By Kelly Cordes

One of the main reasons for the population growth in Prescott is softball.  Over the past 50 years, Prescott has been considered by many people to be the “softball capital of the world.” That designation was especially true in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. The individual most responsible for Prescott being a softball destination was long-time Prescott Parks and Recreation Director Archie Crouch Williams, who retired in 1983. Moving from Tucson in 1957, he was Prescott’s first parks director, the same A.C. Williams Granite Creek Park in Prescott is named after. 

We can’t talk about the history of softball in Prescott without mentioning A.C. Williams. He would become a member of the Arizona Softball Hall of Fame in 1976 and a member of the National Amateur Softball Hall of Fame in 2004. Williams brought highly competitive teams to Ken Lindley Field, formerly City Park, while forging a cooperative relationship between city school athletic programs and the Prescott Parks Department.

 Jim McCasland, who succeeded Williams as Prescott Parks Director in the mid-1980s until retiring in 2007, indicated that, “Williams just loved the game of fast pitch softball and was absolutely dedicated to promoting softball.” Longtime softball scorekeeper Larry Bender said, “He really made fast-pitch softball go in this town and we had a great men’s league here.” 

In 1970 Williams was named Arizona Amateur Softball Association commissioner, taking teams to New Zealand, Australia, the Caribbean, Trinidad and South Africa. In 1987 Williams was guest speaker for Softball New Zealand’s 50^th Jubilee celebration. He received many awards for his service, including the Distinguished Service Award from the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association in 1982.

In remembering A.C. Williams, the word “service” comes to mind. He served on the Arizona State Parks Board from 1962 until 1984 and also served on the Amateur Softball Association Executive Board from 1984 until the early 2000s. Prescott has hosted numerous ASA national and regional softball tournaments over the past 50 years due to A.C. Williams’ influence. The town of Prescott honored Williams in 1968 as Prescott’s “Man of the Year.”

There were many weekends in Prescott during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s where as many as 2,000 to 4,000 spectators showed up at Ken Lindley Field to watch fast-pitch softball. For over 20 years, the traditional July 4^th softball tournament in Prescott was one of the top softball tournaments in the United States. Teams could count on one thing in Prescott—A.C. Williams-like hospitality. Teams came first, with folks under A.C. going out of their way to be sure the teams enjoyed themselves during their stay in Prescott. That was A.C. Williams’ leadership. A.C. passed away in August of 2010.

Prescott has seen it all when it comes to fast-pitch championship tournaments for adults, youth and recreational leagues. Many icons of the sport have played on the softball diamonds of Everyone’s Hometown. In 2008 Team USA played an exhibition softball game at Ken Lindley Field in preparation for the Olympic games in China. Many people have become acquainted with Prescott because of softball, including the current Prescott Parks and Recreation Director Kristy Diaz-Trahan, who brought teams to Prescott from the Tucson area. Softball is one reason for the growth of the Prescott area over the past 50 years.

Anyone wanting to learn more about the history of softball in Arizona, should go to the Arizona Softball Hall of Fame in the Grace Sparkes Activity Center on East Gurley Street. The Hall of Fame has been located there since 2005. It’s where stories and pictures of Arizona’s softball legends can be found. Contact the Prescott Parks and Recreation Department for details on how to gain entrance.

“Days Past” is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners International (www.prescottcorral.org). This and other Days Past articles are also available at www.archives.sharlothallmuseum.org/articles/days-past-articles/1. The public is encouraged to submit proposed articles and inquiries to dayspast@sharlothallmuseum.org Please contact SHM Research Center reference desk at 928-277-2003, or via email at archivesrequest@sharlothallmuseum.org for information or assistance with photo requests.