Ralph
Hall, Jr. & Bud Selig, Commissioner
of Major League Baseball
"As we connect with our past and our
future in ways that bring honor to
the softball community we will
discover higher purposes than
terror. We will be part of a dream
deeply associated with the dreams of
Americans and Texans. We will be
winners of men more than winners of
games. We will be a people who are
transformed out of the pain and a
nation who enters into the fields of
promise and hope. In these fields
the best is yet to be. I will be
there. Will you be there with me for
the next chapter? Let's become one
nation united in attitudes, actions,
and purposes. Be one. Let's play
ball!" Ralph Hall
TEXAS
SOFTBALL HALL OF FAME MISSION
STATEMENT
and your mission if you choose to
accept it, is to lead softball
events that promote sportsmanship,to protect the integrity of the
game, to provide a caring
atmosphere, to enhance the
well-being of all who participate,
and to honor connectedness in the
softball community.
"This is how the heartbeat of Texas
softball makes an impact and a
positive difference." Ralph Hall
History
LOL
"History is made every time we step onto a field. If we record it now, others
will appreciate it in the future."
Ralph Hall "Remember your leaders." 2-10-09
"Sportsmanship is our history and our destiny."
Ralph Hall 8-24-11
864
-
TOURNAMENTS
605
- LEAGUES
- Current Leagues in 2012
1,469- Events from 1982 thru
2011
Awards for over 18,000
CHAMPIONS! "We
built these Champions by serving
faithfully in the mission to which we
were called." Ralph Hall
11-5-2010
Direction and leadership for more than
1,000,000
PARTICIPANTS!
"Climbing
the mountains of accomplishment means more when you take
others to the top with you." Ralph Hall 1-25-09
"Who will you bring, when we see you at
the top?" Ralph Hall 11-5-10
"It's
not what you accomplish, but who you
become that really counts." Ralph Hall
11-5-10
"Great games are never
over because they leave twin legacies of SPORTSMANSHIP and
CHARACTER." Ralph Hall
1-25-09
56 years
as a player
46 years as an umpire 29 Years
as a Tournament or League Director at 30
locations and on 68 different Fields.
"This is our game. Softball History is spoken here."
Ralph Hall
"A man's credentials are
not found as much in his history as they are found in his
heart." Ralph Hall 8-30-07
"It's not the first step out of the box
of selfishness, but the last step on the
plate of courageous character that
counts." Ralph Hall 11-5-2010
"When you look back,
will you know that you have lived a life worth remembering?
The courage to live it passionately does not come from the
absence of fear. It comes from the absence of
selfishness." Ralph Hall 1-19-2009
"I do not believe that
God ever counts my trophies or my championship t-shirts, but I
do believe he counts our scars, our tears, and our prayers."
Ralph Hall 7-30-09
MILESTONES
1949 - On the night of
September 8th, Elizabeth Jane Hall and Ralph Hall gave birth
to their first born son. His dad was playing softball
earlier that night. DAD was more famous for his State of
Texas Championship Golden Gloves in boxing and was not
really a power hitter, but he actually did hit a home run
that night. 1956 -
The first softball game played by Ralph Hall, Jr. was at
1826 Basse Road, San Antonio, TX. He was 6 years old, in the
first grade, and played right field that day. He did not
make any defensive put-outs, but he got on base every
at bat with either hits or walks. His favorite part of the
game was running the bases. The snow cones from the
refreshment stand after the game were good too. Who could
have imagined then, that he would celebrate his 54th year as
a softball player and 44th year as an umpire in 2010? A
small lump of coal would be transformed into a shinning
diamond. 1956 to 1969 Ralph
Hall played on numerous City Championship Youth
and Adult softball teams in San Antonio, TX.
1966 - Ralph Hall coached his
first boys softball team in San Antonio, TX, and umpired his
first games at Wilson Fields. 1967
- Ralph Hall coached his first League Championship Team in
San Antonio, TX.
