House, Dean

PLAYER AND COACH OF THE SCOTT COUNTY MERCHANTS, DEAN HOUSE WAS A WELL-KNOWN SLOW PITCH PLAYER AND COACH DURING THE 1960S AND 1970S. HE WAS ABLE TO MOLD A TEAM THAT CONSISTED OF MAINLY TOBACCO FARMERS AND PRODUCED ONE OF THE MOST FEARED TEAMS TO EVER PLAY IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY. HIS TEAMS, B.B STONE INSURANCE AND SCOTT COUNTY MERCHANTS, WERE STATE CHAMPIONS IN 1966, 1967, 1972, AND 1973. THEY WERE ALSO NATIONAL REGIONAL RUNNERS-UP IN 1972 AND 1974 AND WERE WINNERS OF THE NATIONAL REGIONALS IN 1966 AND 1973, BOTH TIMES ADVANCING TO PLAY IN THE WORLD TOURNAMENTS. DEAN ALSO CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED A SOFTBALL PARK THAT WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE BEST IN THE STATE. AS NOTED IN A 1973 CLEVELAND NEWSPAPER, HE DID TWO SMART THINGS WHEN HE BUILT THE FIELD: HE PROVIDED SEATS FOR 300, THE APPROXIMATE POPULATION OF STAMPING GROUND, AND HE PUT THE OUTFIELD FENCE 290 FEET FROM HOME PLATE. WHEN HIS TEAM PLAYED ON SMALLER FIELDS, MANY PITCHERS WERE CONSTANTLY WATCHING THE BALL GO OVER THE FENCE. MANY OF DEAN’S PLAYERS HAVE CONTINUED THEIR SOFTBALL CAREERS AND HAVE MADE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GAME. SOFTBALL IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO DEAN HOUSE.