The History of the WFL All Star Game
The idea of recognizing some of the outstanding players began in 2010. The first group of players was inducted into the WFL Hall of Fame after the completion of the 2010 season. In addition, an All Star team was selected from the eight participating teams.
The Bail Out$, Bandits, Generals, Knights, Mortgage Mayhem, Reversibles, Wells Express and Young Guns all selected a male and female as their respective All Stars for the 2010 season. While no All Star Game was played in 2010, the seed had been planted to work that into the schedule the next season.
Those 16 players were credited with being 2010 All Stars. Among them included 7 current or future HOF members: Nicole Miles-Todd (Bail Out$), Justin Porterfield (Bail Out$), Michele Wilson (Reversibles), Brooke Norris (Wells Express), Don Ramadan (Wells Express) and Adam Reikowski (Young Guns).
From the beginning, the All Star Game itself was designed as a celebration of the WF league as a whole. Like many of the major All Star games from MLB, NBA and NHL, it was decided to highlight the game as a kickoff to the post season tournament. Slotted to be played after the completion of the regular season and beginning of the tournament, the first All Star Game was held in 2011.
Another element added in 2011 made it a natural fit to form opposing All Star teams by creating two distinct divisions within the league: GOLD and RED divisions were aligned each with four teams. Again, each participating team was asked to select a male and female player to represent their team as All Star starters. Those teams were: Mortgage Mayhem, Bail Out$, Reversibles and SDA for the GOLD Division; Wells Express, Young Guns, Bandits and Titans for the RED Division.
Those 16 players were supplemented with additional “Captain’s Choices” to make up a complete roster of 16 players. Each All Star team would bat 12 players and use the regular 5/5 defensive lineup. Each player selected would play a minimum of 3 innings.
The first All Star Game featured another stout lineup that 8 current/future HOF members. The game was won by the GOLD Division in relatively easy fashion in a 15-7 win. Coby Prondecki (Mortgage Mayhem) and Michele Wilson (Reversibles) were named the All Star Game MVPs for their efforts in helping the GOLD to win that day.
Prior to the game a couple of other first time events were held in addition to the All Star Game. The first ever Skills Competition took place with the Fastest Runner and HR Derby were held prior to the All Star Game. In the Fastest Runner, Lapriesta Schifferle and Justin Porterfield rounded the bases in the quickest fashion to establish themselves as the toughest outs on an infield hit. The HR Derby was won by Lauren Hodges and Steve Downs. Steve Downs outdueled the favored Adam Reikowski in the finals to take home the HR Derby trophy in 2011.
In 2012, the league once again aligned in the GOLD/RED Divisions and held their second All Star Game. In a defensively dominated game, the GOLD All Stars won for the second time by the score of 8-3. Bill Bieber (Wells Express) was named the All Star MVP for coming in and shutting out the RED All Stars for 4 innings. A rookie from the Titans was named the female MVP as Tabitha Wood starred defensively in LF and at the plate.
As was the case in previous years, the rosters for both divisions were loaded with HOF members. 7 current or future HOF were included on the rosters for the All Star Game. In the Skills Competition, Justin Porterfield (Gold Ru$h) successfully defended his Fastest Runner medal and Twaini Holt (Gold Ru$h) made it a clean sweep for Gold Ru$h by taking the female Fastest Runner.
In the 2012 HR Derby, newcomer Jody Groce (Gold Ru$h) was an upset winner of the HR Derby. Again…early favorite Adam Reikowski could not capitalize on a big opening round and lost in the finals to Groce. For the ladies, Becky Bozeman (Play2Reign) kept the Gold Ru$h from sweeping the Skills with her win the HR Derby.
2013 saw the RED All Stars win their first ever All Star Game with an 11-8 win over the GOLD All Stars. Led by MVPs Steve Downs (Stampede) and Meghan Oldis (Uptown Ballers), the RED All Stars overcame a 3-run homer by Adam Reikowski (Young Uns) and was able to hold off the rally of the GOLD team. Meghan locked down 3B with her stellar defensive effort, while Downs added some offense that provided the spark to give the RED All Stars their first lead from which they never relinquished.
The Skills competition featured another let down by perennial HR Derby favorite, Adam Reikowski. Steve Downs and Lauren Hodges (Young Uns) became the first repeat winners of the HR Derby by winning in 2013 to go along with their 2011 wins. Lapriesta Schifferle (Young Uns) won her second Fastest Runner to match Justin Porterfield’s 2 medals. Porterfield failed to three-peat as Jason Ma (Blue Heat) unseated the two-time champ with a record time of 12.41 seconds. Schifferle’s time also establish a new record for the ladies at 14.18 seconds.
The pregame ceremony was expanded to include the announcement of the WF League’s MVP as Derek Hilst (Uptown Ballers) and Nicole Miles-Todd (Gold Ru$h) became the first ever recipients of the League MVP award.
What started out as a simple idea to recognize some players from each team as snowballed into a grand night that stands out as the signature event of the WF League. With its schedule spot between the regular season and tournament and the inclusion of the Skills Competition, the All Star Game has morphed into the All Star Night.
Typically, the crowds have been the largest of any single game (including tournament championship games) and features many outstanding individual plays culminating in the awarding of the AS Game MVP trophy. If you are wandering around the Ft Mill or CIC or Uptown campus don’t be surprised if you see a couple of softball trophies displayed proudly by their recipients or a medal hanging in a cubicle...