1968 - Ralph Hall coached his
First City Championship Boys softball team in San Antonio,
TX. He was also selected to the City-Wide All Star
Teams in both Fast Pitch as a second baseman and as a
shortstop in Slow Pitch softball in San Antonio, TX.
1969 - Ralph Hall
repeated as coach of the boys softball City Champions
in San Antonio, TX. 1970 -
Ralph Hall umpired his first Collegiate level softball
in San Marcos, TX. 1973 to 1974
- Ralph played in Championship league and tournament play in
Springfield, Illinois.
1975 - Ralph Hall played
in Galveston, TX.
1978 - Ralph Hall played
on the City Championship softball team and umpired in
Seguin, TX.
1979 to 2008 Ralph Hall
played in Mo. City, TX, and numerous League
Championship and Tournament Championship teams in the
Houston, TX, area. 1980 -
Ralph Hall was elected as Softball Commissioner in Mo.
City, TX, and served as U. I. C. for Leagues.
1981 - Ralph Hall began his USSSA umpire career
at Softball Country Club, Houston, TX.
1982
- Ralph Hall served as U. I. C. for the Mo.
City, TX, Annual Softball Tournament.
"What causes us to
be in the right time and the right place in softball history
is the grace and favor of God." One touch of HIS grace gives
us a life. One touch of HIS favor does more than we can do
in a lifetime of our own efforts. Ralph Hall 6-12-07
RENTALS AND OTHER MILESTONES:
1982 - Turtle Creek, Mo. City,
TX Quail Green West, Mo. City, TX,
1982 to 1987 - Fondren
Park, Mo. City, TX
1983 Ralph Hallintroduced and popularized
MEN'S ROUND ROBIN TOURNAMENTS
in the Houston area.
Stafford City
Park, Stafford ,TX
Ralph Hallinitiated the CUSTOM of
AWARDING T-SHIRTS instead of Trophies for Championship
teams.
Ralph Hallmade a major decision with
Earl Moats that SPORTSMANSHIP would be his primary goal in
the development of players. Post Oak YWCA, Houston, TX
1984 - Jane Long Field,
Richmond, TX.
Windsor Village
Park, Houston, TX First Colony Athletics, Sugar Land, TX
Imperial Sugar, Sugar Land, TX Texas Instruments,
Stafford, TX Four Seasons Park, Hockley, TX
Ralph
Hallattended NATIONAL UMPIRE
SCHOOL for ASA with Walter Sparks, Bernie Provato, and Glenn
Smith.
Ralph Hall was the
U. I. C. for the 1984 NSA STATE MEN'S CLASS D TOURNAMENT won
by the Houston Hustlers.
Ralph Hall Founded
and Served as the First PRESIDENT of the FORT BEND AREA
UMPIRES ASSOCIATION.
1985 - Southwest YMCA,
Bellaire, TX. Ralph Hall was appointed by Earl King to be a
Houston USSSA AREA DIRECTOR.
Ralph Hall became
the FOUNDER and continues to be the PRESIDENT of THE TEXAS
SOFTBALL HALL OF FAME.
1986 - 2006 Tournaments or
Leagues at Papa Blakely's, Fort Bend County, TX
1986 - Ralph Hall umpired a
USSSA SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL GAME on National Television (ESPN)
with Anthony "Corky" Carter, Silas Roberson, and Red Lantz.
Ralph Hall
initiated and popularized the First DOUBLE HEADER LEAGUES in
Houston area softball.
Ralph Hall became
the FIRST Tournament Director to use the 1 PITCH
tie-breakers GROUND RULES at the end of games.
Ralph Hall received
the Houston ASA TOP INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVER AWARD from John
Robinson.
Ralph Hall designed
and ordered the production of the infamous Flag T-Shirts as
AWARDS for Championship awards.
Ralph Hall served
as a Houston ASA DEPUTY COMMISSIONER.
