OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --- Dick The Colonel Grove, of Atascadero, Calif., recently announced his retirement from the Amateur Softball Association as the Central California Commissioner after 23 years of service.
ASA has given me the opportunity to meet so many people and see the whole program from the big picture, said Grove. As a player, I just played fast pitch so its allowed me to be a part of the entire association and it has been rewarding to help build the program. The Annual Council Meeting has always been a great experience as well to see how working through legislation really helps to change things for the betterment of the team and players.
The time and energy Dick gave to this association is unbelievable, said Craig Cress, ASA Director of Membership. He has always been a leader for our membership and we are really going to miss him. His attitude and commitment were those to be admired and we certainly thank him for his many years of service.
Grove began his reign as Central California commissioner on May 11, 1985, but his love for the sport of softball began long before. He started playing right out of high school in 1955 during his college days at Santa Ana College in California. He joined the National Guard and started a team in Lakewood, Calif. before having to travel with the military and also joining and creating teams wherever he went.
I came back to Southern California and then moved up to San Luis Obispo and that is when I started playing ASA ball, said Grove. I played mens fast pitch and was a part of the Old Coast teams. Then one day the commissioner asked me to be the deputy and take care of the Coast while he took care of the Valley.
Grove continued his commitment as a player while taking care of the youth leagues and umpires as the deputy commissioner. Then he was solicited by the five standing ASA Commissioners in the Northern California area to be the commissioner of Central California.
I was working for the government at the time and was kind of apprehensive because I could only do so much, added Grove. But I owe it all to my wife (Jean). She helped me so much and I could not have done it with out her.
One of Groves fondest memories of the ASA was when he played, coached and was a commissioner all at the same time. He coached a city recreation league mens fast pitch team called the Smugglers out of San Luis Obispo. The mens fast pitch travel team he played for was sponsored by Atascadero Door Co., a local business in the area. They qualified for the first ever B Nationals that was held in Seattle, Washington before attending the two more in Las Cruces, New Mexico and Salem, Virginia. Having attended three National tournaments, he reflected those were some of the best memories.
Our teams use to have the best times playing all over, added Grove. We stayed together for five to seven years and really got to know each other. It was great to have a chance to get to know guys from all over California.
During his tenure at the ASA, Grove served as the Legislative Vice Chair, the Tournament Programs Committee Chair, the Vice Chair of the Masters- Seniors committee, and served on the Board of Directors representing Region 14.
This will mark Groves third retirement as he is retired from the military and civil service. Grove and his wife Jean have been married for 52 years and met when they were in high school. They have three grown children; Tim, 51, David 48, and Susan 45. They also have five grandchildren, all girls.
When asked whats next up for him, Grove replied, I probably have a pretty long honey-do list that I need to get caught up on.
About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nations largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 83 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 240,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit http://www.asasoftball.com/.
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