Softball
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RI ASA Mens's Fast Pitch
State Champions 1938 Newport Oil
1939 Fairlawn Mules 1940 Lindy's Trojans 1941 Lindy's Trojans 1942 Cranston Universals *1943 United Wire & Supply *1944 Monowatt Electric *1945 Monowatt Electric *1946 Monowatt Electric 1947 Monowatt Electric 1948 Monowatt Electric 1949 Speeds Sales *Major Fast Pitch Regional Champions RI ASA Woman's State Champions
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Softball starting to gain popularity in Rhode Island in the 1930s. Both men's (fast pitch) and woman's leagues were formed and in 1938 the first RI ASA state tournament was played. The Newport Oilers defeated the St. Laurence CYO 15-1 before 10,000 fans at Coat's Field in Pawtucket and won the right to represent Rhode Island in the fifth annual national softball tournament in Chicago. By 1940 more than 10,000 men and woman took part in softball in Rhode Island. The formation of the Independent Amateur Softball League and the Rhode Island Amateur Softball League with virtually every large manufacturing and business concern sponsoring clubs helped drive the explosion of softball in the state. In the Blackstone Valley, where girls softball got its start, many woman's teams were started. Lindy's Trojans of Cranston won back-to-back state championships in 1940 and 1941. In both seasons they traveled to Detroit for the National Championship tournament accompanied by the state woman's titlists; 1940 Pawtucket Tuberettes and 1941 Darlington Milkmaids. Chet Kane's Monowatt Electric team won five consecutive RI ASA state championships (1944-1948) and four Northeast Regional crowns (1944-1947). Slow pitch achieved formal recognition in 1953 when it was added to the program of the Amateur Softball Association and within a decade had surpassed fast pitch in popularity. Slow-pitch started growing in Rhode Island in 1955.
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