Russell, Charles Richard (Dickie)

LET IT BE KNOWN TO ALL THAT “DICKIE” RUSSELL WAS INDUCTED INTO THE KENTUCKY SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME AS A FASTPITCH SOFTBALL PLAYER ON OCTOBER 8, 1994.

DICKIE WAS A THREE-LETTER ATHLETE AT ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL WHERE AS A RESULT OF HIS TALENT WAS OFFERED SCHOLARSHIPS IN BASEBALL, FOOTBALL, AND BASKETBALL.

AMONG HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FASTPITCH SOFTBALL WERE PLACING SECOND IN THE 1961 FASTPITCH STATE TOURNAMENT, AND WINNING FIVE CONSECUTIVE FAST PITCH STATE TOURNAMENTS, FROM 1964-67, WITH THE SQUARE D SOFTBALL TEAM, AND IN 1988 WITH THE KENTUCKY MERCHANTS SOFTBALL TEAM.

HE WAS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST CATCHERS IN THE GAME, BALANCING BOTH EXCELLENT DEFENSE AND OFFENSE. HE BATTED SECOND AND DEVELOPED A TALENT FOR ADVANCING BASERUNNERS WHICH IS NO SMALL FEAT IN THE FASTPITCH GAME. TO QUOTE FELLOW HALL OF FAMER, BOB SPENCER, “DICKIE RUSSELL CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS THE HEART AND SOUL THAT MADE ALL OF THE THINGS ON THE TEAM WORK. HE WAS A GREAT MOTIVATOR.”