• Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013
BIO:
Ray Vaughn is best known for serving as the Ohio USSSA District IX Umpire-In-Chief from 1989-2003. It was during that era that USSSA experienced its most dramatic growth in Greater Cincinnati, as registrations peaked at over 5,000 teams. And only through Ray’s extraordinary skill set as an administrator and clinician was the area’s umpire program able to keep pace with the increasing need for quality officials. Umpire registrations more than doubled in Greater Cincinnati from 151 to over 300 in just six years under Ray’s direction. One of his most significant achievements was to organize a District IX Committee which was comprised of all the Umpire Associations in the area. Each association would send a representative to an annual meeting to discuss rule changes, mechanics, training, and administrative matters. During his career, he umpired approximately 7,000 league and tournament games, mostly at Riverstar Park, where he was the assigner for 17 years. He worked the Ohio Valley Classic, plus numerous USSSA State, National and National Invitational Tournaments of all classes. He also worked 27 consecutive U. A. National Tournaments from 1994-2010. Ray worked for the Queen City Umpires (1970-1978), Ohio Valley Umpires (1979-1981), and Best Officials (1982-1983) before forming Al Goodman/Riverstar Umpires in 1984. He attended eight national umpire clinics, and conducted six national and sixteen district clinics plus countless clinics for both Riverstar and other area USSSA groups.
• Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013
Bio:
Butch Whitaker’s 14th place finish in the National Home Run Hitting Contest in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1978 proved to be the springboard for the slugging catcher to land a spot in the batting order of nationally ranked Greater Cincinnati Sports/Sorrento’s. His impact was immediate. GCS/Sorrento’s won back-to-back Metros, was invited to compete in the elite “National Slo-Pitch Conference,” qualified for the USSSA World Series and ASA Major Nationals, and earned a top ten national ranking. A year later in 1981, Butch helped power the Cincinnati Suds to a runner-up finish in the American Professional Slo-Pitch Softball League. He went on to star with the Knights and M. W. Tribble, then later in the Masters program, earning All-World honors with Bobby’s Bullets both in 1986 and 1987. Finally in 1988, Butch captured a USSSA Masters World title with Bushelman Construction. During his 36-year career he won countless invitational and league titles, including the 1986 Hudepohl Hall of Fame Classic, when he was named Tournament MVP. Butch batted over .600 and belted over 2400 home runs during his career, which helped him win numerous home run titles.
• Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013
BIO:
From 1969 through 1980, Chris Winter was the starting left-centerfielder and leadoff hitter for several of the most successful teams in women’s softball – all of which were from Cincinnati. After launching her career in 1969 with Hall of Fame manager Commie Currens and his legendary assistant Merle Williams, she went on to capture four Amateur Softball Association National Championships, including with Rutenschroer Floral in 1970, Riverside Ford in 1972, Sweeney Chevrolet in 1973 and Sorrento’s Pizza in 1976. The 1976 title was her most memorable, as Sorrento’s lost its first game of the tournament, then stormed back to win ten in a row – double-dipping the Rubiotts of Graham, NC in the finals in Chattanoog, Tn. In addition to winning four national titles, Chris’ teams also finished 3rd once, 4th twice and 5th once, and captured six ASA Cincinnati Metro crowns. Her blazing speed not only helped her earn a reputation as one of the best defensive outfielders in the country, but also as one of the most dangerous and successful leadoff hitters in the game. The left-handed batter hit .439 for her career, but compiled an amazing .595 OBA due to her ability to beat out slow ground balls hit to the left side of the infield. If the ball bounced more two or more times before it reached the shortstop or 3rd baseman, Chris was almost always safely onboard. And her speed forced countless errors, with anxious infielders either bobbling grounders or making off-target throws. Chris was named to numerous All-Tournament teams during her career, and in 1977 was selected a 1st team All-American at the National Tournament, when Sorrento’s finished 3rd. Her teams also won countless invitational tournaments during her career, and in 2000 she was named to the Greater Cincinnati All-Century team.
