said team manager Tony Maestas. "We were more concerned about Dave."
The Silverados, meanwhile, were feeling invincible. In a game two days earlier, with the score tied 11-11, the Silverados scored 20 straight runs without making a single out. "It's something we'll remember for the rest of our lives," said Terry McClaskey, the Silverados manager.
Meanwhile, after their loss to the Silverados, the All Stars battled their way through the losers bracket, by turning key double plays to kill rallies. After winning the losers bracket the All Stars played the Silverados again -- for the world championship.
By the seventh inning the score was 15-7 in favor of the All Stars. Then the Silverados drove in three runs and loaded the bases. The All Stars answered with one of their signature double plays. The All Stars hung on to be named 2007 World Champions.
More important, Kunz was there to cheer on his team, having been diagnosed with a neck sprain. As he celebrated one of his teammates handed him an envelope. Inside was a card signed by all the members of the Silverados, wishing him a speedy recovery.
AGE GROUP WINNERS AT USA SOFTBALL'S 2007 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
M40-MASTERS (MAJOR)
JK, Inc. (Calif.)
M40-MASTERS (AAA )
All Star Ford Masters (Wash.)
M50-MAJOR+
Hendricks Sports Management (Texas)
M50-MAJOR
Windy City Softball (Ill.)
M50-AA
Texas Legends
M50-AA
Extreme Softball (Calif.)
M55-MAJOR+
MTC Softball Club (Calif.)
M55-MAJOR
Minnesota Legends
M55-AAA
Kansas City Blues (Mo.)
M55-AA
Tequila All Stars (Calif.)
M60-MAJOR+
Old A's/Miken (Calif.)
M60-MAJOR
Kansas City Fire (Kan.)
M60-AAA
Jersey Masters(N.J.)
M60-AA
Robson Ranch (Ariz.)
M65-MAJOR+
W.E. Ruth Realty (Wash.)
M65-MAJOR
Top Gun Gold (Calif.)
M65-AAA
Mesa Cardinals (Ariz.)
M65-AA
Syracuse Cyclones (N.Y.)
M70-MAJOR+
San Francisco Seals (Calif.)
M70-MAJOR
Clearwater 70's (Fla.)
M70-AAA
Top Gun 70's (Calif.)
M70-AA
New Concepts (N.M.)
M75-MAJOR+
Arizona 75's
M75-MAJOR
Texas Classics
M75-AAA
Minnesota Legends
M80 DIVISION
Desert Storm (Ariz.)
W40-MASTERS
The New Team/TNT (Calif.)
W50+
California Spirit 50
W55+
California Spirit 55
W60+
Las Vegas Neons (Nev.)
W65+
Sportacular 65 (Ontario)