Rizzuto inducted into Hall of Fame

So many memories come back to Tom Rizzuto when he reflects on six decades of involvement in the sport of fastpitch softball.

Rizzuto, Shorewood High School’s coach for the last 11 years, first stepped to the plate as a player in December 1957. He took his last cut in August 2000 on his 60th birthday.

In between those two points of time and since, Rizzuto has been a coach, sponsor and enthusiastic supporter of the sport.

Rizzuto, 63, had plenty of time for reflection last week as he was one of six inductees into the Greater Seattle Fastpitch Hall of Fame.

Officially, Rizzuto was presented with the Sponsor Award but the honor really was for a lifetime of work in a sport that means the world to him.

“I’ve worn so many hats they had to choose one of them,” Rizzuto said. “It was really exciting when they first called and said I had been nominated and selected for the award.”

Rizzuto, through his company Regal Construction, has been sponsoring teams since 1972. When he walked into the Bellevue Hilton on the night of July 25, Rizzuto saw several of the old uniforms from past teams, including Regal Homes, the Contractors and the Regal Fastpitch Club.

“There were different shirts from different eras and different colors,” Rizzuto said. “It brought back some real memories.”

Regal Construction continues to sponsor a men’s fastpitch softball team. Rizzuto’s son Jerry, 33, is the manager, while Jeff, 39, is a pitcher. Son Joe, 32, also has played but he currently is a major in the Air Force and is not active in the sport right now.

Wife Barbara and daughter Jena, 36, also have been supporters of Rizzuto’s softball endeavors.

“Ninety-five percent of my lifetime friends have been people we’ve played softball with,” Rizzuto said. “The vast majority of friends have stayed together … they have beautiful families. A part of it is the camaraderie that goes with fastpitch. It’s almost like going into battle every week with your buddies in the foxhole.”

Family is important to Rizzuto and family provided him with one of his fondest memories, which he shared with the audience during his acceptance speech at the awards banquet.

In 1991, Tom was managing a team that was playing in the Spokane Invitational. Jeff, Jerry and Joe were members of the squad and at the urging of some longtime friends, Tom decided to play third base for a few innings.

The game was even more special because it was played on Father’s Day.

“Being out there with three of my boys, it was really rewarding,” Rizzuto said. “It really was.”

Another fond memory was in 1968 when Rizzuto was playing for the Westgate Builders. The team was participating in the Seattle Knockout tournament with 225 other teams.

The top eight finishers in the single-elimination tournament advanced to the Straight 8’s, which was a double-elimination tournament, and the winner of that advanced to the Northwest Regionals.

Rizzuto and his teammates swept both tournaments.

“We won that,” Rizzuto said. “It was back in the days when there were no separate divisions. It was one division. Everybody played in it. That was a thrill.”

In 1975, Rizzuto’s team played 105 games over a four-month time span, far more than the normal schedule of 60 to 70 games.

Rizzuto’s teams have competed in four national tournaments, with the top finish being a ninth place showing in the C Division in 1999.

Though his days as a player are over, Rizzuto’s enthusiasm for the sport is far from waning. In addition to coaching at Shorewood, Rizzuto is the softball coach at Einstein Middle School, which means he is able to follow his players when they are just starting out.

“I really enjoy coaching the girls,” Rizzuto said. “I’ve reached the stage of my life where working is not my No. 1 priority. I still work in the construction business but I get to spend time in the afternoon doing something that I really love to do.

“The difference is that they pay me to do it. I’d do it even if they didn’t pay me.”

Shorewood has advanced to the state tournament twice under Rizzuto’s tenure, taking fifth and ninth place. Last season the Thunderbirds qualified for the district tournament.

Only three seniors graduated from the team so Rizzuto will have a veteran team back for the 2003 campaign.

“I find with the girls that they’re always wanting to learn,” Rizzuto said. “I’ve been around the game for so long there’s a lot of fine points to the game I can teach them.”