Amateur Softball Association
Encyclopedia
The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) is a volunteer, non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City
, Oklahoma
. It was founded in 1933 with a tournament held in Chicago
that was organized by Leo Fischer
and Michael J. Pauley. The following year the 1934 National Recreation Congress recognized the ASA. Shortly afterward the ASA was located in Newark, New Jersey
. A world amateur softball tournament was held by the ASA at Chicago's Soldier Field
that started on September 7, 1939. The ASA moved to Oklahoma City on January 1, 1966.
The National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum is operated by the ASA and is located at 2801 NE 50th Street in Oklahoma City
.
Since 2005, they have run the World Cup of Softball
. ASA Hall of Fame Stadium
also hosts the NCAA Women's College World Series
and the Big 12 Conference
softball championship.
ASA now runs competitions in every state through a network of 87 state associations. It has a membership of over 230,000 teams, with more than 3 million players and 60,000 umpires.
named ASA the national governing body of softball. Due to this designation ASA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting Men’s, Women’s, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ National Softball Teams in order to compete in international and domestic competitions. in 1996 The Women's Fast Pitch National Team became The first Team to compete in the Olympics. The ASA National Team program is also known as USA Softball.
The first of two additions to the ASA Hall of Fame/ASA Headquarters was started July 5, 1976 and completed July 13, 1977 for an additional 4350 square feet (404.1 m²) of space. Dedication ceremonies for the expansion were held July 23, 1977. Counting the Hall of Fame/ASA Headquarters and the ASA Hall of Fame, there is 28406 square feet (2,639 m²) of space.
The second expansion was added July of 1980 for an additional 5182 square feet (481.4 m²) of space, with total footage 18140 square feet (1,685.3 m²) of space. Plans are currently in the works for future expansion and the existing museum is currently undergoing renovations.
The ASA National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum has 337 members with 125 deceased. There are two categories of membership: Players and non-players. A nominee needs 75 percent (nine votes) of the votes cast by the 12 member Hall of Fame Committee to be elected. Annual inductions are held at the ASA Annual Meeting. The members include 182 players and one non player (50 deceased) in the following divisions: men's fast pitch (84); women's fast pitch (54); men's slow pitch (31); women's slow pitch (11); and modified pitch (2). The Hall of Fame has 154 members in non-playing categories including commissioner (39); umpire (36), meritorious service (38), managers (25) and sponsors (14). Seventy-Five are deceased. The Clearwater, FL Bombers, 10 time ASA national fast pitch champion, has the most members in the players category of the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame with 22.
The Hall of Fame Gift Shop is located on the first floor of the Hall of Fame and Museum. It carries a variety of softball items, ranging from colorful, popular T-shirts to custom USA Softball jerseys to Jennie Finch
Head Bands. The gift shop also sells merchandise online at softballoutlet.com.
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. It was founded in 1933 with a tournament held in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
that was organized by Leo Fischer
Leo Fischer
Leo H. Fischer was an American sports writer, editor, and organizer. He also served on the boards of charitable organizations.-Family life:...
and Michael J. Pauley. The following year the 1934 National Recreation Congress recognized the ASA. Shortly afterward the ASA was located in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. A world amateur softball tournament was held by the ASA at Chicago's Soldier Field
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
that started on September 7, 1939. The ASA moved to Oklahoma City on January 1, 1966.
The National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum is operated by the ASA and is located at 2801 NE 50th Street in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
.
Since 2005, they have run the World Cup of Softball
World Cup of Softball
The World Cup of Softball is a softball tournament run by the Amateur Softball Association.It is a round robin format, with 6 teams. Each team plays each other once, then the two teams with the best records play in a one-game, winner-take-all championship...
. ASA Hall of Fame Stadium
ASA Hall of Fame Stadium
ASA Hall of Fame Stadium is a 7,300-seat multi-purpose stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma United States. It is located next to and operated by the Amateur Softball Association....
also hosts the NCAA Women's College World Series
Women's College World Series
The Women's College World Series is the final portion of the NCAA Division I Softball Championship for college softball in the United States. The tournament format consists of two four-team double-elimination brackets. The winners of each bracket then compete in a best-of-three title game series...
and the Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
softball championship.
ASA now runs competitions in every state through a network of 87 state associations. It has a membership of over 230,000 teams, with more than 3 million players and 60,000 umpires.
National Team Program (USA Softball)
In 1978, the United States Olympic CommitteeUnited States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
named ASA the national governing body of softball. Due to this designation ASA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting Men’s, Women’s, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ National Softball Teams in order to compete in international and domestic competitions. in 1996 The Women's Fast Pitch National Team became The first Team to compete in the Olympics. The ASA National Team program is also known as USA Softball.
National Softball Hall of Fame Museum and Gift Shop
The National Softball Hall of Fame was officially dedicated May 26, 1973 in Oklahoma City. The building was opened to the public July 1, 1973.The first of two additions to the ASA Hall of Fame/ASA Headquarters was started July 5, 1976 and completed July 13, 1977 for an additional 4350 square feet (404.1 m²) of space. Dedication ceremonies for the expansion were held July 23, 1977. Counting the Hall of Fame/ASA Headquarters and the ASA Hall of Fame, there is 28406 square feet (2,639 m²) of space.
The second expansion was added July of 1980 for an additional 5182 square feet (481.4 m²) of space, with total footage 18140 square feet (1,685.3 m²) of space. Plans are currently in the works for future expansion and the existing museum is currently undergoing renovations.
The ASA National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum has 337 members with 125 deceased. There are two categories of membership: Players and non-players. A nominee needs 75 percent (nine votes) of the votes cast by the 12 member Hall of Fame Committee to be elected. Annual inductions are held at the ASA Annual Meeting. The members include 182 players and one non player (50 deceased) in the following divisions: men's fast pitch (84); women's fast pitch (54); men's slow pitch (31); women's slow pitch (11); and modified pitch (2). The Hall of Fame has 154 members in non-playing categories including commissioner (39); umpire (36), meritorious service (38), managers (25) and sponsors (14). Seventy-Five are deceased. The Clearwater, FL Bombers, 10 time ASA national fast pitch champion, has the most members in the players category of the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame with 22.
The Hall of Fame Gift Shop is located on the first floor of the Hall of Fame and Museum. It carries a variety of softball items, ranging from colorful, popular T-shirts to custom USA Softball jerseys to Jennie Finch
Jennie Finch
Jennie Lynn Finch , who occasionally uses her husband's surname Daigle, is a former American softball player who pitched for the USA national softball team and the Chicago Bandits. Finch helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics...
Head Bands. The gift shop also sells merchandise online at softballoutlet.com.