Hardy, Phil

A fantastic arm, great range, and a softball I.Q. second to none make Phil Hardy from Richmond, KY one of the best shortstops to have ever played in the Bluegrass.

From 1982 with his first team, Murph’s Boys, to the present, Phil has shown off his skills as a middle infielding wiz. Add the heart of a champion on and off the field, and you have the complete Kentucky Softball Hall of Fame resume.

His efforts on the field inspired others to work harder and strive toward greatness which is evidenced by his 8 ASA Golden Glove awards and 12 NSA fielding awards as well.

Hardy also had rare raw power by a position that doesn’t always produce so much pop in their bats! Again, proof was in the power pudding as he took away homer hardware 8 different times proving he was the most powerful guy in the tournament in both NSA and ASA events.

And, boy could he hit! His 7 batting average titles are a testament to that, and he lived by the motto that, “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it”. Everyone knew Phil was a pull hitter with most of his shots going through the left side of the field, but he was so good at it that defensive adjustments just couldn’t affect Hardy’s hitting.

As a multi-talented shortstop, it was no wonder that his presence and leadership wore off on others, and because of that, his teams went on to win several prestigious titles including the ASA “A” National Championship with K&G in California and another “A” Championship with Reece in Jacksonville, Florida.

Phil’s Richmond upbringing made him a local softball celebrity on league nights at Lake Reba Complex in Richmond, and his star status continued to woo his local fans every July when Kentucky’s top teams would gather for the Daniel Boone Classic. His 8 Boone championships are his to claim and most likely shared with his brother, Tom, who was the lefty of the family. That dynamic duo of Phil and Tom led many clubs to championship after championship.

Among Phil’s always winning teams were household names like Fraley’s Wildcats (Bill Fraley--Kentucky Softball Hall of Fame); Berardi’s (Nick Berardi, Sr.—Kentucky Softball Hall of Fame); and Reece Monument (Mike Reece—Kentucky Softball Hall of Fame). Also, Denny Lumber, the 35 & Over B-Dry Champs, KY Steel Erectors, Suncoast Adidas, O’Reilly’s Pub, and Southside round out his 40-year career.

The Central Kentucky softball community has been blessed with Phil Hardy’s presence and character, and his hard work has earned him multiple MVP, All-World selections, and other national awards leaving a lasting impression on everyone who got to see and play with him.