The 82nd Annual Warren County Area Fastpitch Softball Old-Timers Game took place at Monmouth Park on Sunday evening. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the game was a little different than past years. Sixteen old-timers took the field for the five inning game, led by 92 year old Ralph Whiteman. Whiteman has been a part of the game since 1973, after playing fastpitch softball in the Monmouth area for many years. Whiteman said the old-timer’s game’s history can be traced back to some of the famous names in Monmouth softball history.
The game itself was preceded by the pregame festivities including the presenting of the colors by the Monmouth Color Guard and the National Anthem, sung by Monmouth-Roseville High School’s Molly Mattan. The feature of the pregame ceremonies has always been the Memorial bat-laying ceremony and the awarding of the Old-Timer of the Year. A bat is laid beside home plate and a bell is rung for all the softball players that have passed since the previous year’s game.
Following the somber and emotional bat-laying ceremony, the 2020 Old-Timer of the Year Award was presented to Ron Miller. Miller played fastpitch and slowpitch softball for many years in the Monmouth area. Also a part of the pregame ceremonies was the honoring recently retired Monmouth College women’s softball coach John Goddard. Goddard retired this past spring as the winningest softball coach in Fighting Scot history with 212 victories, including making the Midwest Conference Tournament seven times, reaching the championship game in 2016.
As far as the game itself. Team Shimmin, coached by Steve Shimmin, defeated Team Temple, coached by WMOI/WRAM Sports Director Shawn Temple, 12-11.
