Local Softball Players to be Inducted into MN Softball HOF

Two slow pitch softball players from Central Minnesota will be inducted into the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame on October 26 at Jackpot Junction Casino in Morton.  The two are Ron Ehoff from Little Falls and Bill Goetz from St. Cloud.  This will be the 34th class of the Hall of Fame.

Both men completed their 44th season of playing slow pitch softball last month in Las Vegas.  They play in tournaments for the Minnesota Merchants Softball team.  The Merchants finished 4th out of 36 teams in the USA Softball 60+ National Tournament.

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Ehoff began playing in 1980 as a 16-year old in Little Falls.  He decided he wanted to get stronger so he took up power lifting.  After his 44th season, Ehoff has the following statistics; a batting average of .700, more than 650 home runs and 700+ wins as a pitcher in only 13 years at that position.  During the spring and summer he plays in 3 leagues. Other accomplishments for Ehoff include 3 senior world MVP awards, 1 senior tournament of champions MVP, 5 senior world all-tournament team selections and 2 national all tournament team honors.

Bill Goetz finished his 44th softball season in September.  He began playing slow pitch softball at age 16.  His older brother's team was short players for a local weekend tournament so Bill was added to the roster.  He has played in leagues in Waseca, Faribault, Mankato, St. Joseph and Sauk Rapids.  Goetz and Ehoff play against each other in the Sauk Rapids 50+ league but with each other on the MN Merchants 60+ tournament team.

Goetz has played over 4,000 slow pitch softball games and has been on the winning side 85% of the time.  His career batting average is over .700 and he had hit over 800 home runs.  He is one of only a few players to be recognized for playing in the first 30 years (1979-2009) of Corky's Early Bird Softball Tournament in Faribault.  Goetz' individual honors include; tournament MVP in the 2002 35+ state softball tournament, named tournament MVP in the 2015 Senior Games, MVP in the 55+ Major Senior National Tournament and 6-time member of National All Tournament teams.

16 players will be inducted into the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame on October 26.  Ehoff and Goetz will be the only slow pitch softball players honored.  This information was submitted by Minnesota Sports Federation Board Member, Gary McCarney.