GOFL Interview - Don Cox
Fitzroy Fastball is back with another interview, this time with longtime player and all around great guy Don Cox. Don says he has more good stories that he can relate - but you'll need to ask him about those around the beer tent next time you see him at a tournament. Thanks Donnie, and here is the "transcript".
Q: Where did you play your minor and junior softball?
A: Played all my minor ball in Carp. Didn’t play any junior as I started playing in the local men’s league at 16.
Q: Who is the coach or teammate that has had the biggest impact on your softball career?
A: As far as a coach goes, oddly enough it would a guy by the name of Billy Rump. I started playing for his men’s team back when I was about 18 or so. It wasn’t so much that he taught us the game but he brought together a good bunch of lads that played well together and knew how to enjoy themselves. He was also instrumental in me going to New Zealand back in 1989/90.
Q: What is the best nickname you have been given playing fastball? ("Coxie" doesn't count!)
A: As far back as I can remember, it’s always been Coxie.
Q: A couple of decades back, the old West Carleton Intermediate League was one of the best fastball loops in the area. Tell us a little bit about what it was like to play in that league 'back in the day'.
A: That was good ball back then. All the teams were very good. Great pitching, hitting and fielding. It was hard nosed ball. Guys played tough and got dirty. If I remember back, I think there was 3 teams playing out of Carp, one from Fitzroy, Pakenham, Almonte, South March, Quyon and the Teachers had a team as well. There may have even been more. There were always plenty of local tournys and many rivalries were made but the pints always flowed afterwards. I guess some things never change.
Q: In the late 80's / early 90's, you went on a trip over to New Zealand. Can you tell us about your time over there and what fastball was like for the Kiwis?
A: Definitely one of the highlights of my ball playing days. Flew there with only ever talking to the coach of the team, “Hutton’s Avalon Dodgers”, maybe 3 times on the phone. I think I had only ever met one other Kiwi in my life before this trip. 3 guys from the team (one being Ross Wallace) met me at the airport, whisked me off to the bottle store to pick up some beer, take a shower, then to the coach's house for dinner. Within 2 hours of being there, almost every guy from the team had stopped by to introduce themselves. I knew immediately that I had just found my 2nd home. I could go on forever about the good times I had down under. I’m not too sure about these days, but back then the Kiwis were big into their ball. We played in a league just outside of Wellington in an area called Lower Hutt. We had 7 or 8 teams in our league and most had their 2 imports of Canadians or Americans. At the time it was said that softball was their second most popular sport next to rugby. There were a lot of Kiwis coming to the States and Canada back in those days. Some guys were making some pretty decent coin as well.
Q: As a young lad, I used to go to the Carp Valley Pride games. As someone who was a fan of the game, I remember what a big deal it was. Can you explain a bit, especially for the younger blog readers, how "big a deal" the Pride were for the area and your experience playing with that squad.
A: Carp had not seen too much top notch ball for the few years prior to the Pride forming. There were still quite a number of fans interested in the game and we were able to get them out quite regularly. We would play exhibition games against local all-star teams for money as well as league games. It was great having so many fans cheer you on unlike when we travelled to tournaments, very few other than the girlfriends or wives were there for support. It seemed like we were at a tourney every other weekend. It was great back then but I don’t think the body could handle it anymore.
I can remember going to watch the Pride play against the WC League all-stars sometime in the late 80s I think it was - there must have been 1000 people in the stands. The good old days!
Q: Where is the best tournament you have ever played in?
A: That’s a hard one. I played in 5 worlds between 1988 – 94 and one Canadian Championship in 1988. They were all pretty special. I guess the next best to that would have been Thetford Mines, Quebec. We won it one year in front of about 8000 fans. They were crazy up there but lots of fun. Our hotel was next to a bar that was open 24 hours during the tourney. I can certainly remember getting yanked out of there a few times in the wee hours of the morning.
Q: Who is the toughest pitcher you have ever faced in fastball?
A: There were lots. I guess the toughest would have been Darren Zack. He could throw hard, but seemed to rely more on changing speeds all the time. It could be a slow or hard rise, slow or hard drop or maybe one of about 5 different speeds of the change up.
Q: As someone with 20+ years experience of playing softball and continuing to compete a high level into your (late?) forties, what's the secret to your longevity?
A: I really do enjoy the game. If it was all about winning I think I would have hung it up years ago. You don’t play this long and not have some years you would like to forget. I wouldn’t say I’m in great shape or anything but as you get a little older you need to be a little easier on the body. I’ve been fortunate as well to stay away from any major injuries. Best of all though, I think it’s getting out with the lads for a few hours and sitting back with a few cold ones afterwards.
Q: If you could change one thing about the GOFL or fastball in general, what would it be?.
A: I don’t know. The guys that run the teams and the league do a great job. I know from running the Carp Valley Pride for a couple of years myself, sometimes it can be a thankless job. As far as changing anything, I guess it would be trying to get kids out more to participate in the sport. I’m not too sure what the numbers are like in the different areas these days but I’m sure more focus on the kids would be good.
Q: What is one thing that most guys in the GOFL probably don’t know about you?
A: I don’t know… maybe it’s that I’m pretty laid back and not too much bothers me. Which is probably another reason why I’m still playing the game. Some folks may have a hard time reading me as I usually keep pretty quiet. But the ones that do know me, really know the truth!
