198:. New England beat Rochester 3–1 in the first round of the playoffs where the Pilgrims lost to Kentucky 5–3 behind the bat of World Series MVP Greg Whitlock. Bill Gatti of the Bourbons was named the 1981 UPSL MVP. Tom Zaccarado (.474, 15 HRs, 62 RBIs) of Rochester made the all-league team. Steve Re (.414, 15 HRs) and Rick Page ( 23 HRs, 64 RBIs) had productive seasons for the Express and Mike DeCillis went 16–12 pitching. 1980 home-run leader Bob Schuster played sparingly, having taken an out-of-state job after graduating college.
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a 2-4 deficit in the series and
Pittsburgh was one win from the title with a 3-run lead heading to the bottom of the final inning in game 7. Rochester rallied in the bottom of the 7th as Jerry Lasponara, with two out in a now tied game, capped the rally by driving home Don Fazio for the 7-6 win to force another game.
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Rochester upset the heavily favored
Hardhats 5–4 (2-8, 8-7, 10-4, 2-5, 7-9, 15-16, 7-6, 9-1, 8-2) in the 9-game series, behind strong hitting from Tom Zaccarado (.500, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs) and Steve Re (.444, 5 HRs, 9 RBIs), and series MVP Don Brown on the mound (5–4 pitching). The Express came back from
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before the season began. Carmen played first-base and would often come within 10-feet of the batter during the pitch and taunt and whistle at the batter. Even with the trickery, Rochester struggled in the 1978 season, finishing with a record of 22–42 (.344), 16 games behind the
Eastern Division
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The
Express rode the momentum to a 9-1 blowout victory in game 8, and with Steve Re belting his 5th home-run of the series, Zaccarado tripling in 3 runs, and a triple from Rich Brown launching the offense, the Express took the series with an 8-2 series winning victory in the 9th game, capping an
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Don Brown (.536, 38 RBIs, 43 runs scored, 30–21 pitching) of the
Zeniths was named to the all-APSPL team for 1979, with Brown, Rick Palmiero, Rick Page and Jerry Lasponera making the mid-season All-Star team. Zeniths manager Mike DeCillis served as a coach for the Eastern All-Star team. Rick
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won their second APSPL World Series with Bert Smith of
Detroit winning the series MVP. Ron Ford of the Caesars won the league MVP. Rick Page of the Zeniths was named to the all-league team. Bob Goodlow (.578, 6 HRs, 81 RBIs) and Pete Castle (.493, 18 HRs, 59 RBIs) had solid seasons for
193:
The APSPL and the NASL then merged to form the United
Professional Softball League in 1981, although only Milwaukee came to the new league from the NASL as the other franchises disbanded. The Express finished with a record of 30–28 (.517), second place in the Eastern Division behind the
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in the 1982 World Series, with Dick Laba of the
Schlitz taking the Series MVP trophy and Dana Andry honored as league MVP. The UPSL and the Express folded at the end of the season ending the era of men's professional softball in the US.
166:. The Express limped to a 30–34 (.469) record and would make a managerial change mid-season to try to stir the team, with Manager Mike Decillis returning full-time to playing field and second-baseman Don Fazio moving taking the reins.
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Rochester. Carmen (.307, 5 HRs, 22 RBIs) struggled in the adjustment to professional play, despite being the highest paid Zenith, and was released on July 31 when
Rochester when the team was eliminated from the playoff picture.
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Express players Pete Castle (435, 9 HRs, 57 RBIs,) Rich Brown (.494, 2 HRs, 22 RBIs) and, rookie of the year Bob
Schuster (.421, 21 HRs, 59 RBI) made the all-league team in 1980. Schuster missed the playoffs as he was with the
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The rival North American Softball League (NASL) formed in 1980, splitting professional softball, but Rochester continued play in the APSPL. The Zeniths had been sold to new owners who renamed the team the
145:. Zenith Rick Page (482, 24 HRs, 94 RBIs) made the 1978 all-APSPL team with Bob Goodlow (.558, 20 HRs, 59 RBIs) and Pete Castle (.493, 18 HRs, 59 RBIs) had solid seasons in support.
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The Zeniths improved greatly in 1979, winning the Eastern Division with a 35–27 (.565) record, advancing to the playoffs. Rochester beat the
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served as the first league commissioner. The Zeniths were owned by Dick Hill who owned Hill TV, a Rochester electronics store that sold
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The team advanced to the playoffs, defeating New England 3–0 in the first round to move to the APSPL World Series against Pittsburgh.
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209:. No Express player made the 1982 all-league team although Pete Castle (50, 38 HRS, 74 RBIs) had a solid year. Milwaukee defeated
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would then beat the Kentucky Bourbons 5–3 in the APSPL World Series, broadcast nationwide on the new start-up sports network
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in the city of Rochester. Rochester struggled to a 24–40 (.375) record, finishing 22.5 games behind the division-winning
726:"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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The Express returned to Harris Whalen Park in Penfield for 1982 UPSL season and also played some home games at
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football team as a Division III All-American 4th-year starting QB for the Saxons.
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minor-leaguer Joe Costello. The team then added the colorful Cal Carmen from
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406:"1977–1983 Rochester Zeniths Basketball & Softball • Fun While It Lasted"
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Weiterman of Milwaukee was both the World Series and league MVP in 1979.
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The Zeniths built a roster from the area amateur teams, including former
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in 1980. The team changed their home stadium to the Softball Centre in
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were organized in the fall of 1978 to play in the second year of the
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41:, originally named the Rochester Zeniths, were a professional
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101:. The Zeniths softball team played at Harris Whalen Park in
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brand televisions, hence the team name. Hill also owned the
1030:. September 7, 1980. p. 68 – via newspapers.com.
