BLOOMINGTON — In the late 1980s and early 1990s, when men’s major fastpitch softball had a presence on the Bloomington-Normal sports scene, Brian Martie was at the core of its success.
His nearly 20 years as a standout infielder included two stints with the Bloomington Hearts. Martie’s potent bat headed some impressive lineups, and tonight, he will be in good company again.
The Bloomington resident is among 10 people to be inducted into the Amateur Softball Association National Hall of Fame at Myrtle Beach, S.C.
“It’s overwhelming,” Martie said Tuesday while waiting to catch a connecting flight. “There are so many awesome people I got a chance to meet and get to know (through softball).“There were a lot of fun experiences as far as travel and places I never would have gone if it hadn’t been for softball … South Africa, Cuba, Venezuela and different places in Canada. It was a blast.”
Martie is believed to be the 14th inductee (out of 373) who either played in or was born in Illinois. He grew up in Ramsey, south of Decatur, and graduated from Vandalia High School.Martie has lived in Bloomington nearly 20 years and works as a project planner at State Farm Insurance Cos.
He played for the Hearts, the Decatur Pride and The Farm Tavern of Madison, Wis., among others.
Martie was a six-time All-American, five-time MVP of the Illinois ASA Major State Tournament and played on United States teams in two Pan American Games and the 1996 International Softball Federation World Championships.
Among the other inductees are former Farm Tavern manager Rob Peterson and ex-Pride and Farm Tavern standout Tim Wahl.
“It’s awesome to be going in with a guy I played for and admired so much (Peterson) and a guy I played with (Wahl) who was fantastic,” Martie said.Martie has not played competitive major fastpitch since 2000, but his love for the game remains strong. This fall, he organized a men’s fastpitch league at Eastview Christian Church in Normal.
“We had four teams and everyone had a fantastic time,” Martie said. “We’re hoping to expand it. A lot of guys don’t realize the sport is even available because it died down in Bloomington.”Martie played in the league and also in Master’s tournaments this summer in Moline and Rockford. Click here to continue reading.