The Old Scout Message Board

Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by Cuervo13 on July 29, 2022, 12:23 pm

My brother crossed paths with Sandy Sandoval at a funeral this past weekend.

Sandy played with Ray Demarini's teams late 80's / early 90's.

I remember Ray flying him up there for league nights and flying him back in time for him to get back to his work for the local transit agency.

Once he got in the front door at EA Sports his career in softball was done.

Any A/Major players back in the day do something like that ever? Get flown in for league nights?

Fyi: Sandy is consulting now.

Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by cuervo.. TM60+ on July 29, 2022, 4:43 pm, in reply to "Big Cat 44 or any other old timer"

I think Sandy was playing with Marltons (?) back around then/late 80s…and I think he was traveling with.a pitcher named Gill??

I am also pretty sure he first started with Easton and never was with Ray. I will be stayi g with Jerry Garnett this weekend and find out about the Sandy and Ray stuff. Maybe Marlton flew him up???

Sandy was the Easton rep for a short time until around the end of ‘93.

while at the same time he was selling EA stuff out of the trunk of his car.. he build that trunk sales stuff into a great career.

Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by Cuervo13 on July 29, 2022, 5:44 pm, in reply to "Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer"

Know the Easton Stories well with Barry Sanders and the great one.

He may have not played with Demarini but he definitely had a prototype Demar bat in the circa late 80's/1990ish...

My brother talked to him about it this past weekend. We all shared the bat one weekend in a backyarder

The bat was silver with yellow writing and actually had a loose handle as if a nail was holding it together with the bat.

Bat was fire and lasted that one weekend. It was never sold as I think the first real demarini was silver and had black writing.

Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by Cuervo13 on July 29, 2022, 5:52 pm, in reply to "Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer"

before anyone gets all crazy and questions the bat I was explaining up above.

I found it finally

watch the 25 - 35 second part of the video. that bat was insane back then with Skyhawks

Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by #13… TM60+ on July 31, 2022, 11:29 am, in reply to "Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer"

I hung out with Jerry last night and asked about Sandy and Demarini.

To his recollection Sandy never had anything to do with Ray in the early years…

Maybe Sandy had the use of a early bat from your memory but he never was being flown up to play league and returned home before work the next day on Rays dollar…

you have to remember in the early years Ray had a shoe string budget and the souls of those shoes had large holes in them.. they also worked out of what they called a dirt floor barn.

Just a little more info

Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by Cuervo13 on July 31, 2022, 12:17 pm, in reply to "Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer"

We know for a fact that Sandy was flown up there… but you’re probably right that is was on someone else’s dollar

And probably true he had access to that first yellow and blue Demar

Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by #13.. TM60+ on August 1, 2022, 1:13 am, in reply to "Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer"

With my talks with Jerry it was obvious Demarini didnt fly Sandy up to play league games and fly home for work.

Jerry had no recollection of Sandy working with Ray at all.

Maybe a sandy flew himself up looking into what Ray was doing and looking for a business opportunity.

Sandy and I played on the same ASA Super Major team in 1990 and he was not affiliated with, or swinging a demarini .

Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by RD Sales... on August 1, 2022, 5:49 pm, in reply to "Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer"

I was grass roots salesman for Ray from 89-97.
And the only "Sandy" I remember from that time period is Bob'Sandy'Santella, the SS for Labtec and
D&D Thoroughbreds. He wasn't flown in either as he lived in Vancouver,WA.

Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by old sponsor on August 1, 2022, 11:30 pm, in reply to "Big Cat 44 or any other old timer"

I meet sandy at the smoky in 92 or 93. We were swinging an variety of bats at the time. Solid A team with multiple State titles and high finishes and 1 national title in various associations. Bell Corp beat us by 2 runs -albeit a horrible call at 3rd-on friday night on filed 3. Curt Gleaton introduced me to sandy after the game. He took my entire team out to longhorns and we were swinging eastons next weekend. Meet woody bell at same time and established great friendship. Always had chair and beer for him at the smokys for years to come.

The local rep in ga for easton maDE the decision to favor Precision team since they were winning tournaments on the I285 circuit we called it. WE were playing open tourneys with many 2nd and 3rd along with world series bid. We waited for hour on precision in State USSSA finals instead of a forfeit. won in 4 innings.

At the world series, East coast people from easton stood me up twice at world series. Sandy did tell me was getting away from them over the phone.

Hank Basset came through with package from tps for next 5 years. great people. we beat the easton team 6 times that year out of 6.

Sorry got side tracked a bit. Sandy and Woody great people that gave my team great opportunity many years ago.

Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by Old Sponsor… TM60+ on August 2, 2022, 11:23 pm, in reply to "Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer"

I talked with Hank last week…. ok… it was texting after missed calls between us.

He is doing pretty well and still working for the judge… but from home…

If you knew Hank well… It would be worth the calling.

I sure miss and have fond memories of those long talks with Rex, Hank and Harold…

Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer

Posted by bryan king on August 7, 2022, 12:22 am, in reply to "Re: Big Cat 44 or any other old timer"

How funny , I just sitting here havin a beer thought I’d see what’s going on.. and run across this thread..
Ray was such a great guy.. he gave me my first shot in the majors in 95.. Santella wasn’t able to play the full season and I was asked to replace him at SS.. it was such a great experience.. but the part I remember the most is I joined them in I think May or June in Milwaukee for my first tourney with them and our coach Lou had said hey we have a few guys picking you up .. I said ok thanks and I said how will I know he goes they’ll stand out ..

So I get to baggage claim and this big as FU&K guy is there with a sign that says Bryan shortshit.. oh I mean Bryan shortstop..
that’s when Larry Carter and Jeff Ott became two of my closest friends ever.. great times fun team .. and Ray gave me this memory.. I’ll always miss him..
BK

« Back to index

1154

[ The Old Scout Message Board ]