Minnesota Softball is the statewide governing body of amateur softball in Minnesota and an affiliate of USA Softball. As the governing body of softball in Minnesota, it is its responsibility to regulate competition to ensure fairness and equal opportunity to the people who play the sport.

Since 1925, Minnesota Softball (formerly known as Minnesota State Diamond Ball Association and Minnesota Amateur Softball Association) has been providing volunteer services for the development and promotion of youth and adult softball in Minnesota.

In 1935, Minnesota officially joined the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), and Mr. Earnest W. Johnson the Superintendent of Playgrounds for the City of St. Paul was named State Commissioner. ASA has since rebranded to USA Softball on January 1, 2017, and is the national governing body of softball in the United States.

Minnesota Softball is governed by a board of directors and consists of approximately 176 community based youth associations, 16 club youth associations, and 60 adult leagues who are formed into 8 districts.

Minnesota Softball is one of 62 local state and metro associations.

History In 1918, William Ahern organized a City Amateur Kitten Ball association modelled on lines similar to those of the Minneapolis Amateur Baseball Association. The association was designed to include all kitten ball organizations of the city and will be composed of one representative from each league. William Ahern, who has played a prominent part in the organization of kitten ball teams both in Minneapolis and St. Paul, was elected president of the newly formed association. C.J. Hermstad was chosen vice president, with Bert Ekberg secretary-treasurer. A committee was also appointed to draw up a constitution and by-laws for the association, which will be passed upon at another meeting. The division of the leagues, size of bat and ball, and other details will be included in the articles, which will apply to all leagues. J.C. Batten and J. Poitras, make up this committee.

In 1920, new officers were elected for the season. Nick Kahler is president; William Ahern, vice president; Tom Hastings, secretary; Harold A. Johnson, treasurer.

In 1923, William Ahern was elected president of the Minneapolis Diamondball Association at the annual meeting of the organization last week. It marks the third year of service in that capacity.

In 1924, William Ahern was named Diamondball President. The Minneapolis Diamondball Association meeting was held and officers for the coming year were named. William Ahern has been elected president; C.A. Neavles, first vice president; Walter McDonald, second vice president; Conrad Thorpe, secretary; H.A. Johnson, treasurer.

In 1925, Harold A. Johnson was named Minnesota State Diamond Ball Commissioner. The Twin Cities Championship was not played this year as both city champions entered a statewide Diamondball Championship Tournament. Cook's of Duluth beat Hibbing 5 to 4 to win the Iron Range district. Then Bertch Furniture of Minneapolis beat Cook's 7-0. Greb Martonick had 17 strikeouts to win Northern States. Winona beat Faribault, then St. Francis Casinos of St. Paul beat Winona on Marty O'Connors no hitter to win Southern States. Bertch Furniture would win the championship series held between Parade and Dunning for the 1925 State Championship.

In 1926, the state diamondball championship was decided by tournament play again this year, according to announcement made today by H.A. Johnson of the park board and president of the state diamondball association. The tournament was held last year for the first time and it provided to be very successful and the state officials decided to hold the tourney again this year.

Organization

Commissioner The Commissioner is the principal liaison between the local Minnesota association and the USA Softball National Office in Oklahoma City. It was not until 1952 when Minnesota joined ASA.

1925-1934 Harold A. Johnson (Minneapolis) 1935-1946 Earnest W. Johnson (St. Paul) 1947-1951 Einar Nelson (Coon Rapids) 1952-1953 Burton K. Storm (Richfield) 1954-1960 Laurenz "Larry" Harris (Hopkins) 1959-1966 Ron Hurst (Bloomington) 1967-1975 Bob Kojetin (Edina) 1976 Lavern Schumack (Minneapolis) 1977-2010 Perry Coonce (South St. Paul) 2011–Present Dan Pfeffer (Maple Grove)

