SOFTBALL Bagnola makes most of summers

The 77-year-old had been with teams that won at least 40 league titles.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANTON -- Dominic Bagnola exemplifies the three A's of life: age, ability and average.
The 77-year-old Canton resident has many years of softball under his belt, hall of fame status and a field in his name.
Bagnola is not the oldest player in the Akron Silver League, but he's among the more wiry.
This summer, he's in two age groups: 60-68 and 70-over. The schedule includes over 50 games.
Until a few years ago, he was on a traveling team that played around the U.S.
Independent
The infielder -- usually shortstop -- hits and runs for himself in the 350-man league that has five divisions.
Bagnola, the father of John Bagnola of Austintown, had a batting average in the mid-to-high .300 range his whole life.
These days, in the senior league, precautions are in place for players' safety.
"There's an extra base -- a red base in front of regular first base," Bagnola said of the modification to reduce runner/fielder collisions. To avoid risk at home, there's also a double plate.
A few years ago, a 93-year-old batter was permitted a substitute runner if he reached first base.
"He was like slow motion," said Bagnola, who has been playing in the Akron league since he retired from Diebold Safe and Lock Co. at age 65.
He's played softball in the Akron-Canton area since being discharged from the Army in 1946.
During World War II, he played in Alabama while in basic training, then in the Philippines and Japan during the Occupation.
"We were preparing for an invasion of the mainland," he said of plans negated by atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in late summer, 1945.
"The Army bulldozed areas to make fields and had lights put up," he said of ballfields during his 12 months in Japan.
HOF member
Dom Bagnola became a member of the Amateur Sports Hall of Fame of Greater Canton in 1984. At that time, he had already earned 40 league championships.
Due to the efforts of his proud sons, the softball field at St. Thomas Aquinas High bears his name.
A few years ago, Bagnola was on the retirement community-sponsored Silver Oaks traveling team that finished third in the 70-over division of a senior world series in Tennessee.
"There were a lot of teams from the south that play year-round. But we did pretty good. The men are still competitive. You wouldn't believe how they really want to win."
One teammate on Bagnola's 70-over team is Jack Sommerlad of Boardman.
Before and after retirement, Bagnola and his brothers and sons played on and off during a 14-year span. They almost had an all-Bagnola squad. Their St. Anthony's Church team and Canton Area Merchants team won championships in 1975 and 1989, respectively.
John Bagnola operates Treasured Moments Video on Meridian Road.
Recently, Dom Bagnola had a three-game day. His Silver League games in the past were played at Akron Firestone Park. Now, most are at Barberton High fields.
Repayment
As a Christmas gift from his sons, Dom Bagnola participated in a fantasy camp at the Cleveland Indians spring training facility in Winter Haven, Fla., in 1994.
"There were about 80 players ages 30 and over and we played nine games. I was probably one of the oldest there, but I was holding my own. We played to win. That was a lot of fun."
At that camp in January, former major leaguers served as managers. Former pitcher Len Barker and catcher Duke Sims guided their squad.
Bagnola missed a week of softball last summer after he was hit in the ankle by a ball, but, otherwise, he's been injury-free.
"I've been good to my body and it's paid back, so far," he said.
bassetti@vindy.com