40 Years Open Men’s State Titles Queensland Softball.

1984 “THE FIRST ONE”

My name is Edward Tyson or as Queensland softball know’s me as
“Eddie Tyson” (3rd Base) - Nickname ‘MUCKA’.

1984 Gladstone Queensland Opens Mens State Titles being held in the
Harbour City. Teams from all over the State converging to the Town for
the ‘First ever Open Men’s Titles in Softball. They travelled from
North,South,East and West to do combat on the the field of dreams to
do battle against each team for the “Prize” the ‘Fourex Castlemaine
Trophy’. This would go to the Gladstone Team for which I was apart of, I
played with my brother David Tyson who was an outfielder. The Team
consisted of if my memory has not failed me over the years. Mark Buls
(Pitcher), Bryan Casey (Pitcher),Shane Goldsmith (Pitcher,2nd
Base),Brian Bailey (1st Base), Merv Downing (1st Base), Gary Spencer
(SS), Brad Spencer (Catcher), Neville Cosschalk (Catcher), Simon
Wright (Outfielder), Charlie Carnell (Outfielder), Darren Kuskof (Outfielder),
Carl Wilson (Outfielder), Mark Jones (Infielder), Aubury McDonald
(Assistant Coach), Brian Rickson (Coach) and Desleigh Armtiage (Scorer).

THE OTHER TEAMS.

From memory the ‘Teams’ came from Bundaberg, Dysart, Hervey
Bay, Ipswich Warriors, Mt.Isa, Redlands, South Brisbane, Sunshine
Coast and Townsville. A few of these centre’s played baseball but
for reasons unknown to me they changed from baseball to softball.
The legacy that was left that weekend from that Tournament laid
the foundation for the following year’s that followed, and so began
the “Open Men’s State Titles. It grew by having ‘B’ Grade Teams
added with the ‘A’ Grade Teams, and as they say “The Rest Is History”.