Spokane Softball Deserves Better
I am writing as a concerned and very upset softball player and coach. Besides being upset, I am more embarrassed to admit I play in the Spokane Metropolitan system when discussing softball with the players from different cities, i.e., “Why doesn’t the city take better care of its softball fields, etc.?”
For 25 years, I have been primarily involved in slowpitch, which has included slowpitch commissioner, VP and player representative. My team for this period of time has been one of the best, if not the top, slowpitch team in the city and county of Spokane.
As a team, we have seen major and top A through D tournaments go from 40-team tournaments to as little as six teams participating in a national qualifier. Why? Take a look at what the city and county have to offer for a facility to hold a tournament. To start with, we do not have a legal size complex to hold a slowpitch tournament.
What I consider our nicest complex in the city and county is Franklin Park. Your organization’s Mr. Frank McCoy has let this facility deteriorate so badly you need to close this complex for a couple of months to get it back to reasonable shape. The grass is burned up, holes where outfielders play are worn out and a foot deep and the dirt is like playing in a dusty sand pit. Obviously, Mr. McCoy, you must think that since your golf courses are in excellent shape (and they are), the softball diamonds are, too. With all due respect, Mr. McCoy, the softball fields in the city are terrible and the county’s are not much better.
I’ve been hearing for the past six to 10 years we are going to have a complex that can accommodate all aspects of softball. Most recent comments have been that the city has the land out north, the county is going to start one soon, and the Liberty Lake complex will open soon. All we get are promises.
In the city we have 270 teams, 4,000 players, and not one decent complex out of 34 diamonds within the city. In the county, there are 219 teams, a minimum of 15 players on each team, and 26 diamonds.
With this number of players and the fees each pays in addition to sponsor fees, I really feel we deserve more than what we have. For a perfect example, look at Quad Park in Post Falls.
It would sure be nice if you or Mr. Sam Angove in the County could get together and build a four- or five-diamond, 300-foot, lighted complex. I am quite sure if properly run, it would pay for itself.
As I write this, I recall watching the modified and slowpitch Metro held in the Dust Bowl at Franklin Park last weekend. I sincerely hope we can get this complex in acceptable shape before the men’s National A Modified Tournament in early September.