40 and still goin' strong:

Long before iPods, cellular phones and $2.65 a gallon gas were fashionable, fast pitch softball flourished in a sleepy little Northern California town called Colfax.Six nights a week in the early 1970s through the mid-1980s, Colfax's Living War Memorial Park's softball diamond was the place to be.Nightly doubleheaders drew capacity crowds. In one season, as many as 24 men's and women's teams helped form five divisions and was the base for four tournaments to be sponsored throughout the summer by the Colfax Recreation Association.But by the early 1990s, the once popular Colfax fast pitch softball leagues had vanished. If you were a fast pitch player in Colfax, you had to travel to Grass Valley, Roseville or Sacramento to play what has become a dying breed of a sport.A few years back, a fall men's league was contested for a month or two but after an inaugural season that too went by the wayside.While fast pitch softball lost its popularity as a sport on a regular basis in Colfax, the Recreation Association has kept it commitment to keep alive its annual "Labor Day Tournament."This weekend, the local sporting group will hold its 40th annual tournament. The tourney is believed to be the longest running men's fast pitch tournament in Northern California."We've always been able to draw teams to this tournament and, as long as we're able to do that, we'll keep it going," said Ed Marson of the Recreation Association this week."Teams have always enjoyed coming to Colfax to play," Marson added. "We've had some teams coming here for over 20 years."This year's tournament includes a 10-team field. The invitees include two-time defending champion Italian Athletic Club of Stockton, the Neilsen Realty Gamblers of Sacramento, West Coast Financial of Citrus Heights, the Oroville Braves, the Oroville Merchants, Gold Exchange and Nevada County of Grass Valley, Nevada Softball of Reno, X-Dragons of Sonoma and the MBI Redi-Mix Who Are Those Guys Legends? of Colfax.Several of the teams entered IAC, the Gamblers, West Coast Financial and Oroville Braves are headed to the ASA C Nationals which run Aug. 31 through Sept. 5 in Stockton.IAC will be trying to join the 1966-68 Colfax Fireballs as the only team to win three straight Labor Day tourney crowns. The Fireballs also went back-to-back in 1976-77, 1980-81, and 1986-87.Other two straight champions over the years include Sutherland Union Oil of Grass Valley in 1974-75, the Ball Stars of Rio Linda in 1988-89 and J&P Sportsmen of Sacramento in 2000 and 2001.There have been several dramatic championship games in the 40-year affair of the event.Some of the more memorable title games include the Fireballs' 1973 8-7 nine inning win over Turnverien of Sacramento as Ken Claxton's triple off the top of the fence provided the locals with their winning RBI.In 1980, Empire Distributing of Grass Valley defeated the Fireballs, 1-0, in the finals. In a remarkable tournament pitching performance, Empire's Jay Merli hurled four straight shutouts that year in leading the Budmen to the crown.The Fireballs show some resiliency after that 1980 loss as they roared out of the loser's bracket in 1981 to trim Luna's Raiders of Reno, 3-1 in the "if" title game. Fireballs pitcher Jim Woodford was selected as the tourney's most valuable pitcher and player the only time in the touranment's 39-year history that one player has won both awards.There was more excitement in 1986 when the Fireballs turned back Skippy's Dancing Bears of Hayward, 4-3, in the finals. In a 3-2 game in the bottom of the seventh, the Fireballs appeared to have tied the game when Frank Paoli hit a solo home run to bring the Fireballs back to a 3-3 deadlock.However, Paoli was ruled out after he rounded third base and was touched by a coach at third base. No problem. Following a walk to the next hitter, Gary Daley sent a Dancing Bears offering over the fence in leftfield for a dramatic two run HR and the Fireballs win.In 1987, Minatta Trucking of Sonoma followed "ace" John Kenworthy to a surprising crown while in 1988 and 1989 the likes of Matt Valenzuela, Eric Gums, Byron Gums, Bodie Smith Phil Harris and Lennie Noxon led the Ball Stars to back-to-back titles.Jack Johnson provided the heroics in 1990 as his bottom of the seventh inning home run was the difference in the Reno Raiders' 6-5 championship win over the Delta Rebels.Led by most valuable player Greg Baxter and most valuable pitcher Dave Anderson, Sacramento Lighting went a perfect 5-0 in winning the 1995 crown.Meanwhile, in 2002, MVP Brian Ruest and most valuable pitcher Dave "D.O." Mills teamed with Ronnie Blaine, Kevin Fontana, Daryl Banks and Bobby Davis to give the Neilsen Realty Gamblers their second tourney crown. As far as local teams go, the MBI Redi-Mix Sponsored Who Are Those Guys? Legends, will be hoping to duplicate some of the success they enjoyed last season when the team went 3-1 in the tournament and finished in second place.Coached by former Colfax Fireballs Mike Ray and Lynn Fontana, the Legends will field a line-up mixed with former Fireball standouts and ex-outstanding Colfax High athletes.Veterans expected to play for the Legends include Dave Campbell, Bill Ellis, Gary Daley and Craig Fleenor. They'll be joined by ex-Falcons such as Eddie Herrnberger Jr., Kyle Ray, Nate Ray, Tony Albright and Chas Lowry."We do it to have fun," said Fontana. "It's a chance for everyone to get together once a year, see old friends and play and enjoy themselves."The Legends will open play on Friday night at 7:15 when they take on the Oroville Merchants.Games will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday and continue throughout the day. Action starts at 8 a.m. Sunday and runs through the championship game at 4:30 p.m.