Vaughn, Dennis

Like a lot of the players in the Kentucky Softball Hall of Fame, they began their softball careers on church teams and considered their teammates as family.

Dennis “Dickie” Vaughn from New Castle, Kentucky took this family approach one step further by not only treating his team as family but also treating his family as part of the team. Yes, Dickie’s brothers, Vincent, Jimmy, and Mark played with him on New Castle Methodist, a church group which eventually won two church State titles; and many weekends and league nights, if you saw Dickie, odds are you saw one of his brothers if not all three. They were all great players with something different to add to each of their lineups.

What older brother Dickie added was power, and lots of it, plus an outfielder who could hit, and he was the consummate team player.

His power was showcased in the 100-team 1982 L.I.T. when he hit 5 dingers in one game at Louisville’s Paradise field to advance Lola’s to a 3rd place finish. In a benefit double header in Shelbyville for the family of a murdered girl, Dickie, smashed 6 homers and was 10-for-10.

His most memorable homer was perhaps in 2005 when his Hall of Fame coach, Joe Gramig, got his senior men into a huddle in Las Vegas at the Senior Nationals. Trailing by 5 runs in the bottom of the 7th, Joe said, “If we can get to Dickie, we will win this game.” The Travelodge 55’s teammates did their jobs scoring two runs, then loading the bases with two outs. Up stepped Mr. Vaughn who fouled off the first pitch, then launched a bomb over the left-center field fence to win that game and help Travelodge to go on and win the Las Vegas Senior World Championship.

Dennis, who began his illustrious career in 1968, wants to be recognized as being a good teammate and always putting his team’s interests first. His practice-makes-perfect work ethic also made him the ultimate teammate; and, at 73 years of age today as this award was being written, Dickie made it to a nearby field, took his tee with him, and hit, hit, and hit some more like he’s done over his 50-plus year softball career.

Below is a list of some of Dennis Vaughn’s accomplishments that he achieved because of his 110% attitude and also some teams he played for:

Two-time MVP Church Kentucky State—New Castle Methodist

MVP—Police Southeastern Championships—TPS Lawmen

Star of Stars MVP award at Benefit—All-Star team

25 All-Tournament, All-World teams—from 35 & Over to 65 & Over with teams like 35 & Over --B-Dry (Lexington); 40 & Over—Campbell’s Builders (Louisville); 50 & Over—Riverside 50’s (Louisville); 55 & Over—Travelodge 55’s (Indiana); 60 & Over—Jim & Joes (Louisville) and OG’s 60’s (Louisville); and 65 & Over – Jim & Joes 65’s (Louisville)