Monroe’s Hazelton inducted into fastpitch softball HOF

When Brian Hazelton got the phone call about being inducted into the Central Iowa Men’s Fastpitch Hall of Fame, he was shocked.

It didn’t even register to Hazelton until the person on the other end of the line actually said “You’re a Hall of Famer.”

Hazelton was part of a 10-person class of inductees during the hall of fame reception and induction ceremony at Courtyard-Marriott in Ankeny on Sunday.

“I had no clue I was even on the ballot until one of my former umpiring teammates, Jason Lewis, told me,” Hazelton said. “I didn’t play because I was really good. I’m just glad they didn’t kick me off the team. I think they kept me around because my wife Lorri is a great baker.”

Hazelton played slowpitch softball for 19 years. He turned down invitations to play fastpitch in 1982, 1985 and 1987 before finally saying yes in 1989.

He played full-time until 2003. The long-time Monroe native said he was a bench player for the first few weeks before taking over for an injured player.

Hazelton batted ninth in the lineup for the first three or four years before eventually moving to the leadoff spot.

“I didn’t have gaudy offensive numbers, but if the ball was hit to me, I usually caught it,” Hazelton said. “I was more known for my defense. I did bat over .500 in three 60 and over tournaments though.”

The Central Iowa Men’s Fastpitch Hall of Fame now features 20 players. There were 10 players inducted last year and 10 more on Sunday.

“There were 18 total in attendance on Sunday and I know them all,” Hazelton said. “There were probably 50 ex-players in the room just telling stories. It was a great night.”

Fastpitch softball has been around since the 1930s, according to Hazelton. It has grown a lot though since the early 1990s. Some of the teams around Jasper County also started disappearing in the late 1990s.

Hazelton, who has competed part-time since after 2003, played for an independent team in Reasnor. He’s played in 45 and over, 50 and over, 60 and over and 65 and over leagues. He took last year off but is hoping to get asked to play again this coming season.

Hazelton moved to Monroe in 1982. His first teaching job in the district was in junior high social studies. He also spent several years as PCM’s Activities Director before retiring from that post in 2011.

“I only missed two softball tournaments because of my duties at the school,” Hazelton said. “We made some long drives to meet school demands.”

After retiring as PCM’s Activities Director, Hazelton spent 10 years at Vermeer and also has served as a high school umpire since 2001.

He’s officially retired now and spends a lot of his free time on the golf course or in his garden taking care of more than 100 plants.

He also can be seen helping keep statistics for the PCM football team.

The other nine Hall of Fame inductees included Rick Blom (Reasnor), Vince Blom (Pella), Ed Fickes (Van Wert), Bob Van Soelen (Sully), Gene Van Wyk (Pella), Russ Anderson (Des Moines), Steve Dicks (Des Moines), Joe Kinning (Des Moines) and Marty Sellers (Des Moines).

Rick Blom spent eight to 10 years pitching on Hazelton’s Reasnor teams and Vince Blom was a Reasnor pitcher for one year.

“Softball has been good to us,” Hazelton said. “We’ve played in a lot of tournaments and met a lot of great people.”