Craine, Floyd "Iron Man"

FLOYD CRAINE WAS CONSIDERED BY MANY PEOPLE TO BE ONE OF THE GREATEST PITCHERS IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY. CRAINE PLAYED SOFTBALL FROM 1934 TO 1969, A TOTAL OF 35 YEARS. ONE YEAR HE PLAYED IN FOUR LEAGUES AND PLAYED IN MANY CONSECUTIVE GAMES AS A PITCHER. HE WAS CALLED "IRON MAN". FROM 1943 TO 1946, HE WAS A PITCHER FOR THE ARMY PARATROOPER SERVING IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER.

DURING HIS CAREER. CRAINE PITCHED MANY NO-HIT AND SHUT-OUT GAMES. AUGUST 24, 1951 MUST HAVE BEEN ONE OF HIS MOST MASTERFUL PITCHING PERFORMANCES IN A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT. HE DEFEATED THE OPPOSING TEAM BY STRIKING OUT 17 AND ALLOWED NO HITS. FLOYD PITCHED A SPEED BALL-HIS FAVORITE PITCH WAS HIS RISE BALL-SOMETIME REFERRED TO AS HIS UP-SHUT BALL. HE WAS SELECTED ON THE ALL-STAR TEAM MANY TIMES.

IN 1959. HE PLAYED WITH THE PARKER & WAINSCOTT TEAM IN THE MID-WEST REGIONAL IN AURORA, ILLINOIS. CRAINE WON HIS GAME AND HIS TEAM FINISHED 3RD AMONG THE TOP TEAMS IN THE UNITED STATES.

FLOYD WAS ALSO DANGEROUS WITH THE BAT.-HE HAD THE ABILITY TO HIT A LONG BALL AND A HOME RUN BALL OVER THE FENCE. TEAM MANAGERS COULD ALWAYS DEPEND ON CRAINE. ON AUGUST 12, 1950, HE WAS IN BED WITH STREP THROAT AND A TEMPERATURE OF 103 DEGREES-HE CAME TO THE BALLPARK AND PITCHED A NO-HIT GAME IN A CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT.