Stars and Stripes sports reporter Dave Ornauer on AFN, July 29, 2010
(AUDIO)
Renteria, Pope AFB make SSAA Military Worlds history
Published: July 28, 2010
From an old Pacific Air Forces warhorse, Joe Renteria, comes word that Pope Air Force Base's interservice softball team became the first military team in history to win back-to-back Southern Softball Association of America state and Military Worlds tournament titles.
But he also said something that really opened my eyes: "This team is as good as the 1993 Pacific Force team" for which he played and batted leadoff.
I saw that 1993 Pacific Force team, which was sponsored by AT&T at the time. And few, if any, could ever compare to it.
Start with Renteria, arguably the best leadoff batter in Air Force softball history. David Heald, an All-Marine pitcher, would follow in the order. Next, the human redwood, Gurney Holley, followed by even larger human specimen Bill "Bam-Bam" Burrell, for his resemblance to pro wrestler "Bam-Bam" Bigelow.
Fifth in the order would be former Major League Baseball prospect Miguel Ortiz, with either Manny Jenkins or Darryl Shamble to follow, with All-Marine veteran Guillermo "Panama" Foster batting seventh (!!!). And that's probably the only team that Foster ever batted so low in the lineup for.
No way we could ever put Renteria's Pope team on the same field with Pac Force, or the International Guzzlers, winners of five straight Pacificwide open tournaments, or even the powerful Clark Diplomats or Kadena Falcons -- Renteria's old PACAF base team -- of the 1980s.
But I'd still like to see Renteria come to the next Pac-wide May 25-28 at Yongsan Garrison in South Korea, the best ol' military tournament in the world.
Due to a switchover to a new comment system, this comment board is now closed.
Join
Dave on Facebook