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Fast pitch
I started playing fast pitch in Cambridge in the men's rec leagues in 1976 at the age of 20. Played in Cambridge and Belmont until my third knee operation in 2001 gave me the hint that it was time to retire. Which is ironic, because I always marveled at how many older guys still played over the years. My famous quote was, "You never have to retire from fast pitch, just keep dropping down a league!"
Some of my fondest memories are of those leagues. For many years I played at a very competitive AA level. Very exciting games and loved hangin' out with the guys for a few pops afterwards. Also played in tournaments all over, particlarly at Hanscom Air Force Base. I am still friendly with many of the guys I played with and against.
Men's fast pitch is dying, though. When I started in '76, Cambridge alone had over 100 teams in about a dozen leagues. There were leagues in Belmont, Watertown, Milton, Newton, Chelsea. Nowadays, Cambridge probably has about twenty teams and Belmont has only slow pitch.
Taught my step-daughter to pitch and she threw a little for her varsity, but lost interest after that. It's a great game and I hope you all can keep your daughters interested. College scholarships are a possibility, and look how exciting the women were in the Olympics the last few times out.
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