New from Kyle Beane in Michigan, from Al’s Fastball:
Saginaw, MI
Some sad news today. Softball’s Art Gillis passed away last night. He’d been in a care facility for the past couple months.
Please keep the family in your thoughts and tell a softball story in his honor tonight.
Any of us involved in our sport for the past 50 years would be hard pressed not to have an Art story (or to have been told one by him). He was one of the true individuals of the game.
Kyle Beane
From Jim Williamson:
Hi Fastpitch Players, Sponsors, Coaches and Fans —
I do not have any stories to share about my friend Art Gillis. But I can say that nearly everything I know about scorekeeping, I learned from Art. We had some really good and long phone conversations. I’m glad to have known Art. My condolences to his family.
Jim Williamson (JRW)
Very Sorry to hear of the passing of Art. I met him through my ISC Commissioner and Executive Committee days and as I stated in another post he was a great contributor to our sport. It was always a treat to talk fastball with Art, he had tremendous insight about the game and great dedication to the sport. If all of us who benefited from playing gave back half as much as Art did the sport of fastpitch would be in great shape. My condolences to the Gillis Family. Here is a link to Art’s speech after being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqXuEHGQkyQ