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Kentucky Bourbons
The Kentucky Bourbons were a professional softball team that played in two men's professional softball leagues between 1977 and 1982 at Bishop David Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. The Bourbons, Cincinnati Suds and Pittsburgh Hardhats were the only three teams to play all 6 seasons of professional softball.
The American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) was formed by former World Football League executive Bill Byrne, who would go on to form the Women's Professional Basketball League. Former New York Yankees player Whitey Ford was brought on to serve as league commissioner. The Bourbons were owned by Don Rardin Sr., who started the team in 1977, but then sold the club the following year to Larry Gatti, who owned several McDonald's franchises in the Louisville, Kentucky area. Both men had sons who would be all-pro players for the Bourbons.
In the 1977 APSPL season the Bourbons won the Central Division finishing eight games ahead of the Cleveland Jaybirds. The Bourbons' 40–16 (.714) record was the 2nd best in the APSPL behind only the 42–14 (.750) tally of the Midwest Division champion and eventual World Series champions Detroit Caesars. Kentucky lost in the playoff semifinals 2–1 to the East Division champion Baltimore Monuments, led by semi-finals playoff MVP Johnny Dollar. Phil Schroer (15–5 pitching), Bill Gatti (.539, 48 HRs, 127 RBIs) and Don Rardin (.536, 4 HRs, 51 RBIs, 81 runs scored) of the Bourbons made the all-league team. Cobbie Harrison (.437, 17 HRs, 60 RBIs) and Nick Nikitas (.480, 78 runs scored) had solid seasons in support.
In 1978 the Bourbons finished with 30 wins and 34 losses (.469), ten games behind the Central Division champion Cincinnati Suds and failed to make the playoffs. Bill Gatti (.584, 54 HRs, 132 RBIs, 131 runs scored) and Fred Miller (.549, 57 HRs, 141 RBIs) represented the Bourbons on the 1978 All-APSPL team. Fred Miller (.549, 57 HRs, 141 RBIs) and Phil Schrorer (.507, 3 HRs, 58 RBIs, 27–26 pitching) added to the 1978 cause.
The 1979 squad finished with a league best regular season record of 48–15 (.762) and defeated the Trenton Champales 3–0 in the first-round and the Rochester Zeniths 3–1 in the semi-finals. to advance to the APSPL World Series. Games were featured on the new start-up sports network ESPN with the Bourbons losing the series 5–2 to the Milwaukee Schlitz with league and World Series MVP Rick Weiterman.
Phil Schroer (40–8 pitching, 3.84 ERA), Don Rardin (.486, 22 HRs, 87 RBIs), returned from a year with the Cincinnati Suds, and Bill Gatti (.533, 20 HRs, 79 RBIs) made the all-APSPL team in 1979. Rardin, Gatti, Cobbie Harrison, Chuck Winders, and Phil Schroer of Kentucky all represented Kentucky in the mid-season all-star game. Winders (.409, 6 HRs, 60 RBIs) and Nick Nikitas .493, 95 runs scored) had productive campaigns in 1979.
1980 was a year of division in professional softball as the Cleveland Stepien's Competitors, Fort Wayne Huggie Bears and Milwaukee broke away from the APSPL to form a new league (North American Softball League) in 1980, under the leadership of Cleveland owner Ted Stepien. The Bourbons continued in the reduced numbers of the APSPL. Stepien placed NASL teams in several APSPL markets, including Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, also placing a team, the Lexington Stallions, in nearby Lexington, Kentucky. Stepien owned many of the NASL teams, including the Stallions. The owner of the Pittsburgh Hardhats of the APSPL brought a challenge in federal court in an attempt to prevent splitting the young professional sport. Donnie Rardin of the Bourbons was brought on by Stepien and would play for and serve as General Manager for Lexington, former Bourbon Dave Bair would play and manage the team, and ex-Bourbon pitcher Phil Schroer joined them on the Stallions.
Meanwhile, in 1980, the Bourbons were the APSPL regular season best with a record of 49–13 (.790) but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Hardhats 3–2. Steve Stewart (40–14 pitching record), Nick Nikitas (.464, 82 runs scored), former Detroit Caesar Jack Roudebush (.464, 3 HRs, 48 RBIs), Bill Gatti (.483, 21 HRs, 81 RBIs) and Greg Whitlock (.435, 2 HRs, 42 RBIs) won all-league honors in 1980; Gatti led the league in home-runs (21) and RBIs (81).
