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"LONG WAIT OVER"
 ROMANS WIN SPA 60 AAA NATIONAL TITLE
 
DALTON, GEORGIA – A quest that started back in 1976 finally culminated for Romans as they bested thirteen other teams to win the SPA 60 AAA National in Dalton, Georgia.
 
The Baltimore area team wrapped up the title by going 5-0 in bracket play ending with a pair of 22-21 and 20-16 wins over the Indiana Legends/Campbell Tire entry in the semi-finals and final games.“This really feels great,” Romans spokesman Ray Hairston said, “In the past it seems we have always been a bridesmaid and never a champion. Our previous years in Dalton as a AAA team we finished second twice and third once, so this really is a great accomplishment.” It is especially rewarding for Romans because in this current era of Senior Softball teams  bringing in “hired guns”, Romans was unique in the fact they were not only self sponsored but home-grown. “We sponsor ourselves, “Hairston said, “We pay our own entry fee, our own transportation, buy our own meals and pay for our own uniforms.”
 

The team was started back in 1976 when as Social Security Adminstration employees they decided to get together and put a team together and enter the SSA/EAA employees softball leagues. “We all grew up together,” Hairston explained, “Later we added guys outside of our work place and enter a local Baltimore softball league, yet we were always just like a big family team. We grew up going to each other’s weddings, birthday celebrations and normal family events. We are really just a great bunch of friends that has stayed together for 35 years. we even had our own 25th team anniversary celebration.”

 

Paul Hood, Joe Turner and Don Anderson were the organizers in 1976 which started the team with Hairston joining in 1980.

In addition to tournament play, the Romans also play league ball in the Baltimore area and have been playing senior ball since the group reached the ripe old age of 50 years. Most of their senior tournament appearance has been up and down the east coast although they have played in Phoenix, Vegas and of course Dalton.
 

“The Dalton tournament was great,” Hairston said, “We just barely got through our second round game by edging a good Arkansas team 30-28 shutting them down in the bottom of the seventh.”

It didn’t get any easier as Romans had to battle from a 21-19 deficit in the bottom of the seventh against the Indiana Legends in the semi-finals before edging out a 22-21 verdict. In the championship they had to hold off a late rally by Indiana for the 20-16 championship win.” “Sort of ironic isn’t it,” Hairston asked, “We go 35 years without winning a National title and win three out of our last four games in the tournament and our reward is being moved up to Majors in 2012. Somehow that doesn’t seem right.”
 

Tournament MVP for Romans was Melvin Evans. He was joined on the All-American honor roll by Winston Bower, W.Ross Middleton, Kedar Imani, Lenny Mathews and Warnel Fletcher.Ken Coleman received the SPA 60AAA Manager of the Year Award. Assisting Coleman in running the team was Warren “Tree” Rollins. Other members of the 60AA National champs are Hairston, Donald Anthony, Herb Ballard, Leonard Stewart, Harold White,Sr., Paul Hood, Keith Parker, William Parker, Tommy Smith, David Smoot, Louis Johnson and Anthony Walker.

 

“Winning the National was a great feeling for all of us,” Hairston said, “ But you know we are the same team that has struggled for the last ten years to win something in senior ball and we finally eke out a national title and now we are majors. Somehow that just doesn’t seem right but so be it”