1970 Lionettes
1970 was a magical year for the Orange Lionettes. By virtue of their 1969 National Championship, they represented the United States in the World Tournament and they also defeated the heavily favored Brakettes in the 1970 National Championship game to win their ninth national championship. In this issue, we feature this amazing team.
1970 Orange Lionettes Upset Dominant Brakettes
Reprint from Path to The Gold by Mary L. Littlewood
The momentum that the Lionettes had generated by upsetting the Brakettes in the 1969 ASA Championships, unbeknownst to the Orange players, carried over to the tournament in 1970. As Carol Spanks said, "We went back to the 1970 tourney in Stratford not thinking that we had much of a chance of winning it. It was held just prior to the world championships in Japan. Going to Japan had been our goal, so we just didn't know what would happen in Stratford." As it turned out, after an early loss to Stratford, Nancy Welborn pitched magnificently. The Lionettes worked their way through the loser's bracket to the finals to face the Brakettes once again. Welborn outdueled Joan Joyce in a 20-inning marathon to give the Brakettes their first loss, not only in the tournament but in the season. Then, after a brief rest, Nancy won a seven-inning 1-0 game from Donna Lopiano, which gave the Lionettes the title and Welborn the most valuable player award.
The confidence that the Raybestos players and fans felt going into the tournament was cause for an interesting story that was a sidelight to the play itself. Prior to the Orange team leaving its hotel for the field to play the finals, the players noticed a sign in the lobby announcing a victory dinner that would be held at 9 p.m. The first final game was schedule to begin at 7 p.m.! The Orange players were somewhat surprised that it was assumed that there should be only one game that night - that the Lionettes would lose the 7:00 game, which would put them out of the tournament. Orange commenced to win not only the first game but also the succeeding one! The players went throughthe buffet line, sat down and ate. As they were finishing their meals, Joe Barber asked that someone from the Lionettes come up to the front to receive a cake. Carol went up to get the cake - a flat cake that obviously had been decorated to celebrate the Raybestos Brakettes winning the tournament. The name "Raybestos" had been scraped off, and the "Lionettes" written in! And the flying R's, one of the symbols of the Brakettes team, were still on the cake! The Orange players obviously delighted in forcing a change in plans!
1970 ORANGE LIONETTES
Front Row (left to right) Sherron Bredeen, Pattie Schnell, Rosie Adams and Cec Ponce, (second row) Roxanne Zavala, Jackie Rice, Carol Spanks, Mary Lou Adams and Sue Sims, (third row) Karel Graham, Nance Ito, Nancy Welborn, Shirley Topley and Mickey Davis.
Lionette Title Real Shocker
Reprint by Carl Sawyer
Don't blame the Orange Lionettes for laughing all the way to Japan today. They earned every chuckle. Headed for Osaka where they will represent the United States in the World Women's Softball Tournament which begins Saturday, the Lionettes deserve their stay in the limelight after pulling off one of the most startling coups in softball history.
Orange, winner of eight national softball crowns, was not supposed to win the 1970 championship, adding another star to glittering softball crown. But the Lionettes did win. Stratford's Brakettes, the east coast's answer to the perennial west coast powerhouse, were reading their press clippings and counting their trophies while Orange's Lionettes walked off with an unprecedented ninth national crown. Lionette franchise holder Carol Spanks and coach Shirley Topley reflected the reaction of the Orange club, a warm glow of satisfaction that follows a job well done. "Stratford was absolutely stunned," recalled Miss Spanks.
Unbeaten at home all season, the powerful Brakettes had lost only one game all season (on the road to Orlando) going into the 1970 tourney which they always seem to win when they host the action on their home diamond. Stratford was ready to administer the coup de grace to Orange's title hopes last Friday. Ex-Lionette pitcher Joan Joyce, had bounced Orange into the loser's bracket on Wednesday with a 3-0 no-hitter.
