Snake Spring came into the ISL in 1958 and was still in the league in the last year of the ISL in 1978 or for 21 years. During that time they won seven regular season and seven playoff championships for the most of any franchise.
Osterburg, later Allison's American won the second most championships 11. Osterburg entered the league in 1963 and won their first championship in 1967. Osterburg and pitcher Galen Kauffman won both the regular season and the playoff the next two years. This was the only time that a team won the playoffs three straight years and only the second time that a team won the regular season and the playoffs in consecutive years. The Redbirds accomplished this in 1954 and 55.
John Kendall came into the league in 1971 pitching for Robel's and he won the playoffs. Kendall went on to win nine championships (six regular seasons and three playoffs) the most of any pitcher in the ISL. The second most championships won was six by Galen Kauffman.
No pitcher has won more then three playoff championships in the 26 years of the ISL. There were two who won three and they were Kendall and Kauffman.
History of the ISL 1953-1978
In the winter of 1953 Bedford Gazette sports editor Bill Jordon came up with the idea that there is a need for a fast pitch league similar to the Bedford County Baseball League. Jordon along with several others created the Independent Softball League (ISL).
To join the league a team had to pay a $25 a franchise fee which would be returned if the team withdrew from the league. Some rules: a player must be a male who lives in Bedford County, a player can not play in another league game when their ISL team is scheduled to play and all players must wear the same shirt and cap.
In the 50s, the league had five teams the first year and expanded to eight teams in 1954. The most teams in the league in the 50s were nine in 1959 and the least number of teams were five the first year, 1953.
The Redbirds was the dominate team of the 50s winning four regular season championships along with two playoff titles in the six years they were in the league Everett entered the league in 1954 and won a league championship in 1956 defeating the Redbirds 8-1 in a playoff for first place. Everett also had five runner-ups.
Kennametal won the playoffs twice behind the pitching of Jesse Miller. On August 27, 1954 Miller set a league record for strikeouts with 14 in a playoff game against Everett.
Batting averages were kept some years and Jack Davis won in 1954 with an average of .510, Larry Diehl in 1955 (.478), Coolidge Marshall in 1956 and Jack Faust in 1957. It is said that Marshall hit over .500 without hitting the ball out of the infield. Marshall was a left handed batter and he just slapped the ball on the ground and with his great speed he would beat the throw to first.
Snake Spring entered the league in 1958 and did not make the playoffs. The following year, 1959, Snake Spring finished third and pulled of a big surprise in the playoffs. Despite having no player over the age of 22, pitcher Lloyd Diehl was 22, they defeated the first place and defending playoff champs Blue Jets 15-5 and 8-3 in the semi-finals. Snake Spring then defeated the Bedford Legion in three straight games.
The 1960s saw the ISL grow in the number of teams and fans. The 1950s had only two pitchers, Friends Cove's Terry Ralph and Kennametal's Jesse Miller, who threw fast. The 60s produced some of the best hard throwing pitchers. Lloyd Diehl, Dave O'Brien, Ivan Miller, Ron Dull, Don Cottle, and Galen Kauffman won all but two of the league championships during this decade.
In 1960, Bedford High School teacher Dave O'Brien moved to Bedford and pitched the Bedford Legion to both the regular season and the playoff championship. They defeated the defending playoff champion, Snake Spring in three straight games.
In 1961, the Springer's went out and added Roy Pepple, Tony Goad, Tom Weaverling (league 1960 batting champ), and power hitter Jim Harclerode to go along with the players from the Valley. This resulted in Snake Spring having the best regular season record, 19-1, since the league was formed in 1953.
Perhaps the biggest upset in the history of the ISL occurred in the finals of the playoffs. Snake Spring won the first game played at Shimer Field. In game two played at Everett at Caro Field which had no fences, Everett decide to pitch Coolidge Marshall who pitched like a slow pitch pitcher. The Everett outfield of Tony Williams, Alfie Shaw, an Clair Hixon ran down the shots hit by the Springer's and Everett won all three games played at Everett to win the play-offs.
The umpires were payed $3 a game in the early years and there was only one umpire. In 1965 the pay was raised to $5 for the plate umpire and $3 for a base umpire. In 1969 the umpires requested a $1 raise, but the league on a 8-1 vote turned down the request. One of the umpires resigned.
The 1969 playoffs seen Osterburg attempting to be the first team to win the playoffs three straight years. The games were well attended with the games at Osterburg drawing over 300 fans.
Osterburg defeated Kennametal in a six game series three games to one with two games ending in a tie. Osterburg became the only ISL team to win the playoffs three straight years.
The 1970s saw a big change in the league Bi-Laws. Until 1970 only Bedford County residents could play in the ISL. In 1970 the league was opened to residents of Blair, Cambria, and Somerset County.
The league expanded to 14 teams in 1970 with two divisions of seven teams. To help finance the league, the league held a hoagie sale. The players of the league made the hoagies and over 4,000 were sold.
In 1970 the playoff finals were expanded to the best of seven for the first and only time. All the games in the finals were played at Shimer Field and featured pitchers Hartley's Ivan Miller and Claar's newcomer from Blair County Bill Magill. Claar's won the series four games to two.
The league almost folded in 1974 when there was a critical decision had to be made. Some of the teams wanted to change the league from an A league to a B league. If the league went to a B league pitchers Bill Magill, Ivan Miller, John Kendall and others would not be permitted to pitch in the league.
The ISL with five teams (Allison's American, Hartley Bank, First National Bank, Jerry's Market and May Brothers) decided to join with the Davidsville League in Somerset County. Allison's won the ISL League and then defeated the Davidsville League champ in the playoffs.
The league returned to just the ISL League in 1975 and had 11 teams with two divisions in 1978 the last year for the ISL. The ISL became the Schellsburg Softball League (SSL) in 1979.
