News and Views

A look at the people and places that make up the game of softball in Greater Cleveland 

The homerun. Nothing in the game has garnered more attention than the long ball. From rule changes that have limited the amount of homeruns hit, to the equipment that has continued to challenge these limits, softball has become a game of feet...300 feet, 400 feet and beyond. But there was an era before double walled bats and livelier balls and there were men who hit homeruns. LOTS OF HOMERUNS!

Hall of Famers like Ronny Aniticco, Howie Krause Sr., Preston Powell and Dan Voholvic. These men hit the bulk of their homers with wooden bats. They helped usher in the aluminum bat explosion in the early 1970's. this was a time a true legend was made. His name...Steve Loya. Although Steve had been a standout for over a decade by the time 1975 rolled around, his legend status was secured when he was named MVP at the World Tournament as he helped Pyramid Cafe become the first Cleveland team to be crowned World Champions. Steve would later play professionally for the Cleveland Jaybirds.

But the one man whose named has become synonymous with the homerun..is Mike Macenko. From his start in the mid 1970's with local power house Hillcrest Tavern, through his time in the early 1980's with Nationwide Advertising and professionally with the Cleveland Competitors, Mike had established himself as a true offensive force. But the best was yet to come. It wasn't until the formation of the Steele Sport's "Men of Steele" and "Silver Bullet" teams that Mike and the homerun exploded into the softball consciousness nationwide. These teams featured the best of the best from all over the country and Mike was the local boy done good..real real good! Like the 844 homers he hit...in one season. Mike has hit over 6,000 homers in national tournament play and is a member of the USSSA, NSA and ISA National Halls of Fame. He was also a member of the 2001 class of the Greater Cleveland Softball Hall of Fame. He will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game.