81:
Doran fired
Manager Dennis Willey and brought in Terry Fredericks to lead the team to finish the season. Minnesota Joe Russell (35 HRs, 111 RBIs) and Gene Parrish (batted .622 with 115 runs scored) made the 1977 all-league team for Minnesota. Bob Boyson (.578 BA), Dale Palm (42 HRs) and Mike Perfetti (437, 33 HRs, 68 RBIs) had solid seasons in support for the Goofy's. Benny Holt of the
80:
The
Minnesota Goofy's, named after a local bar, played in the APSPL in 1977, finishing with a record of 24-30 (.445) and out of the inaugural playoffs. Initial owner Joe Houle ran into financial challenges running the team and sold to Steve Doran mid-season. The Goofys had lost 16 games in a row,
51:
leagues were formed in the United States to build on the growth and talent in the booming men's amateur game during this period. The
American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) was the first such league, launching in an era of experimentation in professional sports leagues. The APSPL was formed
112:
in the second round 2–0 to advance to the professional softball World Series. Minnesota lost to the
Detroit Caesars 4–0 with Bert Smith honored as series MVP. Ron Ford of Detroit was the league MVP. John Locke (.582, 65 HRs, 136 RBIs), Bob McMahon (.556, 59 HRs, 120 RBIs), Joe Russell (53 HRs),
135:
Gene
Parrish was the only Norseman to make the APSPL all-star team in 1979, batting .511 on the season. Parrish, John Locke (33 HRs) and manager Rich Finke represented Minnesota on the mid-season All-Star roster.
113:
Dale Palm (.614, 70 HRs, 166 RBIs) and Gene
Parrish (.634 BA, 23 HRs, 90 RBIs)) of Minnesota made the all-league team. Lou Boone hit 45 home-runs for the Norsemen and Gordie Handevidt batted .541 in support.
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Political infighting and inconsistent commitment from other team owners in the APSPL led
Norsemen owner Steve Doran to disband the team at the end of the season.
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31:
during the 1978 and 1979 seasons. The team had played as the
Minnesota Goofy's in the 1977 season, changing names for 1978. They played their home games at
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in the off-season, but
Minnesota just missed out on the playoffs in 1979 with a 32-32 (.500) record, 8.5 game behind Midwestern Division winners
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With the sale of the Goofys, new ownership finalized a rebranding as the
Minnesota Norsemen and greatly improved the team on-the-field for 1978.
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The Norseman finished the 1978 season with a record of 40-24 (.625), receiving a first round bye in the APSPL playoffs. They defeated the
97:, who played until early July before hanging up his softball spikes. The Goofy's were sold mid-season and renamed the Norseman for 1978.
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in the World Series 5–3. The series were broadcast nationwide as the first televised event on the new start-up sports network
28:
406:"Minnesota Historical Society | Minneapolis Music Collection | Featured Objects | Shirt, Goofy's Uper Deck"
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795:"40 years ago, the first live ESPN game ever broadcast was a slow-pitch softball game in Wisconsin. How did it happen?"
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winning the first professional softball World Series trophy. Minnesota in 1977 briefly featured former
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During the late 1970s and early 1980s, several men's professional slow-pitch
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559:"The Unique Story of the 1977–79 Minnesota Goofy's/Norsemen Softball Team"
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641:. September 10, 1978. p. 59 – via newspapers.com.
627:. September 8, 1978. p. 40 – via newspapers.com.
613:. September 5, 1978. p. 20 – via newspapers.com.
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599:. December 8, 1977. p. 78 – via newspapers.com.
362:. September 3, 1978. p. 8 – via newspapers.com.
438:"Minnesota Goofy's & Minnesota Norsemen Pro Softball"
279:"Minnesota Goofy's & Minnesota Norsemen Pro Softball"
889:. March 19, 1980. p. 55 – via newspapers.com.
750:. March 27, 1979. p. 25 – via newspapers.com.
722:. March 27, 1979. p. 13 – via newspapers.com.
454:. August 1, 1977. p. 26 – via newspapers.com.
847:. July 22, 1979. p. 34 – via newspapers.com.
515:. July 5, 1977. p. 108 – via newspapers.com.
501:. June 14, 1977. p. 14 – via newspapers.com.
394:. July 21, 1977. p. 42 – via newspapers.com.
875:. May 12, 1979. p. 27 – via newspapers.com.
861:. May 18, 1979. p. 51 – via newspapers.com.
764:. May 12, 1979. p. 27 – via newspapers.com.