1016:. September 7, 1980. p. 65 – via newspapers.com.
1002:. September 6, 1980. p. 24 – via newspapers.com.
988:. September 6, 1980. p. 21 – via newspapers.com.
974:. September 1, 1980. p. 27 – via newspapers.com.
960:. September 1, 1980. p. 24 – via newspapers.com.
932:. September 8, 1980. p. 29 – via newspapers.com.
915:. September 8, 1980. p. 25 – via newspapers.com.
898:. September 7, 1980. p. 68 – via newspapers.com.
884:. September 7, 1980. p. 65 – via newspapers.com.
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946:. September 9, 1980. p. 8 – via newspapers.com.
492:. September 3, 1978. p. 8 – via newspapers.com.
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Former Zenith first-baseman Cal Carmen is a member of the
1188:. August 23, 1982. p. 24 – via newspapers.com.
1047:. August 12, 1980. p. 10 – via newspapers.com.
870:. August 23, 1980. p. 24 – via newspapers.com.
1160:. April 21, 1982. p. 59 – via newspapers.com.
713:. August 1, 1978. p. 27 – via newspapers.com.
436:. April 26, 1978. p. 51 – via newspapers.com.
422:. April 26, 1978. p. 48 – via newspapers.com.
1202:. April 20, 1983. p. 8 – via newspapers.com.
1174:. July 19, 1982. p. 24 – via newspapers.com.
856:. June 23, 1980. p. 28 – via newspapers.com.
842:. June 23, 1980. p. 25 – via newspapers.com.
828:. June 14, 1980. p. 35 – via newspapers.com.
800:. June 20, 1980. p. 31 – via newspapers.com.
746:. June 18, 1979. p. 29 – via newspapers.com.
478:. July 21, 1977. p. 42 – via newspapers.com.
450:. April 3, 1977. p. 47 – via newspapers.com.
1114:. May 13, 1981. p. 48 – via newspapers.com.
1100:. May 13, 1981. p. 46 – via newspapers.com.
814:. July 4, 1980. p. 32 – via newspapers.com.
699:. July 9, 1978. p. 54 – via newspapers.com.
685:. June 4, 1978. p. 51 – via newspapers.com.
630:. May 28, 1978. p. 57 – via newspapers.com.
616:. May 28, 1978. p. 54 – via newspapers.com.
602:. May 26, 1978. p. 35 – via newspapers.com.
588:. May 12, 1978. p. 37 – via newspapers.com.
556:. May 10, 1978. p. 48 – via newspapers.com.
539:. May 13, 1978. p. 39 – via newspapers.com.
525:. May 13, 1978. p. 35 – via newspapers.com.
464:. May 25, 1977. p. 42 – via newspapers.com.
1146:. May 29, 1981. p. 7 – via newspapers.com.
568:"Joe Costello Minor Leagues Statistics & History"
219:
United States Slowpitch Softball Association (USSSA)
49:from 1978 through 1982 at various locations in the
27:For the Rochester Zeniths CBA basketball team, see
780:"That Championship Season thirty five years later"
133:in the first round 3–2, but were defeated by the
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67:American Professional Slow-Pitch League (APSPL)
1312:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1982
505:"Whatever Happened To ... Rochester Zeniths?"
105:for the 1978 and 1979 seasons in the APSPL.
1317:Sports clubs and teams established in 1978
663:"Professional Slow Pitch Softball History"
69:. The APSPL was formed in 1977 by former
1272:Rochester Zeniths on Fun While It Lasted
1251:""It's Around Here Someplace""
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177:improbable come-back and title run.
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47:professional softball leagues
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137:3–1 in the semi-finals. The
18:Rochester Zeniths (softball)
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1287:Detroit Caesars Online Home
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1130:www.softballhistoryusa.com
1084:www.softballhistoryusa.com
765:www.softballhistoryusa.com
730:Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
462:"Clipped From Valley News"
34:Professional softball team
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45:team that played in two
784:Democrat and Chronicle
572:Baseball-Reference.com
509:Democrat and Chronicle
196:South Jersey Athletics
1277:Softball History Data
211:Detroit Softball City
207:Cleveland Competitors
71:World Football League
1282:Softball History USA
1214:"Detroit Auto Kings"
408:. February 22, 2013.
153:1980 APSPL Champions
119:New England Pilgrims
131:Pittsburgh Hardhats
110:San Francisco Giant
51:Rochester, New York
103:Penfield, New York
724:Radcliffe, J. R.
642:"Detroit Caesars"
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160:Rochester Express
139:Milwaukee Schlitz
135:Kentucky Bourbons
97:franchise in the
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302:Semi-Finals
87:Whitey Ford
1301:Categories
392:References
81:. Former
75:Bill Byrne
73:executive
668:Angelfire
356:1st Round
329:Champions
235:Team Name
250:Playoffs
247:Division
189:UPSL Era
117:winning
43:softball
379:Midwest
367:Express
353:Eastern
341:Express
313:Express
299:Eastern
287:Zeniths
273:Eastern
261:Zeniths
253:League
121:. The
114:Detroit
85:player
333:APSPL
305:APSPL
279:APSPL
244:Finish
238:Record
91:Zenith
53:area.
1062:(PDF)
385:UPSL
370:24–40
359:UPSL
344:30–28
316:30–34
290:35–27
264:22–42
373:.375
364:1982
347:.517
338:1981
319:.469
310:1980
293:.565
284:1979
267:.344
258:1978
232:Year
143:ESPN
61:The
37:The
376:4th
350:2nd
322:3rd
296:1st
270:4th
241:Pct
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