Ralph Hall created
and served as U.I.C. for the FIRST TEXAS SOFTBALL HALL OF
FAME WORLD SERIES TOURNAMENT, which was hosted at Papa
Blakely's.
1990 &
1991
- Softball Country Club, Houston, TX
1992 - Memorial Park #2 & #3,
Houston, TX Hartford Stone Field, Bayland Park, Harris
County TX
Ralph Hall was the
first in the Houston area to institute the Ground Rule
of Short Count, (1&1).
1993 - Ralph Hall HIT HIS FIRST
of 29 OVER THE FENCE HOMERUNS on APRIL 21st at Bayland Park.
It was a grand slam.
1995 - Feld Park, Bellaire, TX
Ralph Hall served
as the U. I. C. for 8 SENIOR WORLD SERIES TOURNAMENTS at
Cullen Park, Houston, TX, hosted by HCSSL.
1996 - Springwood Field (Agnes
Moffet), Houston, TX Memorial Park #1, Houston, TX. +
This is the RECORD YEAR for TOURNAMENTS *(62).
1997 - Houston Sportsplex
#1-6, Houston, TX
Ralph Hall goes
parallel to the ground fully stretched out and catches
Houston Astro's, Bob Abreu, first Major League Homerun in
the Astrodome. Ralph was awarded
ESPN's Major League Catch Of The Week.
Ralph Hall became
the FIRST LEAGUE AND TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR to utilize and
establish the 1 UP GROUND RULE for Home Runs.
Ralph Hall received
Stephen Covey training, developed, and published the TEXAS
SOFTBALL HALL OF FAME MISSION STATEMENT.
1998 - Ward Field, Bayland
Park, Harris County, TX
Ralph Hall began
writing the Ralphisms and Editorializing.
Ralph Hall played
the Fall Season with the Harris County Senior Softball
League. (HCSSL). He hit two consecutive 3 run Homeruns in
the third game of that season.
1999 - Southwest Girl's Field
#1, Bayland Park, Houston, TX, Southwest Girl's Field #2,
Bayland Park, Houston, TX Alief YMCA, Sugar Land, TX
Ralph Hall DESIGNED
and became WEBMASTER of the TEXAS SOFTBALL HALL OF FAME
WEBSITE, the first major Houston area softball website.
Ralph Hall served
as a Houston NSA AREA DIRECTOR.
2000 - The new Ward Field,
Bayland Park, Harris County Texas
Ralph Hall returned
to Houston ASA as an Area Director with Metro Commissioner,
Ron Waldrop.
2001 to 2003 - New Territory
Sportsplex, Sugar Land, Texas New Territory West Sugar Land
Little League Jr./Sr. Field, Sugar Land, Texas
2002-"Some
dreams don't come true, but some dreams do. LET'S ROLL!"
2004 to 2006 - Papa Blakely's (Leagues) Ft.
Bend County, Texas 2004 - 2011 Missouri City Community Park in
Mo. City, Texas, Fields #2, #3, & #4
2004
Ralph Hall directed the RETURN OF THE CHAMPIONS WORLD SERIES TOURNAMENT.
2004 -
Ralph Hall was awarded the RNC
Certificate of Merit from Fred Meyer and President George W. Bush.
"Brad, one day you will be a World Series Champion.
Thanks for the autograph and picture." Ralph Hall 12-16-2004
2005
-
2011 Missouri City Community Park in Mo. City, Texas, Field #1
2006 - Ralph Hall was
honored with the ASA Lifetime Member Award from ASA (Amateur
Softball Association) and from Ron Waldrop, Houston's ASA
Metro Commissioner.
2007
-
It's been
an amazing three decades. "I love being part of it and I
always will." Ralph Hall 4-9-07
Ralph
Hall was invited to be the Guest of Honor at the Houston
Community College Northwest Athletic Awards Banquet.
Ralph supports our troops by contributing
softball equipment to 2nd Battalion, Camp Blessing, in
Afghanistan.
