Duvall, Bertie

Look towards the bleachers or the dugout when Bertie's Ice Cream/Bank of Edmonson is playing softball and you will be sure to see two prominent figures - Coach Anthony "Slug" Duvall and Anthony's better half, Bertie Duvall.

While Slug is manning the dugouts or coaching the bases, Bertie is usually propped up in a lounge chair with the scorebook in hand and a smile on her face.

What you can't see is what Bertie Duvall does behind the scenes with her newly inducted softball Hall of Fame husband, and that is making the tedious calls to the hotels for weekend reservations, calling players to make sure their travel arrangements were met, and fielding daily questions from the many players that call either Anthony or Bertie. For example, questions like, "What did I hit last week?", "Where are we staying next weekend?", "What time are we playing?", and "What uniform are we wearing?" All of these are common questions asked at least 10 times weekly and many times asked repeatedly by the same players.

Over the years, Bertie has answered many questions, but the questions of her critics were more like, "Can they (Bertie's) ever win a big one? "As their history shows, the answer is a resounding yes, and yes again and again.

Bertie who had much appreciated sponsorship help in the early years from the Bank of Edmonson County started out slowly winning many league titles and local tournaments around the Bowling Green area for her first 20 seasons.

However, in 1997, all of that changed as she won her first of many Kentucky State Softball Championships by conquering 40 others at the ASA State. Then 4 years later in 2001, it happened again and again as Bertie's won two Kentucky Championships the same summer - the NSA and ISA C States.

Bertie's Ice Cream Parlor, which was established in 1983, progressed as a softball giant from local and state standards, to overwhelming success on a national level. They finished 2nd three times at the National and World Championships in 2005 and 2006 before winning it all in 2007.

Their ASA East National Crown in 2007 was the first of three rings that Bertie would receive in a 5-year period. Bertie's, with the help of Players Warehouse in 2009 and Hub City in 2011, won the ISA (2009) and another ASA National Championship just last September.

The "Real Scoop" Bertie's Ice Cream is very good, but her softball team might be even better!!!

This award bears witness that her name shall forever be in the Kentucky Softball Hall of Fame.