"Natives Skilled Ball Players"

These top calibre players play in weekend fast pitch tournaments to qualify their teams to enter elite events such as the state championships, provincial champtionships, national championships and even world championships.

One of these top calibre pitchers is Darren Zack a six-foot-three-inch, 280-pound Ojibway from Garden River reserve near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

His star has risen steadily from when he was a young intermediate pitcher in fastpitch tournaments at First Nations communities to when he hurled the Owen Sound Tiremen to the Ontario championship in 1988.

In 1991, he was a member of the Canadian Pan-American Games team. In 1992, at the International Softball Congress World Tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah, he set two records. He had 136 strikeouts in 76 innings and he pitched eight victories for the Vancouver Magicians.

He also pitched for Team Canada in 1992 when it won the International Softball Federation (ISF) world championship in Manila.

In 1994, Zack joined the Toronto Gators and success followed him. At the ISC tournament in Kimberly, Wisconsin, he twice beat a powerful Sioux City, Iowa team on the final day to lead the Gators to the championship. He registered 108 strikeouts in 63 innings. In his first season with the Gators, he struck out more than 800 batters. He also was selected to the Pan American Games squad again.

Last year Zack was again selected to the ISC all-world first team even though the Gators ended up second in the tournament. It was his third All-World selection.

At this year's ISC World Tournament, in Sioux City, Iowa, he set a number of records. He logged 69 consecutive scoreless innings; he had 150 strikeouts; his earned run average (ERA) was .097; and his tournament record was 10 wins, no losses.

Fastball fans who like to watch the best of the best may see Zack at the American Softball Association National Tournament in September.

He is slated to pitch for the Midland (Michigan) Explorers. Since it is only a four-hour drive from his home at Garden River to Midland, his wife Charlotte and children Darren Jr., 8, and Molli Ann, 5, will probably be there, too.

One of the many teams Zack has played for, at least a few times, is the Winniebago North Americans.

This is an all-native North American team based in Winnebago, Nebraska. Among the 14 first nations represented on this top flight team are two Mohawks from Six Nations. Outfielder Clint Hill is batting a respectable .268 and pitcher Mike Joseph shares pitching duties with Joey Basaraba, a Cree from Regina.

Another Six Nations player Al Staats made the ISC All-World Second Team while playing for Owen Sound in 1991.

Six Nations does not have any world class men's teams in fastpitch softball but there are some top calibre players.