All right softball fans of the Brooke (and beyond), it’s deadline time for the April issue of the Notes and your humble scribe is comin’ atcha with the latest and greatest (well, latest) in SaddleBrooke Senior softball action.
- PATRICK’S DAY TOURNAMENT
- This edition will be out around April 1 and our Memorial Day Tournament will have taken place on Saturday, March 14. Three games of softball “dramedy” were “committed.” Thanks again to our tournament sponsors, Wendy Harn of Harn Legacy – Estate Planning and Debra Miller of Debra Miller – State Farm Insurance. Good on ya, ladies. Thanks. NEXT UP????? MEMORIAL DAY TOURNAMENT at the end of May.
WINTER LEAGUE ACTION
Well we’re nearing the end of week 10 of our Winter season and all the birds (snowbirds, that is) are in town. So the leagues are chock-full and the softball action is rockin’.
In Monday Recreational, KJK Insurance Specialists have jumped ahead and are now 7-3 to Heredia Landscaping’s 3-7. With just 4 weeks left, the Heredians gotta get trimming! In Community a season-long brouhaha has developed with the league title still very much IN DOUBT! Ann Fraley-Long Realty is leading the way at 7-6 with Barron Electric matching that 7-6 record and Big Bear Garage Doors not far behind at 6-8. This three team league plays doubleheaders every week and so have played a few more games than some of the other leagues.
On Tuesdays, in Competitive, Bubb’s Grub has “grubbed” two in a row to jump out to a 5-3 league lead over Catalina Family Dental at 3-5. In Community, Anne Glenn-Long Realty at 7-1 is dragging the field with Brittni Guttman-AllState Insurance at 1-7. With just four weeks left in the Winter season, it’s pretty much all over but the crying for the Allstaters. Never mind, boys and girls. Get out there and have some fun and be safe.
On to Wednesdays where in Community, Dominick’s Real Italian is trying to hold on against Debra Miller-State Farm. Dom’s has gone 1-3 over the last four games to hold a slim lead over the Farmers with a 5-4 record. The Debra’s are 4-5 and maybe STORMIN’ BACK. In Sidewinder, Ambient Air Heating & Cooling has taken the last four in a row to move out to a commanding 7-2 lead with Absolutely Art dropping those same four and are 2-7.
Thursday bring us Coyote (65+) and the Thursday Recreational league. In Coyote, Harn Legacy-Estate Planning has taken the last three in a row and is now 6-2 with Hardin Brothers Automotive at 2-6. In Thursday Rec, Hughes Credit Union is also now 6-2 with Leah Kari Solutions in the cellar at 2-6.
ON TO FRIDAYS! On Fridays, in Community, The Community Church at SaddleBrooke is holding a 5-2 lead over Concierge A/C at 2-5. The Mechanics are going to have to heat up if they want to catch the Church. In Competitive, Andy’s Irrigation has gone 1-2 over the last three games to settle in at 3-4 and give Cleere Law Office the league lead at 4-3. BUT… with 4 games left, there’s still plenty of time for Andy’s guys to make a comeback. So the battle is brewing there!
ACTIVITY FAIR
Hey! REPEATING THE SHOUT OUT to Chuck Kill, John Woolmington, Stacy Dawson, and Ryan Mitchell for showcasing SaddleBrooke Softball at the Brooke’s recent Activity Fair. Thanks gals and guys for taking the time to tell the “fairgoers” about our softball organization.
SADDLEBROOKE SOFTBALL HISTORY ( In case you were wondering)
Well, early Brookies were pretty much on their own until October of ’96 (I remember it well … it snowed like a …. well….. nevermind) when Vic Garcia put a team together from SB and played at the end of Craycroft Road (Holy Toledo!) and Golf Links Road at the Golf Links Sports Center. The league played from October until April. The teams were from all over – Tucson, Oro Valley, Green Valley, Sierra Vista, and of course, SaddleBrooke. In 2000 the Brooke added another team and again in 2001. With that drive, the games started at 10 a.m. and each team played a doubleheader. That league dissolved in 2004.
HOWEVER…… there are still FOUR PLAYERS from that era still kicking it around the diamond here in SaddleBrooke: Jack Graef, Ron Quarantino, Bill Spevak, and Mike Romano. Jack played in that early league downtown from 1996 to 1999; Bill from 2001 to 2004; Mike played two years in ’02 and ’03; and Ron from 1998 to 2004.
Jack “Ironman” Graef went on to play BASEBALL in 2000 to 2011 for the TOTS (Tucson Old Timers) until he hung it up there and came back to SB softball in 2012. Quarantino also played for the TOTS from 2003 to 2006, but sez, “I hung it up cuz of the 50 mile round trip three days a week.” He went on to play in a Sunday league for 12 years with the Tucson Cowboys.
Well, John Vosper put a team together in 2003 with players 65 and older. That’s the genesis of the “Coyote” league that’s still playing on Thursday at the softball complex here in SB down along Edwin Road near the south gate.
Fast forward to 2026 and SaddleBrooke softball has a couple hundred members and has play Mondays through Fridays with “Recreational (single A)” play, “Sidewinder (AA),” “Community (AAA),” “Coyote (65+),” and “Competitive (AAAA)” skill level leagues. Additionally, there are a number of “softball junkies” who travel and play in both local, state-wide, and national/regional tournaments. The Association sponsors four (4) tournaments each year (St. Pat’s, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day), with softball “dramedy”, music, food, fun, and lotsa neighborly chanting and chattering.
POST-GAME WRAP
Well I could go on as you know! But I’m at my limit so that’s a wrap. Winter League games are daily, Monday through Friday, starting at 9 a.m. Practices are on Saturday when you can tune the bat and glove. If you want more info, come on down to the field. Or you can surf the Association at saddlebrookesoftball.com.
P.S. Thanks to Ron Quarantino for the SB history info. My mantra …. “If I got anything wrong … Talk to Ron.” Thx, Q.
MEMORIAL DAY TOURNAMENT END OF MAY!
Faculty concerned about changes to U of A admissions policy