Thanks a lot Coxie for taking the time to be interviewed and good luck this season.
Q: Where did you play your minor and junior softball?
A: Played all my minor ball in Carp. Didn’t play any junior as I started playing in the local men’s league at 16.
Q: Who is the coach or teammate that has had the biggest impact on your softball career?
A: As far as a coach goes, oddly enough it would a guy by the name of Billy Rump. I started playing for his men’s team back when I was about 18 or so. It wasn’t so much that he taught us the game but he brought together a good bunch of lads that played well together and knew how to enjoy themselves. He was also instrumental in me going to New Zealand back in 1989/90.
Q: What is the best nickname you have been given playing fastball? ("Coxie" doesn't count!)
A: As far back as I can remember, it’s always been Coxie.
Q: A couple of decades back, the old West Carleton Intermediate League was one of the best fastball loops in the area. Tell us a little bit about what it was like to play in that league 'back in the day'.
A: That was good ball back then. All the teams were very good. Great pitching, hitting and fielding. It was hard nosed ball. Guys played tough and got dirty. If I remember back, I think there was 3 teams playing out of Carp, one from Fitzroy, Pakenham, Almonte, South March, Quyon and the Teachers had a team as well. There may have even been more. There were always plenty of local tournys and many rivalries were made but the pints always flowed afterwards. I guess some things never change.
Q: In the late 80's / early 90's, you went on a trip over to New Zealand. Can you tell us about your time over there and what fastball was like for the Kiwis?
A: Definitely one of the highlights of my ball playing days. Flew there with only ever talking to the coach of the team, “Hutton’s Avalon Dodgers”, maybe 3 times on the phone. I think I had only ever met one other Kiwi in my life before this trip. 3 guys from the team (one being Ross Wallace) met me at the airport, whisked me off to the bottle store to pick up some beer, take a shower, then to the coach's house for dinner. Within 2 hours of being there, almost every guy from the team had stopped by to introduce themselves. I knew immediately that I had just found my 2nd home. I could go on forever about the good times I had down under. I’m not too sure about these days, but back then the Kiwis were big into their ball. We played in a league just outside of Wellington in an area called Lower Hutt. We had 7 or 8 teams in our league and most had their 2 imports of Canadians or Americans. At the time it was said that softball was their second most popular sport next to rugby. There were a lot of Kiwis coming to the States and Canada back in those days. Some guys were making some pretty decent coin as well.
Q: As a young lad, I used to go to the Carp Valley Pride games. As someone who was a fan of the game, I remember what a big deal it was. Can you explain a bit, especially for the younger blog readers, how "big a deal" the Pride were for the area and your experience playing with that squad.
A: Carp had not seen too much top notch ball for the few years prior to the Pride forming. There were still quite a number of fans interested in the game and we were able to get them out quite regularly. We would play exhibition games against local all-star teams for money as well as league games. It was great having so many fans cheer you on unlike when we travelled to tournaments, very few other than the girlfriends or wives were there for support. It seemed like we were at a tourney every other weekend. It was great back then but I don’t think the body could handle it anymore.
I can remember going to watch the Pride play against the WC League all-stars sometime in the late 80s I think it was - there must have been 1000 people in the stands. The good old days!
Q: Where is the best tournament you have ever played in?
A: That’s a hard one. I played in 5 worlds between 1988 – 94 and one Canadian Championship in 1988. They were all pretty special. I guess the next best to that would have been Thetford Mines, Quebec. We won it one year in front of about 8000 fans. They were crazy up there but lots of fun. Our hotel was next to a bar that was open 24 hours during the tourney. I can certainly remember getting yanked out of there a few times in the wee hours of the morning.
Q: Who is the toughest pitcher you have ever faced in fastball?
A: There were lots. I guess the toughest would have been Darren Zack. He could throw hard, but seemed to rely more on changing speeds all the time. It could be a slow or hard rise, slow or hard drop or maybe one of about 5 different speeds of the change up.
Q: As someone with 20+ years experience of playing softball and continuing to compete a high level into your (late?) forties, what's the secret to your longevity?
A: I really do enjoy the game. If it was all about winning I think I would have hung it up years ago. You don’t play this long and not have some years you would like to forget. I wouldn’t say I’m in great shape or anything but as you get a little older you need to be a little easier on the body. I’ve been fortunate as well to stay away from any major injuries. Best of all though, I think it’s getting out with the lads for a few hours and sitting back with a few cold ones afterwards.
Q: If you could change one thing about the GOFL or fastball in general, what would it be?.
A: I don’t know. The guys that run the teams and the league do a great job. I know from running the Carp Valley Pride for a couple of years myself, sometimes it can be a thankless job. As far as changing anything, I guess it would be trying to get kids out more to participate in the sport. I’m not too sure what the numbers are like in the different areas these days but I’m sure more focus on the kids would be good.
Q: What is one thing that most guys in the GOFL probably don’t know about you?
A: I don’t know… maybe it’s that I’m pretty laid back and not too much bothers me. Which is probably another reason why I’m still playing the game. Some folks may have a hard time reading me as I usually keep pretty quiet. But the ones that do know me, really know the truth!
Thanks a lot Coxie for taking the time to be interviewed and good luck this season.
posted by fitzroyfastball | 5/24/2011 08:09:00 pm
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