The two year drought is over! The Rotary Club of Indianapolis have won-back the coveted Babe Ruth Softball trophy from the Kiwanis Club of Indianapolis.
“No guarantees this year,” said team manager and coach Greg Albright. This was the announcement from the podium in May as the team geared-up for the 2015 game. “We have a really good team, but we need your support to bring home the Babe this year!”
Support was certainly given as nearly 130 Rotarians, family and friends turned out for the Annual Rotary verses Kiwanis softball game at Victory Field on June 15. The game coordinated by Rotarian Cal Burleson, Manager of the Indianapolis Indians and Max Schumacher, Owner of the Indianapolis Indians has been an yearly social event for over 30 years. While no one has kept records of wins and losses, the game has been a fun gathering for both clubs to capture bragging rights each year.
To recap the actual game, this year the Rotary team was behind nearly the entire game. Both teams struggled with bright sun hot weather conditions throughout the game. But Kiwanis had the edge in both offense and defense. “They had a couple of amazing players this year” said Albright. “There were several balls blasted over the heads of our outfield. And, we were playing near the warning tracks!” For a softball to go that far at a pro-level baseball field is saying something. For the first four innings, the Rotary team could not catch-up and at one point were down by five runs. But the team gathered momentum, a few runs and by the top of the sixth and last inning, the Rotary team rallied back to lead by two runs, 9 to 7. The bottom of the sixth inning was the last opportunity for Kiwanis to catch-up, but it never happened and Rotary left Victory Field – victorious.
“I’ve been playing this game for over a decade,” said Albright. “Each year I think I’ve assembled the best team I’ve ever had and it never ceases to amaze me how close the games end-up being from year-to-year. You just never know!”
For the past two years the Indianapolis Rotary Foundation has also benefited from the softball game. This year, the club raised nearly $350.00 for the local Foundation, which provides grants to both Rotary members and outside organizations.
See more photos, here (courtesy of Bill Bubenzer).
