Huggie Bears New Team Name

By George Honold

Originally published in the Journal Gazette on March 13, 1980

Chicago has the Bears, and in a manner of speaking, so does Fort Wayne. The new Fort Wayne softball team in the new men’s North American Softball League was officially christened the Huggie Bears by general manager Don Vickers during a media press conference held Wednesday at the Harley Hotel.

If you’re laughing, so did everyone else at first.

The Huggie Bear is a candy sucker which is made and manufactured locally with hopes of a nationwide market according to company representative Mike Rae. Johnny Rodriguez and Ron Stevens. The company, which has agreed to sponsor the new NASL entry, was founded just 10 months ago and plans to operate in six states by the end of the year.

That was one of several changes announced by Vickers in the presence of team president Jim Rivera, vice-president Mark Herrero and North American Softball League officials Bob Brown and Joe Pepitone in hopes of improving the image and the performance of last year’s team that was known as the Fort Wayne Scouts. Remember the Scouts?

If you bought a Scout’s hat or shirt last year, it will not be in fashion at the park this year. Out is red and white. In is orange, maroon and white — the new team colors.

Ed Corazi was officially named manager of the team that suffered through an 8-56 season last and went through three managers — one of which was Corazi who took over the job from Jim Rivera midway during the long, hot summer.

Corazi appears to be a step in the right direction.

“I’m a firm believer in making the routine plays both offensively and defensively and learning fundamentals,” said Corazi. “Because of the new rule changes (stealing, etc.), we will be emphasizing speed and hustle at the tryouts. I also want good defensive players. You can’t win in this league when you’re making six errors.”

Corazi has alreday supervised one mini-tryout at Bishop Luers which included former Scouts Dave France and Dan Mossburg. Among the missing was slugging first baseman Lou Banks, whom Corazi says he hasn't heard from.

Corazi added his No. 1 priority is finding three solid pitchers (“two who will go nothing but pitch”) and having his team ready for the season which begins May 3.

Corazi also hinted that the team will have fewer coaches and more players.

“I’d rather spend the money on ballplayers rather than spend it on coaches. We may have one coach for first base and he’ll be a player. I’ll coach third.”

Open tryouts will be held March 29-30 at Tah-Cum-Wah Field, where the team will carry pay again this season. The club will carry 20 players.

According to Brown, Fort Wayne will be one of eight teams operating in the new league and will be in the same division as Milwaukee, Chicago and Kentucky. That will be known as the Western Division. The Eastern Division finds Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Detroit.

“We’re trying to create local rivalries and build local identification,” stated Brown, whose convinced Fort Wayne can produce a winner.

“Fort Wayne could be a sleeper in this league,” added former Yankee Pepitone, who is the president of the Chicago team. “If you get the right people behind this club and the media backs them, you will have a winner. Fort Wayne needs a pro softball team. In fact, we’d (Chicago) like to open up against Fort Wayne this year.”

Brown, who foresees two more franchises added by next year and eventual teams throughout the west coast and south feels the current economic pinch in Fort Wayne will not hurt the team at the gate.

“It will eat under $10 for a family of four to go to a game and you’re sitting right on top of the action,” said Brown. “We’ll have a family-type environment here. It would cost a family $20-$25 to go to a major league game and have to sit in the second deck. That’s the difference.”

Asked about the credibility problem that may still exist from last year’s financial problems created by the Scouts, Brown said: “You may have had a bad mix last year,” said Brown. “People trying to do too much. The people here are well respected in the community and they know what mistakes were made. This is a super area for softball and could be one of the super franchises in the league.”

The Huggie Bears... after awhile it does kind of grow on you.