After finishing warming up for the Mercer Island Rockers’ home opener, starting pitcher John Weinberg looked toward the bleachers to see his wife, Sherry, in attendance. He had no clue why she was there.
“She doesn’t come to very many games, but she was here today and I couldn’t figure out why,” he said.
The Mercer Island Rockers starting pitcher celebrated his 50th season playing softball at the Rockers’ home opener Thursday at Aubrey Davis Park. His team surprised him before the game, having Weinberg throw out the ceremonial first pitch before taking on the Seattle Sloop.
Weinberg, 74, went on to pitch the entire seven-inning contest, a 15-5 Rocker victory, as Mercer Island improved to 2-0 on the young season.
“He’s one of the older-tenured players,” coach Alan Anderson said. “He was the coach before me and he’s been our pitcher probably since he started playing.”
Anderson presented Weinberg with an old-school 16-inch softball for the first pitch, similar to the ball Weinberg would use when he began playing softball in Chicago’s grassy Midway fields in the ‘60s as a student at the University of Chicago.
He’s been hooked on ‘playing ball’ ever since.
“I like the thinking part of the game, trying to outsmart the batters and make sure that I and the other fielders are at the right place on each play so before the ball is even pitched, they know where to go or I know where to go if it’s hit to me,” Weinberg said.
Sherry Weinberg, also 74, noted the two have been married “longer than he’s played softball” at 52 years and although they do their recreational activities separately, Sherry being a swimmer and John taking the softball diamond, there was no way she could miss the event.
“He loves being a pitcher and takes great pride in not walking people often,” she said. “It’s not a pitching game like baseball, but it does make a difference who’s pitching.”
Holding the Sloop to five runs or Tukwila to three runs two days prior in a 20-3 win would indicate that notion. Though Weinberg said there was plenty of praise to go around.
“My team has performed great this year. A lot of good defense, a lot of good hitting, so far we’re 2-0 and that’s wonderful,” Weinberg said. “[I] just hold up my end and just try to throw some strikes and field the position, but the team does it. It’s a team game.”
Though one opponent didn’t see things so rosy. As Weinberg came off the field after beating Seattle, he was stopped by a member of the Seattle Sloop.
“You remember 49 years ago, I struck you out!” hollered 82-year-old Jerry LaFrance with a grin.
“No, I’ll never remember that!” Weinberg responded. “Never happened. I’ll deny it.”