Orange fought back gamely, eliminating Portland 6-1, only to face Miss Joyce and Stratford in what the Brakettes and their fans believed would be the final game Friday night. Nancy Welborn matched Miss Joyce pitch for pitch for 20 innings before Orange pulled out a 1-0 marathon win. Softball observers called it the "biggest upset" in softball history, but were soon hard pressed for a new set of adjectives when the Lionettes stunned the Brakettes 1-0 in the championship game which followed. It was Miss Welborn again doing the pitching chores, showing stamina seldom seen on the softball diamond.
"Never, in the history of softball," declared Miss Spanks, "have there been more shocked people than the 12,000 fans who sat stunned and silent following the final game." At the end of the first game, the Lionettes left the field for a few minutes and went to the dressing room for a brief rest. When they returned to the field, they grabbed their gloves and began warming up for the final game. Stratford's Brakettes were still sitting in their dugout ... stunned. Only pitcher Donna Lopiano was warming up for the final game.
The rest is softball history. Orange won the final 1-0 and collected trophies, championship rings and awards in nearly total silence as the chagrined Stratford fans sat speechless. Even the announcement of the National All-Star teams (all-tournament) failed to stir the Brakette fans.
Nancy Welborn was named the tournament's most valuable player and won the Bertha Tickey Top Pitcher award, the second straight year she had won the prize. Carol Spanks was named the tourney's best defensive player for the third time in five years.
Lionettes Fly To Japan For World Softball Tournament
Reprint by Cheryl Addams, Register Staff Writer
When the Orange Lionettes left for Osaka, Japan today, it was more than a topnotch softball team going to represent the United States in the second Women's World Softball Tournament ... it was the "winningest" team in the history of women's softball. Fourteen of the 16 team members are making their first trip outside of the United States. Only franchise hold Carol Spanks and coach Shirley Topley have had their passports stamped in foreign ports. Miss Spanks was a member of the Lionettes in 1960 when the Department of Defense sent them on a tour of various military bases in the Far East. Miss Topley, has traveled in South America, Fiji and Australia as a member of an American field hockey team on tour.
Orange earned the right to represent the United States at Osaka by winning the 1969 National Tournament in Tucson, besting a field of 18 teams. The American Softball Assn. provided $10,000 for travel expenses, leaving a sum of $10,000 the Lionettes had to provide. The City of Orange and the Orange Chamber of Commerce stepped in to contribute a total of $7,000, leaving $3.000 which was raised by the team members. Part of the $3,000 was donated by supporters from throughout the U.S., but most of it was raised by collection of trading stamps. The Lionettes went door to door, set up stalls in shopping centers and also went to The Register's Troubleshooter appealing for stamps. When all the stamps had been collected (each team member collected 100 books), Miss Spanks was grateful, but was moved to say, "I don't care if I never see another stamp."
Final weeks before the trip east to repeat their 1969 title in the 1970 National Tournament, the Lionettes got their medical shots and made final preparation for the Japan jaunt. Special planning had to be done because of the 44-pound weight allowance for travelers. The weight allowance included all of their softball equipment. Orange will wear its usual Lionette uniforms in Japan, with new USA patches on the backs of their shirts replacing the "Orange Lionettes" emblem. Orange will not go unadvertised, however, as the Lionettes will continue to wear their warmup jackets that carry the name of the Lionettes and the City of Orange.
The Lionettes are accompanied by nearly a dozen softball officials, including ASA secretary-treasurer Don Porter and ASA president John Nagy. Opening next Saturday, the World Tournament will feature teams from Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, The Philippines, Nationalist China, Zambia and the United States.
All teams will play all other teams once. The four teams with the best win-loss record after the first nine games will advance to the semi-finals. Win or lose, the World Tournament will not mark the end of the season for the Lionettes, who are enjoying their longest season in history. Orange will play games in Hong Kong, Manila and Honolulu as the Lionettes make their way back to Orange County, arriving home on Sept. 12 ready for a welcome rest through the winter until the 1971 season opens next spring. With the rugged National Tournament behind them and their ninth championship safely stowed away, the Lionettes are optimistic about their chances in Japan. "I feel we should win it," said Miss Spanks, who feels American softball is the best in the world.