Heavy Metal Softball

Let's Have A Drum-Roll, Please!

Finally, here are the results, in short summary, of the MVP balloting that took place recently in which most of you participated. All who voted indicated that this will be the way our league MVPs will be selected from now on into the future (tournament MVPs will continue to be selected using our offensive points system). Fourteen Heavy Metal Softball members were eligible to vote this time, having participated in the Tulare City, Division 1, spring 2003 league. In order of highest cumulative point total, with adjoining number of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place votes, here is this league's MVP and the rest of the worthy contenders:

League MVP: Vern Amaro (32 total points -- 6 first place votes, 2 third place votes. Thank you!)

1st Runner-Up: Gene Hitt (26 total points -- 2 first place votes, 5 second place votes, 1 third place vote. Great job!!!)

2nd Runner-Up: Frank Fletcher (15 total points -- 2 first place votes, 1 second place vote, 2 third place votes. Mister Offense!!)

3rd Runner-Up: Rich Avery (10 total points -- 1 first place vote, 1 second place vote, 2 third place votes. Good man to have around!)

4th Runner-Up: Roy Aguayo (7 total points -- 2 second place votes, 1 third place vote. Old school rules!)

5th Runner-Up: Nelson Vieira, Joe Machado (3 total points, tie -- both had 1 second place vote. Young bucks in the house!)

6th Runner-Up: Lee Garcia (2 total points -- 2 third place votes. An all-around "original member" that can always be counted on!)

7th Runner-Up: Gordon Caudle (1 total point -- 1 third place vote. Somebody loves ya, Gordy!)

In the interest of integrity and not wanting to violate any trust, I kept meticulous records of all the oral and online ballots that I received from the 10 players who decided to vote. Despite repeated reminders and for reasons of their own, Wes Avery, August Faria, and Eddie Sousa did not give me any responses and, thus, did not affect any of the above results, though they remained eligible to receive MVP votes and have them posted. I, myself, voted for three very deserving men, after a majority consensus was finally reached that voting for an MVP would be our future way to go. Because the results turned out favorably in my direction, I want to make clear my own personal choices for MVP, hopefully without offending any of my other close friends on the team, who already know that only three choices could be given. My votes, in order, were: Frank Fletcher (1st place vote); Gene Hitt (2nd place vote); and Rich Avery (3rd place vote). I am doing this mainly because I feel a little awkward in having kept records of the ballots and just so happen to be this league's elected MVP. I hope all of you will understand this feeling and why I choose to reveal my selections. No other selections will be revealed unless one of you is curious and wants to inquire, in which case, I'll gladly let you know. To those who voted for me, a great thanks once again.

As I have mentioned a time or two before, I would like to promote even more team spirit within the ranks of our members and, eventually, will be ordering a perpetual MVP plaque that will bear the names of past and current recipients (please read all the news articles!), which will be kept in the current MVP's home until another deserving player is selected. Also, a Heavy Metal Softball fence banner is being looked into (thank you, Roy and Christina!) that will grace our future dugouts, letting others know boldly who we are and to take notice of what we stand for -- team spirit, first and always, followed by hard play and sportmanship. Stay tuned!

And that's a wrap, folks....