Both men's and women's softball tournaments were conducted during World Games I. The games were played July 30 - August 2, 1981 at Central Park in Santa Clara, California. Teams from the United States, Canada, the Bahamas and Chinese Taipei participated in the women's event, while in the men's event, the United States, Canada, the Bahamas and Mexico were initially slated to appear. As the time of the Games approached, the Mexican team withdrew for financial reasons and was replaced by a second team from the United States.
All three U.S. teams were intact successful high-level softball teams, well known in the U.S. softball community. The Raybestos Brakettes club from Connecticut was the women's team. The majority of Canada's women’s team came from the Saskatoon Harmony Centres. For the men, United States I, the original selection for the Games, was the Peterbilt team from Seattle, Washington. After Mexico's decision, the Guanella Brothers team from Santa Rosa, California was engaged in the role of United States II. Nova Scotia's Brookfield Elks comprised most of Canada's men’s team.
Kathy Arendsen pitched four shutouts for the U.S. women, culminating in a perfect game in the championship final.
Women Medalists Gold Silver Bronze Kathy ArendsenBeth ConradSandy CloutierDoreen DenmonPat DufficySue EnquistSue EskierskiPatti FernandesMissy MapesBarbara ReinaldaAllyson RiouxDiane SchumacherKathy StrachanGina VecchioneGinny Walsh.... Nancy BrentnellDiane BronsardKim CudmoreShawna HicksJoan HildebrandLuAnne IzzardEllie KachurJay KostDiane LynnShan McDonaldNoreen MurphyPatti PolychPattie RowleyDarlene SolieDawn Storey-GrayAnne TkachuckPat Wegner.. Sherlyn BainEarnestine Butler StubbsCandice DeGregory CulmerNaomi EllisCarolyn FergusonDebbie ForbesLinda FordAuria Wood KnowlesBarbara KnowlesKay MoxeyCyprianna McKinneyCynthia "Mother" PrattJan PoitierDenise ReckleyNancy RussellAudrey SearsCheryl TurnquestDaisy WalkerAlice or Sandra Wells
Standing Round-robin phase: TeamWLRSRA601903381124142215715
Details Each team played two games per day for three days, followed by a championship game between the top two teams in the standing.
Thursday, July 30, 1981:
Canada 4, Bahamas 3United States 1, Chinese Taipei 0United States 4, Bahamas 0Chinese Taipei 2, Canada 0
Friday, July 31, 1981:
Bahamas 5, Chinese Taipei 2United States 3, Canada 0Canada 2, Bahamas 1United States 2, Chinese Taipei 0
Saturday, August 1, 1981:
Canada 2, Chinese Taipei 1United States 8, Bahamas 0United States 1, Canada 0 (9 inn.)Bahamas 5, Chinese Taipei 2
Sunday, August 2, 1981:
Championship game -- United States 3, Canada 0 (perfect game by Arendsen)
Other known individual participants: TPE – Feng-Yuan, Lih-Ju, Suh-Shain, Lee-Mai, Feng-Jiau, Yum-Gem, Shiou-Pin, Suh-Shiumg, Kum-Yimg, Mei-Hwa
Men
Medalists Gold Silver Bronze IIRay AllenaRich BalswickPeter BrownLes CrandallChuck D'ArcyBob DallasK. G. FincherJim MarshZeke McDowell Mike NevinJohn OlanderMike ParnowTerry RayDallas RountreeJohn TopolewskiFrank Topolewski... IButch BattMike BishopJeff BorrorDick BrubakerMark LeeDennis MackininBob MillerGeorge NokesLarry SeabaughJim MooreBill StewartTim SullivanGreg Vangaverothers..... Ron BolandSerge BourqueJerome BrocklehurstBobby CampbellRobbie CookePierre GosselinJohn GreenRon GustafsonRobbie GuenterSteve HealyMike HendersonDoug HollandDave HuntMarty KernaghanGene McWillieSteve LockeDennis PetersonRobert PutnamMike Worseley
Standing Round-robin phase: TeamWLRSRA I51239 II42 13 1033 14 (min) 12 (min)06 5 (min) 24 (min)
Details Each team played two games per day for three days, followed by a championship game between the top two teams in the standing.
Thursday, July 30, 1981:
United States II 3, Bahamas 0United States I 2, Canada 1United States I 8, Bahamas 0Canada 4, United States II 1 (9 inn.)
Friday, July 31, 1981:
Canada 4, Bahamas 3 (9 inn.)United States I 3, United States II 1United States II 3, Bahamas 1United States I 4, Canada 3 (10 inn.)
Saturday, August 1, 1981:
United States I 5, Bahamas 1United States II 2, Canada 1United States II 3, United States I 1Canada d. Bahamas
Sunday, August 2, 1981:
Championship game -- United States II 3, United States I 0
Other known individual participants: BAH – Bethel, Keith Butler, Dencil Clarke, Ford, Sonny Haven, Adiou Moss, John Rolle, Colin Russell, Douglas Smith, Fred Smith
References