Districts Minnesota is divided up into eight different districts. District 1 consists of the following counties: Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmstead, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Winona. District 2 consists of the following counties: Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, Waseca, Watonwan. District 3 consists of the following counties: Anoka, Dakota, Ramsey, Washington. District 4 consists of the following counties: Hennepin. Minneapolis is its own USA Softball recognized metro association and is operated by Minneapolis Park and Recreation. District 5 consists of the following counties: Carver, Scott, Wright. District 6 consists of the following counties: Benton, Big Stone, Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pope, Renville, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Yellow Medicine. District 7 consists of the following counties: Aitkin, Carlton, Chisago, Cook, Crow Wing, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, St. Louis. District 8 consists of the following counties: Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, Wadena, Wilkin.

Championships

National championship teams from Minnesota Year Team Community National Tournament1974Sears RoebuckBloomingtonASA Men's Industrial A Slow Pitch1976Rustic BarDuluthASA Women's A Slow Pitch1982Triangle SportsMinneapolisASA Men's Major Slow Pitch1983SpooksAnokaASA Women's Major Slow Pitch1983Big C'sHutchinsonASA Men's A Modified Pitch1984Cargill GoldMoundASA Women's Industrial Slow Pitch1984SpooksAnokaASA Women's Major Slow Pitch1985Triangle EnterprisesDelanoASA Men's A Modified Pitch1986Park Avenue CovenantBloomingtonASA Church Slow Pitch1986RookiesRuthtonASA Boys' 18-Under Fast Pitch1987Minnesota MerchantsMinneapolisASA Men's Class A Slow Pitch1988SpooksAnokaASA Women's Major Slow Pitch1988Stewart TaylorDuluthASA Men's A Fast Pitch1989RookiesRuthtonASA Men's 19-Under Fast Pitch1990RookiesRuthtonASA Men's 19-Under Fast Pitch1994LeroyLeroyASA Boys' 16-Under Fast Pitch1994Kegal SignsBarnesvilleASA Boys' 12-Under Fast Pitch1995Happy ChefMankatoASA Men's A Fast Pitch1995Long Haul TruckingAlbertvilleASA Women's D Slow Pitch1996JunkersMankatoASA Men's 23-Under Fast Pitch1996Red Man ConstructionLeroyASA Boys' 18-Under Fast Pitch1996SpooksAnokaASA Women's Major Slow Pitch1997Long Haul/TPSAlbertvilleASA Men's Major Slow Pitch1997Coffee Cup/DeMariniSt. PaulASA Men's A Slow Pitch1997Super Sounds TapesSt. JamesASA Men's Over-45 Fast Pitch1998Minnesota MerchantsMinneapolisASA Men's 35-Over Slow Pitch1998Hooters/TPS/Cro HallSouth St. PaulASA Co-Ed A Slow Pitch1998G&M ContractingLake CrystalASA Boys' 18-Under Fast Pitch1999Super Sounds TapesSt. JamesASA Men's 50-Over Fast Pitch1999Macken Plumbing/BudweiserRochesterASA Women's A Slow Pitch1999Minnesota MerchantsMinneapolisASA Men's 35-Over Slow Pitch2000Long Haul/TPSAlbertvilleASA Men's Major Slow Pitch2000Super Sounds TapesSt. JamesASA Men's 50-Over Fast Pitch2000Thurs RoofingBrooklyn CenterASA Men's 35-Over Slow Pitch2001Long Haul/Taylor