The 1998 Women's Pro Fastpitch season was the second season of professional softball for the Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF). The 66-game season was divided into two-halves, with the winner of each half meeting in a championship series.
Teams, cities and stadiums TeamCityStadium Carolina Diamonds Gastonia, North Carolina Sims Legion Park Durham Dragons Durham, North Carolina Durham Athletic Park Georgia Pride Columbus, Georgia South Commons Softball Complex Orlando Wahoos Winter Park, Florida Alfond Stadium at Rollins College Tampa Bay FireStix Tampa, Florida Red McEwen Field Virginia Roadsters Hampton, Virginia War Memorial Stadium
Milestones and Events Two WPF teams announced that they would play their games in different stadiums during the 1998 season: the Carolina Diamonds moved to Sims Legion Park in Gastonia, North Carolina, and the Georgia Pride announced that they would play their home games at South Commons Softball Stadium in Columbus, Georgia.
Changes for 1998 included a revision of the playing rules (43-foot pitching distance, 60-foot base distances), an expanded national television schedule (eight games on ESPN2), and the league's first all-star game, to be played at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio on July 14.
Player Acquisition
College Draft
The 10-round 1998 WPF Draft was held December 6, 1997 in Palm Springs, CA. Georgia Pride selected pitcher Desarie Knipfer of Cal Poly as the first overall pick.
League standings
Source: TeamGPWLPct.GBOrlando Wahoos 66 42 24 .626 -2nd Half ChampionGeorgia Pride 66 36 30 .545 6 Carolina Diamonds 65 34 31 .523 7.51st Half Champion Durham Dragons 63 31 32 .492 9.5 Tampa Bay FireStix 66 27 39 .409 15 Virginia Roadsters 64 25 39.391 16
WPF Championship Series Sources:
The 1998 WPF Championship Series was held at Sims Legion Park in Gastonia, North Carolina September 4–5. The winners of each half of the season met in a best-of-three series to determine the champion.
1998 WPF Championship SeriesOrlando Wahoos defeat Carolina Diamonds 2–0 Game Date Score Series 1 September 4 Orlando Wahoos 8, Carolina Diamonds 0 1–0 2 September 5 Orlando Wahoos 8, Carolina Diamonds 2 2–0
1998 WPF Championship Series MVP PlayerClubAlleah PoulsonOrlando Wahoos
Annual awards Sources: AwardPlayerTeamMost Valuable PlayerCrystl BustosOrlando WahoosHitter of the YearCrystal BoydGeorgia PrideHome Run ChampionsMonica ArmendarezCarolina DiamondsCrystal BoydGeorgia PrideCrystl BustosOrlando WahoosPitcher of the YearKaci ClarkOrlando WahoosDefensive Player of the YearShama WilsonGeorgia PrideCoach of the Year Sharron BackusOrlando WahoosGeneral Manager of the YearLorie BaranCarolina Diamonds
WPF All-Star Game
After the completion of the 1997 WPF season, the league circulated a questionnaire to players. At the suggestion of players on that questionnaire, the league scheduled an All-Star Game for the 1998 season.
The game was played on July 14 in Akron, OH at Firestone Stadium, televised on July 20 on ESPN2. The game was contested by a "Stars" team that played a "Stripes" team. The Stars team included players from the Diamonds, Dragons and Roadsters, while the Stripes were composed of players from the Pride, FireStix and Wahoos. The Stars beat the Stripes by an 8-1 score, in front of a crowd of 3,873.
Following is an incomplete listing of the All-Star rosters:
1998 WPF STARS All-STARSPlayerWPF TeamPositionCOACHESAll-Star Head Coach
1998 WPF STRIPES ALL-STARSPlayerWPF TeamPositionDee Dee Weiman-GarciaTampa Bay FireStixPAmy PutnamGeorgia PrideCCrystal BustosOrlando WahoosChelo LopezGeorgia PrideJennifer ParkerTampa Bay FireStixOFCOACHESAll-Star Head Coach
References
External links National Pro Fastpitch
See also
List of professional sports leagues List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada