Jim Williamson to be Inducted in ASA NW Region 15 Softball Hall of Fame

Sponsor of 32 Teams, Manager of 42 to be inducted into Hall of Fame

James Robert Williamson of Yakima, WA will be inducted into the Amateur Softball Assn (ASA) Region 15 (Pacific Northwest) Softball Hall Fame in ceremonies Saturday night Jan 29th in Vancouver, WA.

Jim (Known as Bobby is his youth) is a native of Canton, NC and the son of the late Jim Williamson, Sports Editor of the former Canton Enterprise.

Inducted as a Manger/Sponsor, Jim’s JRW and Associates Mens Fastpitch teams have finished 5th, 3rd twice and runner-up twice in National tournaments. Jim has sponsored youth and adult fastpitch teams for 32 years and managed teams for 42 years.

Jim began playing softball in the mid-fifties during the heyday of Canton’s Champion “Y” team who battled ten-time World Tournament Champions Clearwater, FL Bombers for Southeast Supremacy.

Jim was President of the Yakima (WA) Softball Assn for 30 years and has been the Local fastpitch Commissioner for 28 years. In 1993, Jim was co-founder of the North American Fastpitch Assn, which now conducts the largest mens fastpitch National tournament held in one location.

After the sale of NAFA, Jim became a Vice-President for the International Softball Congress (ISC). The ISC hosts the most competitive fastpitch teams in their World Tournament. Jim headed up the feeder program, a 40 team division which developed competitive teams to move up to the Top Division.

Jim is an Industrial Engineering graduate of Virginia Tech. In his Senior year, he pitched Tech to the fastpitch Championship for Virginia Colleges.

Editor’s note: Our heartiest congratulations to Jim Williamson, AKA “JRW”. Jim has been a driving force for men’s fasptitch in the Pacific Norwest and beyond for decades. He was one of the founders of NAFA (North American Fastpitch Association), an organization that continues to grow and flourish today. Ever the ambassador for the sport of men’s fastpitch, I first met Jim at a rental car counter enroute to a NAFA World Series, a casual chat that led to a continuing friendship over the years. He introduced me to the NAFA program in the early 1990’s, leading to a number of NAFA World Series tournaments for the editor, some of my most enjoyable experiences in the game. Congratulations JRW ! A well deserved honor. (Feel free to add your comments to Jim in the comments section below)

Among the players to wear the “JRW” colors is pitcher Dave Drotzman, shown at left, pitching in the 2005 Rose Cup tournament in Portland, Oregon.

Another longtime JRW player is Dean Waltier, shown at right, in a photo also taken at the 2005 Rose Cup Tournament. Dozens of players have worn those familiar letters over the years and benefitted from JRW’s leadership, coaching, and dedication to the game.