THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 11, 1996 TAG: 9610090147
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: 65 lines
BOB FREELAND AND Dewey Fussell, two of the all-time standouts in area softball from Portsmouth, have been inducted into the Tidewater Virginia Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame.
They were among seven individuals and one team recognized for outstanding career performance at the 14th annual Hall of Fame induction banquet Saturday at the Lake Wright Resort and Conference Center. Several others were inducted in special categories.
The Hall of Fame now has inducted 147.
Freeland has played softball locally since 1964. Fussell has competed since 1975. Both have been honored as All-America players.
Freeland was chosen for the All-America squad in 1977 when he had 24 hits in 30 trips to the plate in the Class A Industrial National Tournament. Fussell was picked a year ago when he sparked Harrison's to the Men's Masters 40-and-over national championship.
Both have competed at all levels and classes of softball. The Tidewater association honors players for ASA achievements.
Freeland played in three ASA Class A Industrial Nationals and one Class B Industrial National. He also played in three Church Nationals.
Both Freeland and Fussell are lifetime .600-plus hitters. Fussell has hit more than 2,500 home runs in his career.
``Dewey is playing as well as he ever has,'' said Harrison's manager Warren Kozak. ``He was the leading hitter on our team this season with a .702 average.''
Fussell, a pitcher, started as an outfielder.
Since he began playing, Fussell has been named MVP in at least one tournament each year. For three straight years, he has been named to the All-Tidewater team and was 1993 Tidewater Player of the Year.
Fussell, a longtime Portsmouth resident who now lives in Chesapeake, has played in three ASA Nationals, six regionals and eight Metro tournaments.
Five other players inducted into the Hall of Fame were Melva Grimstead, Jay Smith and Billy White of Chesapeake and Gina Sivells and Al Walke of Virginia Beach. Tiller's Taxi entered as a team.
Grimstead, who was a member of the Travelers when they were inducted as a team, played for 26 years. She competed in six national events.
Smith, who started playing in 1970, missed the induction because he was competing in the U.S. Slo-Pitch 45-over World Tournament in Florida. He was a teammate of Fussell's on the Men's Masters national championship team. Another All-American, Smith has participated in five ASA Nationals.
White, a four-time All-Tidewater selection, is still active after starting in 1979. He averages nearly 60 home runs each year and has won more than 20 tournament MVP awards.
Linwood Manning of Chesapeake was enshrined for meritorious service. Ed Tyree of Norfolk was picked for special recognition, and John Haney, formerly of Norfolk, was chosen as the commissioner's choice. Philly Fellion was inducted as a sponsor.
Manning has more than 30 years of ASA service as a player and manager.
``This is the largest group we have ever inducted,'' said Tom Beck, chairman of the TVASA Hall of Fame committee. MEMO: (Lee Tolliver contributed to this story.) ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Dewey Fussell, left, and Bob Freeland have competed at all levels
and classes of softball.
KEYWORDS: AMATEUR SOFTBALL by CNB