Kentucky Bourbons
The Kentucky Bourbons were a professional softball team that played in two men's professional softball leagues between 1977 and 1982 at Bishop David Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. The Bourbons, Cincinnati Suds and Pittsburgh Hardhats were the only three teams to play all 6 seasons of professional softball.
The American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) was formed by former World Football League executive Bill Byrne, who would go on to form the Women's Professional Basketball League. Former New York Yankees player Whitey Ford was brought on to serve as league commissioner. The Bourbons were owned by Don Rardin Sr., who started the team in 1977, but then sold the club the following year to Larry Gatti, who owned several McDonald's franchises in the Louisville, Kentucky area. Both men had sons who would be all-pro players for the Bourbons.
In the 1977 APSPL season the Bourbons won the Central Division finishing eight games ahead of the Cleveland Jaybirds. The Bourbons' 40–16 (.714) record was the 2nd best in the APSPL behind only the 42–14 (.750) tally of the Midwest Division champion and eventual World Series champions Detroit Caesars. Kentucky lost in the playoff semifinals 2–1 to the East Division champion Baltimore Monuments, led by semi-finals playoff MVP Johnny Dollar. Phil Schroer (15–5 pitching), Bill Gatti (.539, 48 HRs, 127 RBIs) and Don Rardin (.536, 4 HRs, 51 RBIs, 81 runs scored) of the Bourbons made the all-league team. Cobbie Harrison (.437, 17 HRs, 60 RBIs) and Nick Nikitas (.480, 78 runs scored) had solid seasons in support.
In 1978 the Bourbons finished with 30 wins and 34 losses (.469), ten games behind the Central Division champion Cincinnati Suds and failed to make the playoffs. Bill Gatti (.584, 54 HRs, 132 RBIs, 131 runs scored) and Fred Miller (.549, 57 HRs, 141 RBIs) represented the Bourbons on the 1978 All-APSPL team. Fred Miller (.549, 57 HRs, 141 RBIs) and Phil Schrorer (.507, 3 HRs, 58 RBIs, 27–26 pitching) added to the 1978 cause.
The 1979 squad finished with a league best regular season record of 48–15 (.762) and defeated the Trenton Champales 3–0 in the first-round and the Rochester Zeniths 3–1 in the semi-finals. to advance to the APSPL World Series. Games were featured on the new start-up sports network ESPN with the Bourbons losing the series 5–2 to the Milwaukee Schlitz with league and World Series MVP Rick Weiterman.
Phil Schroer (40–8 pitching, 3.84 ERA), Don Rardin (.486, 22 HRs, 87 RBIs), returned from a year with the Cincinnati Suds, and Bill Gatti (.533, 20 HRs, 79 RBIs) made the all-APSPL team in 1979. Rardin, Gatti, Cobbie Harrison, Chuck Winders, and Phil Schroer of Kentucky all represented Kentucky in the mid-season all-star game. Winders (.409, 6 HRs, 60 RBIs) and Nick Nikitas .493, 95 runs scored) had productive campaigns in 1979.
1980 was a year of division in professional softball as the Cleveland Stepien's Competitors, Fort Wayne Huggie Bears and Milwaukee broke away from the APSPL to form a new league (North American Softball League) in 1980, under the leadership of Cleveland owner Ted Stepien. The Bourbons continued in the reduced numbers of the APSPL. Stepien placed NASL teams in several APSPL markets, including Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, also placing a team, the Lexington Stallions, in nearby Lexington, Kentucky. Stepien owned many of the NASL teams, including the Stallions. The owner of the Pittsburgh Hardhats of the APSPL brought a challenge in federal court in an attempt to prevent splitting the young professional sport. Donnie Rardin of the Bourbons was brought on by Stepien and would play for and serve as General Manager for Lexington, former Bourbon Dave Bair would play and manage the team, and ex-Bourbon pitcher Phil Schroer joined them on the Stallions.
Meanwhile, in 1980, the Bourbons were the APSPL regular season best with a record of 49–13 (.790) but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Hardhats 3–2. Steve Stewart (40–14 pitching record), Nick Nikitas (.464, 82 runs scored), former Detroit Caesar Jack Roudebush (.464, 3 HRs, 48 RBIs), Bill Gatti (.483, 21 HRs, 81 RBIs) and Greg Whitlock (.435, 2 HRs, 42 RBIs) won all-league honors in 1980; Gatti led the league in home-runs (21) and RBIs (81).