Army Reporter information
for 11 LIB
For date 680928
11 LIB was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Quang Tin Province, I Corps, South Vietnam
Location, LZ BRONCO
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "Americal soldiers express themselves through softball" dated 28 Sep 1968.
Wherever Americans gather it seems baseball is bound to follow, and Vietnam is no exception. Lately, evenings at LZ Bronco have been ringing with the sounds of the national pastime, marking the beginnings of a full-fledged softball league at the 11th Bde base camp. The league is the brainchild of two Americal Div NCOs who realized the need for some exercise, found a place to play and decided to take the horse by the hide. "A group of us started some pick-up games in a vacant field," SFC William Cline, C/6th SPT Bn said, "Others started coming around asking for games and pretty soon we had several teams playing just for the heck of it." "The idea for a league," according to 1SG Charles Webb, also of Company C, "came when we realized how many people wanted to organize a softball program. Right now, we have about a dozen teams throughout the base camp with several more being organized." What the teams lack in facilities or finesse they more than make up for it in spirit and enthusiasm. "It's really a good thing," said SP5 Bob Strickler of the Primo Aviation, Ltd. Tigers, undaunted even though they lost all their softball equipment when the Primo supply room went up in smoke, during a mortar attack a couple of months ago. "It gives us a chance to get out, get some exercise and meet some of the other people around here." "It gives us a look at something, besides nuts and bolts," added SP6 Lee Reeves, Primo technical inspector and manager of the Tigers. League officials plan a playoff within the league, and a championship series to determine an overall winner. "It's a unique league," says Webb. "Here games can be called not only because of rain and darkness, but also on account of incoming 60mm mortar rounds."
Photo 1 - The umpire calls "strike three" the batter looks puzzled and the catcher holds the runner on base at LZ Bronco.
Photo 2 - A redleg from the 6/11th Arty connects as his team battles with the 11th Bde HHC team. (AMERICAL PHOTO)
Comments: SP5 Strickler, Bob; 11 LIB AVN PLT; ;
The source for this information was 6809AR.AVN supplied by Les Hines
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Date posted on this site:
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