USA Women's Olympic
Fast Pitch Softball Team Plays
Exhibition Game in Springfield, May 22, 2004
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May 22. What a day! The USA Olympic Softball Team played the Midwest All Stars at Meador Park. The All Stars, organized by Holly Hesse, SMSU women’s softball coach, were a group of Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma collegiate softball players who had used their collegiate eligibility. The Olympic team has been touring the United States all year, playing collegiate and all-star teams and preparing to defend their Olympic title in a three-peat.

As the gates to the field opened, the lines were long and the faces of the fans displayed smiles of anticipation and excitement. Many had driven 6 to 8 hours to bring young girls to see the best in the world and to get a glimpse, an autograph, a hand shake or picture with their favorite players: Jennie Finch, Lisa Fernandez, Crystl Bustos, or any of the other Olympians. One 13-year-old pitcher from Iowa, who came early to be first in line to get into the complex, arrived as Jennie Finch was coming in for a photo shoot. Jennie shook her hand (which the young lady told me she would never wash) and posed for a photo with her young fan. This young pitcher will never forget this experience and it will give her direction to mold her own career.

What a day! As the fans lined up for autographs, the girls and boys were picking out the players whose autographs they wanted. They had their programs, softballs, posters, batting helmets, player cards, and other items for the players to sign. They were very patient waiting for the team to finish their warm-up practice and come over for a very short 30-minute signing period.

Then it was time for the game! Dignitaries, the players for Team USA, and the Midwest All Stars were introduced before Dick Pogue, chairman of the Springfield-Greene County Park Board and Kay Hunter, retired coach of SMS’ 1974 College World Series National Championship softball team, threw out the first pitches. (Kay threw a strike.) Members of the 1974 team attended the game.

Team USA was all we dreamed they would be. They displayed Olympian skills: strong arms, quickness beyond belief, bat speed, and the determination to continue to be the best in the world and to bring home another gold medal. The Midwest All Stars held their own, however, taking Team USA to the limit. They played a complete game, which has been uncommon for many of the games have been shorten because of the 10-run rule. The final Score was 10-0, but there were no homeruns and that is a credit to the All Stars pitcher, Heather Schlichtman, who pitched the complete game. The fans got to see all four pitchers from Team USA: Lisa Fernandez, Jennie Finch, Cat Osterman, and Lori Harrigan. Coach Hesse did a wonderful job of getting each of her 27 players into the game so everyone had the opportunity to play Team USA. What a once in a lifetime experience.

I want to thank the Springfield-Greene County Park Board—Dan Kinney, Jodie Adams, and Joey Rich—and the Springfield and Missouri ASA for bringing this event to Springfield. They did a great job planning and administering this event. I also want to thank the volunteers from WIN who made this event run so smoothly. Team USA was very impressed with how organized the event was, how friendly everyone was, and how wonderful the facility was. They were very complimentary of the whole experience from their perspective. What a day!