Apr - Vintage Softball

Attendees:
Mike Friedman, President
Jim Callan, Vice President
Jim Gross, Treasurer
Larry Murchison, Secretary
Barry Schimmel, Director
Mark Loveless, Director
Jeff Greenberg, Director
Lester Sutherland, Director
Bob LeFevre, Director
Frank Kadlecek, Commissioner, Fun league
Lou Silver, Co-Commissioner , Saturday
Roger Anderson, Commissioner , Evening league
Santa Clara County
Vintage Softball Club
Softball for Seniors over 50
April 2013
Jack Boniface, Commissioner, Tuesday/Thursday league - Absent
Opening Remarks
Please join the board and all the members of the club in welcoming the following who have
become Vintage members this last month of March: Ron Huffman and Jim Ptak.
When you see them on the fields, say ‘hi’ and make them feel welcome to the club.
Minutes Of The Previous Meeting
The March minutes were approved.
2013
Our 26 th
Year!
Frank Kadlecek brought up the discussion of whether the minutes should be presented as the
secretary wrote them or should they be reviewed by all the members of the board and the
commissioners present. The discussion resulted in no changes to the present way of publishing

the minutes. The secretary appreciates Frank's confidence in the secretary's abilities to present
the minutes/news of the month but the secretary is now seventy-seven and may forget things
from time to time. Maybe the secretary should pack a recorder to the meetings. And not tell
anybody.... HAH!
Treasurer’s Report
Our treasurer presented not only the monthly report but also the grand second quarter report.
The only hic-cup is the expense for softballs that turned out to having sipping costs more
expensive that originally quoted and the purchase was rescinded with the check being returned
to the club. Softballs were then purchased from a different source at a cost less than the original
vendor’s quote.
As requested by our treasurer, since one has not been done for a number of years, an internal
audit of fiscal 2012 financial information will be performed by Mark Loveless and Jeff Greenberg.
Rules Committee Updates
There are no new rules at this time. But there are rules that although not new, are sometimes
not fully understood.
1.) A foul tip. Does it need to go over the batter's head?
The 2013-2014 (and previous) SSUSA Rulebook states in section 1.29 under FOUL TIP: “A foul
tip is a batted ball that goes directly from the bat, not higher than the batter’s head, to the
catcher’s hand(s) or glove and is legally caught by the catcher. NOTE: Any batted ball that goes
directly from the bat, not higher than the batter’s head to any part of the catcher’s body or
equipment other than the hand(s) or glove is a foul ball and a dead ball.”
TRANSLATION: In SSUSA the foul ball must go higher than the batter’s head in order for the
catcher to catch the ball and record an out. They differentiate between a foul ball out and a
foul tip (not an out because it did NOT go over the batter’s head).
Note: This is NOT the case under ASA Rules, but we are now governed by SSUSA.
Note: This is the way the rule HAD been. It was changed to any foul caught was an out but now we are
back to the rule the way most of us were accustomed to.
2.) As you have probably noticed the strike mat has increased in size and is not just a rug or
rubber mat.
Mo Hosoda has created a very good style mat made out of wood that is only not only convenient
but also lets the outfielders hear when a pitched ball is a strike. [THANKS MO for yet another
great innovation and contribution to the club!!!] The Fun League also uses one of the larger style
mats but it is white to help the picture with something to aim at.
3.) Pitching Screen and Masks.
The Board considered requiring the use of masks and/or a pitching screen to minimize the
possibility of serious injury to our pitchers. However, it was pointed out that we are all adults
and each of us has signed a waiver of liability. No policy or rule was created, but the Board
highly encourages the use of masks. Those who pitch in the Fun League are required to use the
screen. But there are those that refuse to use it as an effective device but do use a mask or pitch
from so far back of the pitching rubber that they have more time to react.

Open Items
Ball, Hats, Shirts
Dudley balls have been ordered for the Fun League. Incremental deliveries of Baden balls used by
the Tue/Thu/Sat leagues have been made. New shirts have been received and are being
distributed. Hats will be on order. We wanted to purchase the same hats as before but that hat
material is no longer manufactured.
New Business
Field Options Site Review
We may sometime need a different field for a day. Or when fields we presently play on are in the
process of being upgraded. The field committee visited eleven fields in addition to the ones that
we already play. They even visited field they didn't previously know existed. They checked for
fence distance, restrooms, base pegs, general conditions, etc. Of the eleven fields visited, five
were considered useable for our club (listed in alphabetical order: Backesto, Great Oaks, Hoover,
Paul Moore and Vista). Note: There are no plans or interest at this time to MOVE to any of these
fields.
Vintage Social Director?
Jim Gross brought up at the end of the meeting that the Club should probably have a SOCIAL
DIRECTOR, with the expectation that one of the Board Directors would volunteer or be appointed
to such position. But that didn't happen, so the call goes out to the Club members, for a
volunteer to step forward, someone who wants to have a say in our annual BBQ/Picnic in
September and annual Dinner Dance in November. VOLUNTEERS?
League Commissioner's Reports
WEEKNIGHT LEAGUE
The first weeknight gathering of the year encouraged only ten folks to show up. For you Vintage
Club old timers, remember when there were eight teams playing four nights a week. Ahh, those
were the good old days.
FUN LEAGUE
Frank Kadlecek was wondering why players don't access his telephone announcements about
field conditions and whether we're playing or not. There are those that appear to be traumatized
by a puddle.
TUESDAY/THURSDAY LEAGUE
Jack was not at the meeting but others reported a dearth of meaningful information to present to
the board members.
SATURDAY LEAGUE
There was little news to report. Everybody is happy.
The meeting broke up at the designated nine o'clock hour.
Faithfully originally submitted by Larry Murchison and then reviewed, massaged, and edited by
Mike Friedman and all the attending board members.

The Goal of Vintage is to be FUN and FAIR and SAFE
The Goal of Vintage is to have FUN be FAIR and play SAFE
On the Lighter Side:
Rules of Life: On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the escape key.
Allegedly a true story …
A teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their holiday away from school.
One child wrote the following:
We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa.
They used to live in a big brick house but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Florida.
Now they live in a tin box and have rocks painted green to look like grass.
They ride around on their bicycles and wear name tags because they don't
know who they are anymore.
They go to a building called a wreck center, but they must have got it fixed
because it is all okay now, they do exercises there, but they don't do them
very well.
There is a swimming pool too, but they all jump up and down in it with hats on.
At their gate, There is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it.
He watches all day so nobody can escape.
Sometimes they sneak out and go cruising in their golf carts.
Nobody there cooks, they just eat out.
And, they eat the same thing every night --- early birds.
Some of the people can't get out past the man in the doll house.
The ones who do get out, bring food back to the wrecked center for pot luck.
My Grandma says that Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and says I should
work hard so I can be retarded someday too.
When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house.
Then I will let people out, so they can visit their grandchildren.