ELECTED: NOVEMBER, 2004
INDUCTED: NOVEMBER, 2005
JESS HEALD WAS INDUCTED INTO THE USSSA HALL OF FAME IN THE SPECIAL CATEGORY.
FOLLOWING A 1957 GRADUATION FROM THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY AND 5 YEARS IN THE SERVICE, HIS ENGINEERING BACKGROUND EVENTUALLY LED HIM TO WORTH INC, WHERE HE BECAME THE COMPANY’S FIRST PRODUCT DEVELOPEMENT MANAGER.
HIS INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS INCLUDE: THE FIRST ONE PIECE ALUMINUM BAT, THE FIRST POLYURETHANE CORE SOFTBALL, THE FIRST OFFICIAL LEAGUE SAFETY BASEBALLS AND SOFTBALLS, THE FIRST PLAYER’S BAT/EQUIPMENT BAG, AND THE FIRST CARBON COMPOSITE BAT.
IN 1985 JESS DEVELOPED THE SOFTBALL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS WHICH ARE STILL IN USE TODAY. IN 1994 HE PARTICIPATED IN THE DEVELOPEMENT OF THE FIRST SOFTBALL BAT PERFORMANCE STANDARD WHICH WAS FIRST ADOPTED BY THE USSSA.
IN 1990 HESS WAS ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF WORTH INC, AND IN 1993 WAS INDUCTED INTO THE SPORTING GOODS INDUSTRY HALL OF FAME.
THROUGHOUT HIS 35 YEAR CAREER AT WORTH, JESS HAS BEEN THE
COMPANY LIASON TO THE USSSA. PRESENTLY
JESS IS SERVING AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PLAY BALL