CAL CARMEN

ELECTED: NOVEMBER, 1983

RENO, NEVADA

INDUCTED: NOVEMBER, 1984

EL PASO, TEXAS

COLORFUL CAL CARMEN, WHO PLAYED FOR TWO USSSA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS AND ALWAYS DREW A CROWD TO THE BALL PARK WITH HIS HUSTLE AND ANTICS, WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES SLO-PITCH SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME IN THE MALE PLAYER CATEGORY.

A NATIVE OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, CARMEN WAS A CENTRAL FIGURE FOR DINO’S AND UNIROYAL DURING THE 1970’S, AND THEN HELPED MAZZOLA-CASTLE OF ROCHESTER TO A WORLD SERIES TITLE.

WITH CONSTANT CHATTER AND A BIRD-LIKE WHISTLE, CARMEN HAD A WAY OF TAKING TEAMS OUT OF THEIR GAME PLAN, HE OFTEN PLAYED FIRST BASE, WITH IN A FEW FEET OF THE OPPOSING BATTER.

CARMEN WAS NOT ONLY COLORFUL, BUT COMPILED A .622 LIFE TIME BATTING AVERAGE AND BELTED OVER 575 HOME RUNS IN MAJOR USSSA TOURNAMENTS.

HE PLAYED IN FIVE USSSA WORLD SERIES AND FIVE DIVISIONAL AND WORLD TOURNAMENTS, EARNING ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS IN SIX OF THE EVENTS AND TWICE TAKING MVP.

CARMEN PLAYED IN THE DETROIT TIGERS’ BASEBALL ORGANIZATION AS A PITCHER BEFORE TURNING TO SOFTBALL.

“HE WAS LOVED OR HATED BY THE FANS, BUT EITHER WAY THEY CAME TO SEE HIM PLAY THE GAME,” ONE NEWSPAPER ONCE SAID.