Frank Pichinini
Inducted: 00/00/0000
Frank Pichinini began participating in the Emerald City Softball Association (ECSA) in 1992 and has been involved as a player, coach, team representative and Executive Officer throughout the past 14 years.
As you will see from the historical information below on Frank's contributions to the ECSA and to NAGAAA, he merits inclusion in the ECSA Hall of Fame and we are asking for your support of his nomination.
Frank: A History of Participation
- Frank began playing ECSA softball in 1992 where he was a member of the Ritz team that earned 2nd place in the C Division at the NAGAAA World Series in Los Angeles.
- In 1993, Frank began as player/coach of the Encore team and began serving as a team representative on the ECSA Board.
- Then in 1996, Frank formed a new team, the Safari Tigers, where he continued as player/coach and as the team representative on the ECSA Board. That team evolved a year later into the Safari Tigers team that qualified to represent the ECSA in the 1997 NAGAAA World Series in San Diego.
- With the beginning of the 1998 season, Frank played an integral role in moving this Safari Tigers team up to the B Division where they went on to win the ECSA title and earned a 7th place finish at the NAGAAA World Series in Atlanta.
- In 1999, Frank again led a core group of these Safari Tigers players into forming a new team, the Seattle Rainiers who would also win the ECSA title and represent the ECSA at the NAGAAA World Series in Kansas City.
- Beginning with the 2000 season, Frank led this Rainiers team to another ECSA title and they also began competing in the Seattle Metro League where many of our league members have now had the opportunity to compete as Frank has involved numerous players from the A, B, and C Divisions of the ECSA.
- In 2001, Frank would again lead the Rainiers as player/coach and would also assume the role of Tournament Director for the Cascade Cup. Frank continued these leadership roles throughout the 2002 season.
- The year 2003 marked a milestone for Frank, as he would continue as player/coach of the Rainiers team as well as begin coaching a new group of players that competed for the first time in the ECSA D division under the name of the Seattle Rainers. At the NAGAAA World Series in Washington, DC, both of these teams would claim a top 5 finish. All the while, Frank continued to serve as an ECSA board member throughout the season.
- Building on the success of the 2003 teams, Frank continued his work with 2 teams and again both of those teams would compete in the ECSA and undergo name changes to the RFR Firemen and to the Seattle Blue Sox, who moved up to compete in the C Division for the 2004 ECSA season.
- In 2005, Frank again led 2 teams into the ECSA season and would earn World Series berths for both the RFR Firemen and for the Seattle Blue Sox. The RFR Firemen finished in 7th place at the NAGAAA World Series in San Diego and the Seattle Blue Sox captured the NAGAAA Championship in the C Division. In addition to playing and coaching 2 teams, again Frank made time to continue his service on the ECSA Board.
Frank: A History of Leadership
- Having served as a player, coach and/or team representative during his first five years within the ECSA, Frank moved into the role of ECSA Commissioner in 1998 and served in this leadership role through the end of the 1999 season.
- In 2000, Frank took on the role as Tournament Director of the Cascade Cup and helped to build this tournament to what is now the Emerald City Classic with 26-30 teams competing in this annual tournament.
- Having completed his Tournament Director responsibilities in 2002, Frank took on the coaching responsibilities of a 2nd team for the 2003 ECSA season. Frank has continued to lead both of these teams through the end of the 2005 season capturing a NAGAAA World Series Championship in San Diego with the Seattle Blue Sox.
- In addition to having responsibilities for 2 different ECSA teams, Frank also served as a representative and active participant on the ECSA Board during the 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons.
- With the ECSA now planning and working on a 2008 World Series bid, Frank stepped up again and assumed the Chairmanship role of the 2008 World Series Bid Committee.
Clearly, the ECSA owes a great deal of gratitude to Frank for his tireless commitment to our league and to our membership. His contributions of time, effort and energy have helped to push this organization to the success that we are experiencing today.
It is with honor that we nominate Frank Pichinini to the ECSA Hall of Fame and we ask for your enthusiastic support of his nomination.
