SLUGGERS SOFTBALL (1978-79-1981-83-1991-2004)

Players Bios

The response to our website has been overwhelming and we appreciate your input regarding the Sluggers. Despite all that, we've decided to remain online and want you to become more acquainted with our players and the City of Petaluma. Without further ado, here's a quick introduction to the guys who comprise the Sluggers.

About 30 miles beyond the Golden Gate Bridge, north of the hustle and bustle of the city, you'll find rolling hills of long grass flowing in the wind much like the wheat fields that cover the Great Plains of America. As you head north on Highway 101, the freeway rises over one final hill and descends into a wide green valley where the community of Petaluma proudly spreads its borders from the Pacific Coast well into the small mountain range to the East. The once productive farming community that was once "The egg capital of the world" is now in its final stages of succumbing to the viral-like 'suburban sprawl' from the South. Long thin lines of old crumbling chicken sheds stretch across the few remaining fields of grass much like caterpillars in their cocoons, their metamorphosis into large sprawling housing tracts comes all too quickly.

The "New" Petaluma has produced the famous movie star Wynona Ryder. When Wynona comes home to visit, all major shopping malls close down in her honor. The 'Old' Petaluma produced screen legend Lloyd Bridges, who's famous line in "Airplane"....'I sure picked a lousy day to quit sniffing glue'....now sticks to the minds of faithful moviegoers. Lloyd's son is now starring in the movie "Seabiscuit". This is the Petaluma where cartoonist Charles Schultz called home for many years and is fondly remembered by the old men who sit on the park bench every Sunday..... they can almost see Snoopy flying overhead in the crystal clear blue skies in hot pursuit of the 'Red Baron'.

Hey, those old men sitting on the bench look very familiar. They vaguely resemble great softball stars of years past......and that park bench is situated alongside the third base side of Prince Field on the outskirts of Petaluma. Hey look, there's the Coach, Smooth, Potts, Flash, Pinhead, Hack Man, The Old Hippy, Big Bad Bob, Glen'ers, JP, Step, Ask Mikey, Lefty Dan, Dirty O'Keefe, and The Mouth...... Now playing in an "Over 40" league on a team called the 'Sluggers' and all legends in their own mind! This group of guys can recall thousands of softball games and spin tall-tales that would even make Baghdad Bob blush!...... who's coach times his players speed with a sundial instead of a stopwatch...... who's 'groupies' need a weekend pass from the 'Shady Pines' rest-home to attend their Sunday games. Where AB's stand for Agitated Bowels, and E-4, E-5 and E-6 stand for the amount of enema's given during the week. A "regular guy" has a whole new meaning to these wheeze-kids who eagerly await for the FDA to approve the new improved "Industrial Strength Viagra. Players bio's below....

Article by, Gwynn Williams

Players Bio's (click on any photo for large view and use back button to come back)

(#10) Bill Cline (sponsor) EH-C
Earlier in life, Billy was actually a prize fighter, but injuries to his hands brought his career to a premature end.....the referee kept stepping on 'em! Bill has learned from his past and finally found a way to keep from being KO'd and applied it to softball.......Sponsor a team! It guarantee's him a spot on the roster no matter how bad he plays. Gotta admit his stats are very steady, his batting average and fielding average are about the same.
Nick name: Hack Man
Hobbies: Billy loves to take correspondence courses. Over the years by way of mail, he's built an extensive rock collection and has constructed exact replicas of classic automobiles such as the 1957 Cadillac Fleetwood and 1959 Chrysler Imperial. Nothing's more exciting than receiving each part at his doorstep every day by the UPS and assembling the cars piece by piece. Lately, Bill is taking a correspondence course to become a lawyer........to fight the class action suit brought against him by UPS drivers who are now suffering from hernias.
Favorite saying: (Posted on his front door) "UPS-Please deliver to warehouse on third floor"
Favorite song: "Return To Sender" (Elvis Presley)

(#00) Dave White Manager-3rd Base Coach-2nd Base
Coach Dave's lifelong dream was to be the head coach of a great softball team....... settled for the sluggers. As a youngster, he could be seen at little-league games in his Billy Martin jersey.....kicking dirt while arguing vociferously with the umpires. Then the game would start and little Davey made his way back behind the counter at the concession stand. Today, the skipper prides himself in taking on odd-jobs....Actually, they're regular jobs until Dave signs on.... Then they're called odd-jobs.
Nick name: Coach
Hobbies: Coach Dave has an incredible knack of making wads of money from his odd-jobs which he keeps secret from all his friends and teammates. Dave can leave his place at 10 AM and be home by noon with a large wad of cash in his pocket. Someday we hope to find out his formula.
Favorite saying: "This is a stickup!"
Favorite song: "Take the Money and Run" (Steve Miller Blues Band)

(#1) Gerry Steppler Bench/Base Coach-RF
Gerry Is finding that his job at the post office is interfering more and more with his real love......"The horses". After decades of losing wagers at the racetrack, he finally found a 'sure thing' when he went to see the movie, "Seabiscuit". Only to be tossed from the theater by the ushers when he couldn't find his ticket stub!
Hobbies: Horses.... or hobby horses
Favorite saying: Anything that has "horses" in it.
Favorite song: Anything by "Linda Rhonstadt and the Stone Ponies."

(#27) Larry Klemenson Pitcher
Larry's had a beard for as long as anybody can remember. Rumors have it that his mom had to mix 'hairball' medicine into his baby formula. When Halloween rolled around, he used to trick'r' treat as Moses, Ulysses Grant and Santa Clause. One year he dressed up as the "Bearded Lady" when he was going through an identity crisis.
Nick name: The Old Hippy
Hobbies: Larry spends his free time souping up his shop-vac to handle the cat problem in his neighborhood.
Favorite saying: "Here kitty kitty kitty"
Favorite song: Anything done by ZZ Top

(#40) JP Base Coach-Catcher
JP Every time USPO worker JP blows his cool on the field, he's teased by his teammates of going "Postal." Nothing can be further from the truth and he's come a long way, as his Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Hypnotherapist and Probation Officer can attest to. JP feels that the Post Office is getting a 'bad rap' just because of a few unrelated incidents of violence inside Post Office buildings. JP feels that the real violence is outside where he's confronted by irate motorists who make obscene gestures and even pull weapons on him...... But once he gets out of the employee's parking lot, things get much better.
Hobbies: You can usually find JP down at the firing range during his off days. No, not days off......off days.
Nick name: Alice
Favorite saying: Robert DeNiro's line in 'Taxi Driver' "You talkin'ta me?......
Favorite song: "Helter Skelter" (Beatles)

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