Osterburg, later Allison's American won the second most championships 11. Osterburg entered the league in 1963 and won their first championship in 1967. Osterburg and pitcher Galen Kauffman won both the regular season and the playoff the next two years. This was the only time that a team won the playoffs three straight years and only the second time that a team won the regular season and the playoffs in consecutive years. The Redbirds accomplished this in 1954 and 55.
John Kendall came into the league in 1971 pitching for Robel's and he won the playoffs. Kendall went on to win nine championships (six regular seasons and three playoffs) the most of any pitcher in the ISL. The second most championships won was six by Galen Kauffman.
No pitcher has won more then three playoff championships in the 26 years of the ISL. There were two who won three and they were Kendall and Kauffman.
History of the ISL 1953-1978
In the winter of 1953 Bedford Gazette sports editor Bill Jordon came up with the idea that there is a need for a fast pitch league similar to the Bedford County Baseball League. Jordon along with several others created the Independent Softball League (ISL).
To join the league a team had to pay a $25 a franchise fee which would be returned if the team withdrew from the league. Some rules: a player must be a male who lives in Bedford County, a player can not play in another league game when their ISL team is scheduled to play and all players must wear the same shirt and cap.
In the 50s, the league had five teams the first year and expanded to eight teams in 1954. The most teams in the league in the 50s were nine in 1959 and the least number of teams were five the first year, 1953.
The Redbirds was the dominate team of the 50s winning four regular season championships along with two playoff titles in the six years they were in the league Everett entered the league in 1954 and won a league championship in 1956 defeating the Redbirds 8-1 in a playoff for first place. Everett also had five runner-ups.
Kennametal won the playoffs twice behind the pitching of Jesse Miller. On August 27, 1954 Miller set a league record for strikeouts with 14 in a playoff game against Everett.
Batting averages were kept some years and Jack Davis won in 1954 with an average of .510, Larry Diehl in 1955 (.478), Coolidge Marshall in 1956 and Jack Faust in 1957. It is said that Marshall hit over .500 without hitting the ball out of the infield. Marshall was a left handed batter and he just slapped the ball on the ground and with his great speed he would beat the throw to first.
Snake Spring entered the league in 1958 and did not make the playoffs. The following year, 1959, Snake Spring finished third and pulled of a big surprise in the playoffs. Despite having no player over the age of 22, pitcher Lloyd Diehl was 22, they defeated the first place and defending playoff champs Blue Jets 15-5 and 8-3 in the semi-finals. Snake Spring then defeated the Bedford Legion in three straight games.
The 1960s saw the ISL grow in the number of teams and fans. The 1950s had only two pitchers, Friends Cove's Terry Ralph and Kennametal's Jesse Miller, who threw fast. The 60s produced some of the best hard throwing pitchers. Lloyd Diehl, Dave O'Brien, Ivan Miller, Ron Dull, Don Cottle, and Galen Kauffman won all but two of the league championships during this decade.
In 1960, Bedford High School teacher Dave O'Brien moved to Bedford and pitched the Bedford Legion to both the regular season and the playoff championship. They defeated the defending playoff champion, Snake Spring in three straight games.
In 1961, the Springer's went out and added Roy Pepple, Tony Goad, Tom Weaverling (league 1960 batting champ), and power hitter Jim Harclerode to go along with the players from the Valley. This resulted in Snake Spring having the best regular season record, 19-1, since the league was formed in 1953.
Perhaps the biggest upset in the history of the ISL occurred in the finals of the playoffs. Snake Spring won the first game played at Shimer Field. In game two played at Everett at Caro Field which had no fences, Everett decide to pitch Coolidge Marshall who pitched like a slow pitch pitcher. The Everett outfield of Tony Williams, Alfie Shaw, an Clair Hixon ran down the shots hit by the Springer's and Everett won all three games played at Everett to win the play-offs.
The umpires were payed $3 a game in the early years and there was only one umpire. In 1965 the pay was raised to $5 for the plate umpire and $3 for a base umpire. In 1969 the umpires requested a $1 raise, but the league on a 8-1 vote turned down the request. One of the umpires resigned.
The 1969 playoffs seen Osterburg attempting to be the first team to win the playoffs three straight years. The games were well attended with the games at Osterburg drawing over 300 fans.
Osterburg defeated Kennametal in a six game series three games to one with two games ending in a tie. Osterburg became the only ISL team to win the playoffs three straight years.
The 1970s saw a big change in the league Bi-Laws. Until 1970 only Bedford County residents could play in the ISL. In 1970 the league was opened to residents of Blair, Cambria, and Somerset County.
The league expanded to 14 teams in 1970 with two divisions of seven teams. To help finance the league, the league held a hoagie sale. The players of the league made the hoagies and over 4,000 were sold.
In 1970 the playoff finals were expanded to the best of seven for the first and only time. All the games in the finals were played at Shimer Field and featured pitchers Hartley's Ivan Miller and Claar's newcomer from Blair County Bill Magill. Claar's won the series four games to two.
The league almost folded in 1974 when there was a critical decision had to be made. Some of the teams wanted to change the league from an A league to a B league. If the league went to a B league pitchers Bill Magill, Ivan Miller, John Kendall and others would not be permitted to pitch in the league.
The ISL with five teams (Allison's American, Hartley Bank, First National Bank, Jerry's Market and May Brothers) decided to join with the Davidsville League in Somerset County. Allison's won the ISL League and then defeated the Davidsville League champ in the playoffs.
The league returned to just the ISL League in 1975 and had 11 teams with two divisions in 1978 the last year for the ISL. The ISL became the Schellsburg Softball League (SSL) in 1979.
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
ISL Special Organization (1953-1975)
Class of 2015