Bros/Shen Corp/TPSAlbertvilleASA Men's Super Slow Pitch2002Long Haul/Taylor Bros/Shen CorpAlbertvilleASA Men's Super Slow Pitch2002Jonny's SaloonRochesterASA Co-Ed Major Slow Pitch2002Head First SoftballCoon RapidsASA 16-Under Boys' Slow Pitch2003OdinOdinASA Men's 23-Under Fast Pitch2003GM ContractingLake CrystalASA Boys' 18-Under Fast Pitch2003Golf WarehouseElk RiverASA Men's 45-Over Slow Pitch2003Minnesota Merchants/EastonMinneapolisASA Men's 35-Over Slow Pitch2003Stewie Fast PitchStewartvilleASA Boys' 16-Under Fast Pitch2004Minnesota MudhensMinnetonkaASA Women's 23-Under Fast Pitch2004LeMay'sLake CrystalASA Men's 23-Under Fast Pitch2004Maple River EaglesMapletonASA Boys' 14-Under Fast Pitch2004Minnesota MudhensMinnetonkaASA Women's A Fast Pitch2005Long Haul Trucking/MikenAlbertvilleASA Men's A Slow Pitch2005LeMay'sLake CrystalASA Men's 23-Under Fast Pitch2005Maple River EaglesMapletonASA Boys' 16-Under Fast Pitch2005St. Paul MidwaySt. PaulASA Boys' 12-Under Fast Pitch2006Maple River EaglesMapletonASA Boys' 18-Under Fast Pitch2006Minnesota MudhensMinnetonkaASA Women's A Fast Pitch2007Long Haul Trucking/MikenAlbertvilleASA Men's A Slow Pitch2007Weggy'sLake CrystalASA Men's 23-Under Fast Pitch2007St. Paul MidwaySt. PaulASA Boys' 14-Under Fast Pitch2009Long Haul TruckingAlbertvilleASA Men's A Slow Pitch2009Next Generation/Just1MoreOwatonnaASA Men's D Slow Pitch Northern2010Minnesota MerchantsMinneapolisASA Men's 45-Over Slow Pitch2010Long Haul TruckingAlbertvilleASA Men's A Slow Pitch2010The SaloonMinnetristaASA Women's D Slow Pitch Northern2011Hennager Plumbing & HeatingLake CrystalASA Boys' 18-Under Fast Pitch2011Minnesota MerchantsMinneapolisASA Men's 45-Over Slow Pitch2011Steichen Real EstateAustinASA Men's E Slow Pitch Northern2012Xtreme/CombatBrooklyn CenterASA Men's B Slow Pitch2013Long Haul/JJ's/Doerflinger/EastonAlbertvilleASA Men's A Slow Pitch2013Cheap, Fast, & Easy T'sBloomingtonASA Women's D Slow Pitch Northern2014DevilsBlaineASA Women's C Slow Pitch2015O&S Cattle/Mr. D'sEaganASA Men's Super Slow Pitch2016O&S Cattle/Mr. D'sEaganASA Men's Super Slow Pitch2016Dewey'sMontevideoASA Men's E Slow Pitch Northern2018Mankato Peppers EliteMankatoASA Girls 14-Under A Fast Pitch2019All American RestorationChamplinUSA Softball Men's B Slow Pitch2019Bloomington JazzBloomingtonUSA Softball 18-Under Girls' Slow Pitch2019Arnie's Sewer & SepticNew UlmUSA Softball Men's E Slow Pitch Northern2020Kegel Black KnightsAmboyUSA Softball Men's Major Fast Pitch2020SE FlyersEyotaUSA Softball 18-Under A Girls' Fast Pitch2021Stagecoach/Crest ExteriorsShakopeeUSA Softball Men's C Slow Pitch2021Nasty Boys/Monsta/Greater ThanHayfieldUSA Softball Men's D Slow Pitch Northern2022StagecoachShakopeeUSA Softball Men's C Slow Pitch2022Burnsville HeatBurnsvilleUSA Softball Girls 14-Under Slow Pitch2022Burnsville FirecrackersBurnsvilleUSA Softball Girls 18-Under Slow Pitch2023Team Stoop/Schmidt RooftingSartellUSA Softball Men's B Slow Pitch2024Jac's Bar & GrillRochesterUSA Softball Men's E/Rec Slow Pitch

Notable players

Minnesotans named to national teams