Ralph Hall is Honored by ****General Tommy Franks.
2008
-
47 LEAGUES is a
new record for the number of Leagues played in one year.
Mr. Ralph W. Hall, Jr. is bestowed with
a 2008 Presidential Commission from Tom Cole,
Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
The name Ralph W. Hall, Jr. is included on
the special George H. W. Bush
Leadership Honor Roll to be permanently located at
the George Bush Presidential Library, College Station,
Texas. Thank you Governor Jeb Bush, Board Member, Lt.
General Brent Scowcroft, President, and Roman Popadink,
Executive Director. 11-4-2008
"Truly, the builder of a house
has greater honor than the house itself."
2-10-2009
"My dream is to
keep investing my life by loving and leading all people to
life change in Christ." Ralph Hall 12-29-08
"From
the silent request on my knees to the last footstep crossing
the plate, the destination has been worth the journey."
Ralph Hall 12-29-08
"I hear a voice in the fields
of promise and hope calling us to a new
time." LET'S PLAY BALL!" Ralph Hall 12-29-08
2009 -
The first Houston area softball
dual language, English/Spanish, Home Page and many of the web
pages on the web-site. Over
500 Leagues - Celebrate a Milestone Moment
THE BEST TIME IS YET TO BE -
A time to be Field Tested, a time to celebrate over 500 Leagues, a time to wear the
Game Day Shirt.
2010 - The
first Leagues in the Houston area to protect the pitchers with the LINE DRIVE
RULE and also to allow them pitch up to six feet behind the pitching rubber in
ASA softball.
2011 - League play at Texas Instruments in Stafford,
Texas - Red & Blue Fields
Over
600 Leagues - Celebrate a Milestone Moment
- We Worked -
You Played!
"With vision, courage, and skill we plan the games. With
cooperation, commitment, and caring we lead the people." Ralph Hall 9-15-07
"These
years, locations, fields, games, and relationships are a part of our
past. They remind us of what our mission has been and enable us to envision what
our mission will be."
Ralph Hall 10-2-08
The next years, locations, fields,
games, and the new relationships are a part of our future. They will
challenge us TO BECOME the THRILLER B's. BE ONE. 6-20-06
What
causes us to be in the right place at the right time is not
luck, circumstance, or the brilliance of our own choices.
What causes us to be in the right time and the right place in
softball history is the grace and the favor of God. Ralph Hall 6-12-07
The Texas Softball Hall
Of Fame is built slowly over a lifetime.
It is the sum total of every dream come true, every right
decision, every promise kept, every positive thought, every
timely word, every scar, every tear, and every heartfelt prayer. It is energized by
the generator of honorable work. It glistens with the twins
of humility and generosity. It is a precious place
constructed with the bricks of tournaments and the mortar of
leagues. It is a
lifestyle of courage, faith, and skill which grows the seeds
of greatness in the soil of sportsmanship. It is a place in
the heart of service, where God looks when He smiles.
Before
you can BE in the HALL OF FAME, THE HALL OF FAME has to BE in you.
Ralph
Hall 8-02-08
"For
every wounded heart, there is a way out of the pain and into the fields
of promise and hope. In these fields, the best is yet to be amazing
indeed!" Ralph Hall, after his quadruple bi-pass surgery in April, 2000.
"There are 108 stitches
on a baseball and there are a few on me. Tell them I am not
through. For the love of the game, I'll be back." Ralph Hall
"IT IS BETTER TO DIE AT THE
BALLPARK WITH A GOOD REPUTATION THAN TO LIVE ANYWHERE WITHOUT ONE."
RALPH HALL
+Texas Softball Hall of Fame does not discriminate on
the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. RALPHISM #54. "Color is only skin deep, but beautiful
character lives on the inside."
