RON HERR

      Ron Herr began is softball career in 1948 when he was 12 years of age, playing for South End in the Lancaster Playground League.

      In high school, Ron played in the Lancaster YMCA Church League for St. Paul Methodist.

      Upon his discharge from the service in May of 1956 he began playing for Dap Hutton’s South End team.  In 1958 South End entered the Conestoga Valley League where Ron batted 346 for the season.

      The next season found South End participating in the Pequea Valley League with several games being played in weekend tournaments in Allentown and York.   Ron’s batting average that year was 342. 

      In 1963 South End was the host for the ASA of PA State Class “A” Fast Pitch Tournament at Conlin Field in Lancaster, PA.  Ron hit a walk off home run in the ninth inning to win the third game of the tournament.  South End went on to win the tournament with a 3-2 tenth inning win in the championship final.  Ron won the tournament’s Most Valuable Player Award.

       1964 found South End defending their state championship under a new sponsor, Olde Glory Inn, falling short losing to Greenville, PA in the final series for a runner-up finish.  Ron batted 364 in the tournament and 465 in the regular season.

       One of Ron’s most memorable softball moments occurred when the Millersville Merchants picked up Ron for the Central Atlantic Regional Tournament in Maryland.  In their first game of the tournament Ron got a game winning hit in the bottom of the 7^th inning to defeat Reading and world renowned pitcher, Ty Stofflet 1-0.

       After the South End team disbanded Ron began playing for the Millersville Merchants where he enjoyed continued success.  Ron has been selected to numerous All Star teams over this career.  He won a Home Run Derby held by the Lancaster Recreation League in 1972.

       Ron Herr continues to play actively in the 60 & Over Lancaster Old Timers League winning several championships.

DALE JOHNSON

     Dale Johnson began his softball career as a player for St. Paul of the Upper Perkiomen Church League in 1955.

     He became the manager of St. Paul’s in 1960.  He coached St. Pauls’ for 12 years where they won an ASA of PA Church State Championship.  He started coaching the Eagle AA Fast Pitch Softball team in 1963.  He coached the Eagle AA team from 1963 to 1980. The Eagle AA won 19 League Championships and never had a losing season under Dale’s leadership. 

     Dale was instrumental in the construction and on-going improvements made to the Eagle AA Softball Field in Pennsburg. Dale and his wife, Judy, began operating the concession stand at the Eagle AA field in 1970 and continue to do so today.  Dale ran numerous invitational tournaments in order to raise funds to assist in the funding of the care, maintenance and support of the Eagle AA field.

       Dale founded the Perkiomen ASA Umpires’ Association where he has been President from inception.  Dale received the J. Richard

Millhouse award in 2004.

      During the early years of the ASA of PA, Dale was appointed as the Montgomery Commissioner.  He has been the Tournament Director for eight District Championship Tournaments and three ASA of PA Church State Championship Tournaments.  He has umpired in five ASA of PA State Championship Tournaments and was a member of the umpire crew for the first ASA National Championship held at the Drifton Softball Complex.

      One of Dale’s biggest thrills in softball came when he gathered twelve of his former players and participated in the ASA 40 & Over National Championship Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska.

      Dale and his family, Judy, Darryl, Sue, Steve and Andy have been the force behind softball in the Upper Perkiomen Valley from the early 1960’s and continues to be involved with every league that plays at the Eagle AA field today.  Dale has been and is involved in his grand-daughter’s team, Tri County Mystics, where he is the Business Manager and is well known for his major efforts for fundraising.

PAUL YANISKO

       Paul Yanisko began his softball career playing in the men’s fast pitch leagues in the Scranton, PA area with the Eagles Club and Duke Tire of the Schautz League where he won championships with both teams.

     He joined the Scranton ASA Umpires Chapter in 1964 where he remains an active member today.  He has held various positions of President, Vice President and Treasurer through these years of membership.  He was elected the Assigning Secretary of the chapter in 1977, a position Paul currentlyholds today.

       He was selected to work national tournaments in 1980 when he worked the Military Interservice Women’s Slow Pitch Championship in Virginia Beach, Virginia and in 1984 when he worked the Men’s 9 Player Major Modified Pitch National Championship Tournament in Moorestown, Tennessee.

       In 1981 District 16 was established and Paul was appointed District Commissioner by the ASA of PA State Commissioner.  He is currently serving in his 26^th year as the District 16 Commissioner.  During his tenure he has registered over 400 teams and 100 umpires in District 16 annually.

       In 1983, Paul was the Director of the 9 Player Class “A” Modified Pitch National Invitational Championship Tournament in Scranton, PA.  Again in 1986 he was the Director of the 10 Player Class “A” Modified Pitch National Invitational Tournament, which was also held in Scranton.

       He was the Director of the 9 Player Major ASA of PA State Championship Tournament for 19 of the 20 years the tournament was held in Scranton, PA

       Since 1979 to the present year Paul has been the Secretary - Treasurer of the Scranton Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Associations basketball official’s chapter.  He has also been the secretary of the IAAABO Board 61 and Eastern District Board of college officials.  He also serves as the Rules Interpreter of the Scranton Chapter of PIAA Softball Umpires.

                    MIKE SHENK
                                                                              
     Mike actually began playing softball after high school as a fast pitch player. He played fast pitch for two years and switched to slow pitch in order to be able to play the game with his friends.

     Mike played at the Major and Super level of slow pitch softball from 1992 until 2002.  Prior to hooking up with some of the best major and super teams throughout the country Mike played with Farrell’s Maintenance of Litiz, PA from 1987 through 1991 winning two ASA of PA Class “A” State Championships.  In 1992 he moved up to the major level playing with Taylor Brothers of Providence, RI in 1992 and 1993.

     In 1994 he played with Shen Valley/TPS of Bridgewater, VA finishing 4^th in the Super Nationals. 

      In 1995 and 1996 he played with Lighthouse/Worth of Stone Mountain, GA finishing 1^st in the 1995 Super Nationals and 3^rd in the 1996 Super Nationals. 

      In 1997 he played for Ritch’s-Superior/TS of Windsor Locks, CT finishing first again in the Super Nationals.  In 1998 he played with Team TPS of Louisville, KY finishing 3^rd in the Super Nationals. 

      In 1998 he played with Team TPS of Louisville, KY finishing 3^rd in the Super Nationals.  Mike played with Team Easton of Burklingame, CA in 1999 finishing first in the Super Nationals.  In 2000 he played with Team TPS of Louisville, KY winning the super Nationals once again.  In 2001 and 2002 he played with Long Haul/TPS of Albertville, MN where they won the Super Nationals both years. 

      With Mike’s ASA honors and play in other associations he is a 21 time National All American/All World player and a two time national MVP Award Winner. 

      In his ten year career in the major and super division he batted over 600 every year, hitting over 700 in five of those years.  He hit a total of 1,098 home runs in those ten years.  Remember most of those major and super games were played in baseball fields or fields with baseball type fence distances. 

      He competed in a hitting demonstration in Detroit at Tigers’ Stadium and hit balls off the Press Box with a couple balls hitting the facing of the right field roof of the stadium.  Truly amazing. 

      Mike and his wife Kathy and two children reside in Ephrata, Pennsylvania.