736:. May 12, 1979. p. 27 – via newspapers.com.
582:. May 11, 1978. p. 23 – via newspapers.com.
543:. July 5, 1977. p. 17 – via newspapers.com.
529:. May 21, 1977. p. 17 – via newspapers.com.
426:. May 30, 1977. p. 26 – via newspapers.com.
348:. May 25, 1977. p. 42 – via newspapers.com.
687:. May 1, 1979. p. 19 – via newspapers.com.
673:. May 13, 1978. p. 9 – via newspapers.com.
328:"Ludington Daily News - Google News Archive Search"
144:defensive end, pitched for the Norseman in 1979.
116:The team added APSPL all-pro Buddy Haines from the
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374:"Softball challenge - OOTP Developments Forums"
85:won the triple crown and league MVP, with the
29:American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL)
964:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1979
483:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
939:Defunct softball teams in the United States
944:Sports clubs and teams established in 1978
819:"Professional Slow Pitch Softball History"
904:Minnesota Norsemen on Fun While It Lasted
299:"Slow-Pitch Pros Fast Becoming Favorites"
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467:"GLORY DAYS A BITTER REMINDER TO ZOILO"
465:Tribune, Jay Weiner, Minneapolis Star.
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314:"Pro Slo-Pitch Softball Debuts Sunday"
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62:Women's Professional Basketball League
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580:"Clipped From The Winona Daily News"
392:"Clipped From Lansing State Journal"
277:Crossley, Drew (September 9, 2020).
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959:1979 disestablishments in Minnesota
949:Sports clubs and teams in Minnesota
859:"Clipped From The Minneapolis Star"
685:"Clipped From The Minneapolis Star"
625:"Clipped From The Minneapolis Star"
597:"Clipped From The Minneapolis Star"
557:Reicher, Matt (November 30, 2020).
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452:"Clipped From The Minneapolis Star"
424:"Clipped From The Minneapolis Star"
316:– via www.washingtonpost.com.
301:– via www.washingtonpost.com.
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72:was the first league commissioner.
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360:"Clipped From The Courier-Journal"
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969:Men's professional softball teams
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297:Feinstein, John (July 29, 1977).
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954:1978 establishments in Minnesota
499:"Clipped From The Daily Journal"
312:Carter, Russell (May 26, 1977).
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924:National Softball Hall of Fame
720:"Clipped From St. Cloud Times"
702:"ASPSL – Softball History USA"
671:"Clipped From St. Cloud Times"
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151:Minnesota year-by-year record
93:and 1965 American League MVP
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60:who would go on to form the
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919:Detroit Caesars Online Home
887:"Clipped From Star Tribune"
873:"Clipped From Star Tribune"
762:"Clipped From Star Tribune"
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734:"Clipped From Star Tribune"
639:"Clipped From Star Tribune"
611:"Clipped From Star Tribune"
527:"Clipped From Star Tribune"
378:forums.ootpdevelopments.com
10:
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799:Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
706:www.softballhistoryusa.com
346:"Clipped From Valley News"
124:. Milwaukee defeated the
16:Professional softball team
228:World Series (runner-up)
83:Chicago Storm (softball)
27:team that played in the
845:"Twins debut ST story"
909:Softball History Data
54:World Football League
914:Softball History USA
782:. September 7, 2019.
440:. November 21, 2012.
23:were a professional
37:St. Paul, Minnesota
471:chicagotribune.com
101:Minnesota Norsemen
52:in 1977 by former
21:Minnesota Norsemen
793:Radcliffe, J. R.
653:"Detroit Caesars"
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142:Minnesota Vikings
126:Kentucky Bourbons
122:Milwaukee Schlitz
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70:Whitey Ford
933:Categories
830:2020-11-19
804:2020-11-19
264:References
58:Bill Byrne
56:executive
824:Angelfire
161:Team Name
140:, former
64:. Former
780:ESPN.com
479:cite web
239:Norsemen
213:Norsemen
176:Playoffs
173:Division
49:softball
25:softball
251:Midwest
225:Midwest
199:Midwest
187:Goofy's
179:League
563:Medium
257:APSPL
231:APSPL
205:APSPL
170:Finish
164:Record
242:32-32
216:40-24
190:24-30
68:star
485:link
245:.500
236:1979
219:.625
210:1978
193:.445
184:1977
158:Year
130:ESPN
19:The
248:3rd
222:2nd
196:3rd
167:Pct
35:in
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