Ernest Spainhour

 

Player

 

Inducted 1991

 

Ernie Spainhour started playing softball in 1959 with a church team and, at the time of his induction, was still active.  In those thirty-three years, Ernie played in over two hundred ASA tournaments and was MVP fifteen times.  From 1959 through 1969, he played in ten Virginia State tournaments.  In 1969, he became a member of the Norfolk Firefighter softball team.  Ernie played in fifteen ASA National Firefighter tournaments.  In addition, he managed the team to four consecutive titles.  Ernie participated in twelve ASA National tournaments including the Church National in Richmond in 1962, the Class A in 1988 in Savannah, Georgia, the Major Slow Pitch in 1989 in Burlington, North Carolina, six ASA Major Industrial tournaments, two ASA Class A Industrial tournaments, and one ASA 16” National tournament.  In 1990 and 1991, he managed Keith Enterprises in the Virginia Beach league.  Ernie possessed one of the finest throwing arms of anyone in the Tidewater area.  He had a lifetime batting average above .500.  Ernie Spainhour was a player who always gave one-hundred percent each game.