"Inspiring others to live
better lives is the accomplishment of leadership." Ralph Hall
"A MAN CAN ACCOMPLISH MORE IN ONE DAY AT THE BALLPARK WITH GOD THAN IN A LIFETIME ANYWHERE WITHOUT
HIM." RALPH HALL
"WHAT'S WORKING ?" IS A FAR SUPERIOR
QUESTION TO "WHAT'S NOT WORKING?" AND LISTENING TO THE ANSWER IS EVEN
BETTER.
"The hard drive historian of my
past, the passionate, articulate journalist of my present, and the
contemporary, prophetic spirit of my future are the same thing, my
attitude."
Ralph Hall
"The enemy of our history, of our presence, and of
our future is found between the ears and on the tongues of the
pathological critics." Ralph Hall 5-13-06
"IF WE PROTECT THEM,
THEY WILL PLAY!" Ralph Hall
"As you have done in history, give your servant
success today by granting him FAVOR in the presence of the King."
Ralph Hall
"We are planning today for the games we
will play tomorrow." Ralph
Hall 2-15-07
"The base path of character is not
the base path of compromise." Ralph Hall 8-30-07
"To the softball world you might
be just one leader, but for one person you were, are, or will be the
leader of his softball world." Ralph Hall 9-3-07
"NO
BALLVIATING! THAT'S MY JOB."
and my Thanks to Bill O'Reilly.
"WE WORK; YOU PLAY." Ralph Hall
You Tube Video (Part-1)
You Tube Video (Part-2)
"Congratulations! Your hard work is paying
off.................not just for you but apparently for many others!
Blessings!" D. R. Nelson President/CEO, Sovereign Wealth Management, LLP
"This looks good! Makes me
proud to have been a part of your organization. Keep up the good
work. I miss being around you and the guys." Steve Morris, Umpire
"Well I see you have
conquered film! However, I'm still waiting for your first book of
quotes and jokes? Great clip! God Bless." Kevin Tucker
"That
was great," Hugh Durlam - Account
Representative, One Source Credit Reporting, LLC
"That was a very good clip! I think you should keep it!" Phillip
McNeil, Houston
Community College Northwest Campus Associate Athletic Director "Cool dude," Carol Tribble,
Qualifiers Coed Team
"Wow!! You are really
moving up and on in the softball world....good going for you and the
league!!!" Lynn Hill, Inspirations Coed Team
"I really enjoyed the footage that you put on the web
site. Keep up the great job of providing us with a great and fun
softball environment. I am thankful and privileged to be a part of
the league." Tony Aguilar, Coach First Colony Church of Christ
Coed Team
"The video clips are a
great addition to your web site. Appreciate all your efforts to run
a first class softball organization and to provide a quality
experience for the players." Roger D. Leick, Marine & Arctic
Engineering Manager, Exxon Mobil Development Company
Ralph, you have been an inspiration to so many people
for so many years. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. God
Bless. Mark
Sartain, 2007 ASA Lonestar State Champion,
(Da Bomb)
Ralph, you have always had the vision to make softball more than a
game. You always encourage people to be better than they think they
can. Your video interview is excellent. It was always a pleasure
to work with you and for you. Keep up the great work. Corky
Carter, State Director: Tennessee USSSA Slow Pitch
"My friends are like quiet angels who lift me to my
feet." They
know when this heart has the courage to move these legs in the right
direction. Other legs will follow in the steps of sportsmanship. As the footsteps echo in the Halls of Honor and Honorable
Mention I will ask a simple question. Are those your steps I hear,
my friend? I'm listening. Ralph Hall 12-18-07
Ralph Hall, Jr. & ****General Tommy Franks,
Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient
"We honor those who make softball history, not those who mock
softball history."
Ralph Hall 2-17-08
YES, WE PLAYED !!!
"From
the silent request on my knees to the last footstep crossing
the plate, the destination has been worth the journey." Ralph Hall 12-29-08
LOL
History
Before
you can BE in the HALL OF FAME, THE HALL OF FAME has to BE in you.
