The California Painters appear ready to make a run at the 2005 Red Rock title, adding three ISC World Tournament stars, Dean Holoien, Todd Budke and Wayne Wells. Holoien and Budke are two of the best players in the world, teammates on the ISC #2 ranked team, The Farm Tavern of Madison, Wisconsin, while Wayne Wells will be pitching this year for the Eau Claire, WI Happy Hollow Barons, currently the #22 team in the ISC World pre-season rankings.
Holoien turned in some outstanding performances during the 2004 season, including a no-hitter in the finals of the Canadians for the Saskatoon Black Sox, and a no-hitter in the championship game of the ASA major tournament. Holoien also broke the ASA Majors record for strikeouts in a game with 21. A police officer in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Holoien is also a member of the silver-medal winning Canadian National Team in New Zealand at the 2004 ISFs, and regarded by many as the best all-around player in the game today, as one of the top five or six pitchers in the game as the top 10 best hitters. Click here to view his Softball Canada bio page. (Thanks to ISC II Commish Blair Setford for the info)
Todd Budke is a teammate of Dean Holoien’s on the Farm Tavern team, currently the number two ranking in preseason ISC world rankings, and one of the premier hitters and again today. Budke played for team USA, and was a member of the 2004 ASA major championship team, as well as playing for Team USA previously. Click here for his Team USA bio.
Wayne Wells has pitched in the last three ISC World Tournaments, most recently with the Peterboro Pros, going 1-1 on the mound with a 2.80 era. Wayne was NAFA AAA All World in 2003 with Durham Heat and NAFA AA MostValuable Pitcher with the Toronto Jaguars. Wayne is a veteran of the senior Canadians, still going strong at age 44.
The California Painters will also have pitchers Ron Mizener and Simon Brewer. Simon is a former teammate of this editor, on the 1984 Lowder Electric team that finished second in the ASA “A” Nationals in Fargo North Dakota. Simon did the heavy lifting that tournament, pitching Lowder into the championship game and making the All-American team.
Click here to see the complete roster of the California Painters team. The Painters are in the “C” pool and will play Saturday against the #21 ranked team in the world, the Pueblo Bandits, the #34 ranked ISC II River City Rockers, and the Larry Miller Chev Hogs from Salt Lake City, Utah.
We will be updating the Red Rock Tournament web pages during the week and throughout the tournament so be sure to check back often are further updates. we will also post notes on the various team rosters as we receive them.