These next two pages are simply look at Franks amazing softball career. Much of it is the same as the information in the aforementioned "nomination", but allows you to look at an amazing history through a different perspective.
Frank: A Supplemental Timeline 25 YEARS OF PLAYING SOFTBALL.
1980 to 1985 played in a Boeing Employees League in Auburn, Washington (Team had 1 League Championship)
1985 to 1990 played in a Jack & Jill Team in Maple Valley, WA (Team had 3 League Championships).
1992
Started playing in the ECSA in 1992 (Encore Team)
1993 - 1995
Played with Encore team through the 1995 season and started coaching the team 1995. Team Rep on the ECSA board.
1996
Formed a new team in the C Division, the Safari Tigers. (Coach/Manager/Player) Team Rep on the ECSA Board.
1997
Continued as part of the Safari Tigers Team. (Coach/Manager/Player) Elected the ECSA Vice Commissioner in 1997.
1998
Moved the Safari Tiger team up to the B Division (Coach/Manager/Player). 7th place that year in Atlanta at the GSWS. Elected the ECSA Commissioner in 1998.
1999
Changed team name to the Seattle Rainiers. (Coach/Manager/Player) Represented ECSA in the Kansas City GSWS. Elected again as the ECSA Commissioner 1999.
2000
Rainiers finished 2nd place in ECSA. (Coach/Manager/Player) Team also played in Montlake Metro League. Elected as ECSA Tournament Director.
2001
Rainiers finished in 3rd place in ECSA. (Coach/Manager/Player) Montlake League co-champs and won the Montlake League Playoffs. ECSA Tournament Director
2002
Rainiers finished 2nd Place in ECSA. (Coach/Manager/Player) Elected as ECSA Tournament Director.
2003
Rainiers finished 1st in ECSA B Division tournament for the 2nd World Series berth. (Coach/Manager/Player) Also took on coaching a 2nd team in ECSA. There was a group of new players that had never played in ECSA before and he coached them as a D team. They were called the Rainers and they ended up winning the ECSA D Division and traveling to Washington DC also to play in the World Series. Frank coached both teams at the World Series. Team Rep on the ECSA Board.
2004
B team changed name to the Firemen. (Coached/Managed/Player) Firemen finished 1st place in ECSA. Continued to coach the "Rainers" but they made a decision to move up to the C Division. (Now known as the Blue Sox) Team Rep on the ECSA Board.
2005
Firemen finished 1st in the ECSA. (Coached/Manager/Player) Also continued to coach the Blue Sox who won the 2nd berth in the C division to the GSWS. C Division World Series Champions. (Coach) Team Rep on the ECSA Board. Accepted appointment as chairman of the 2008 WS Bid Committee.
Frank: By the Numbers
12 - League Championships (8 of them as a coach or player / coach / manager).
3 - 4th place tournament finishes As a Coach or Player / Coachs
7 - 3rd Place Tournament finishes As a Coach or Player / Coach
6 - 2nd Place Tournament / Playoff Finishes As a Coach or Player / Coach
7 - 1st Place Tournament / Playoff Finishes As a Coach or Player / Coach
3 - 3rd Place ECSA League finishes As a Coach or Player / Coach
3 - 2nd Place ECSA League finishes As a Coach or Player / Coach
6 - 1st Place ECSA League Finishes As a Coach or Player / Coach
8 - Teams to World Series as a Coach or Player /Coach
10 - Gay Softball World Series as a Player, Coach or Player/Coach
50 - Tournaments as a Coach or Player Coach
1 - 4th Place NAGAAA World Series Finish As a Coach or Player / Coach
1 - 1st Place NAGAAA World Series Finish As a Coach or Player / Coach
1 - 2nd Place NAGAAA World Series finish as a player
2 - Number of times he coached two teams to the World Series in one year.
1 - Year as a the ECSA Vice Commissioner
2 - Years as the ECSA Commissioner
3 - Years as the ECSA Tournament Director
7 - Years as the ECSA Team Representative