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For many years, the Winchester Fastpitch Softball League served the state of Kentucky – often being the only fastpitch softball league in existence. 

While the league no longer exists, memories surely do. 

Many of those memories were relived recently when alumni of the league met at Golden Corral on Bypass Road. 

“We’re having this so we can [have] everybody see each other and talk about all the old games and reminisce,” said Gary Willoughby, a former pitcher. “It’s just been…a great time.” 

Locally, the Winchester Fastpitch Softball League played its game at Massie Park, although – with teams from across the Commonwealth – games were played elsewhere. 

State tournaments were featured, with players participating from locations that included Louisville, Grant County, and more. 

In its day, players both near and far were informed about the league’s existence. 

Mike Casey, an Air Force veteran, got interested while in the armed services. 

“When I came out of service, there was no place to play fast pitch [softball] except Winchester,” he said. “I joined the Lexington team and started coming…to Winchester.” 

While sharing a similar story, Danny Glass – who played with teams from both Owen County and Georgetown – expressed that play allowed an opportunity for others to bond together. 

“I think I played in four World Series, but it was…an experience. My family enjoyed it,” he said. “They made a lot of good friends that we still meet and get together [with] time-to-time.” 

Curtis Carter, a Lexington native held in high regard partly for having played every position except pitcher and catcher, said that as many as 2,000 fans sometimes showed up to tournaments. 

“All these teams [came] from out of town [on] these big greyhound buses,” he said. “It was big time!” 

Another player, Oney VanLandingham, spoke of the competition. 

“I enjoyed…coming to Winchester during the week to play with or against them,” he said. “[It] was a real competitive league…[it] seems like every time we traveled, we’d still end up playing any tournament [and] at least one or two of the Winchester teams would always be in the same tournament.” 

Whatever atmosphere the competition may have held, Willoughby insists that the connections made are what last long after the final pitch. 

“We just had a ball, and we miss it so much,” he said. “I would love to see it come back.”