Opposites receive co-player honors

     By Ralph Reuber
     View columnist
      First baseman Ira Ross and outfielder Jeff Traylor are this year's co-players of the year in Las Vegas-area D division play.
      The two players are as different as day and night, but the contrasting styles are some of the reasons men's slow-pitch softball is a tremendous sport in which young and old can compete and excel.
      Ross is a 40-plus veteran who has been through the wars with some of Las Vegas' top ballclubs the past 15 years. Three of the more successful teams he has been on include Cletes Liquors, Royal Transmission and Beckwith Printing.
      This year Ross made the switch to first base after years of competing as a middle infielder. He is as good as it gets defensively (an unbelievable 13 unassisted double plays in back-to-back tourneys in regional and World Series play).
      Offensively, he is a hitting machine, banging out a .700-plus average and always comes up big in key situations.
      In contrast, Traylor is a lightening-fast outfielder who is becoming one of the area's best. With the bat, he can beat out a slow roller to short or muscle-up and bust a ball 350 feet.
      Amazingly, in only his second year in slow-pitch, Traylor was rescued from a 12th-man role with the Scorpions early in the season. Once he joined Las Vegas' top-ranked Red Sox, he started to bloom, hitting better than .750, leading the club in RBIs and drawing raves from his peers.
      DIAMOND NOTES -- The 1998 All-Star D division team has been announced. The winners are:
      n First base -- Ira Ross and Hank Cluess.
      n Second base -- Aaron Hungerholt and Raoul Machin.
      n Third base -- Mitch Stahl and Deril Friederman.
      n Shortstop -- Trevor Condie and Jay Wieslander.
      n Outfield -- Jim Larsen, Jeff Traylor, Mark Mencher, Phil Burnett, Poo Poohah, Jim Dirk, James Agee and Jim Kelly.
      n Pitcher -- Drew Borgna and Mike Carrasco.
      n Catcher -- Eric Kirkbride and Bo Brewer.
      n Designated hitter -- Bobby Keys and Pedro Gonzalez.
      n Utility players -- John Schultz, Mike Perini, Bobby Taylor, Corey Parsons, Shaun Taylor, Jim Laughlin, Lee Hoover and Landy Uringana.
      n Reserves -- John Salinas, Bill Kephart, Jim Barbeau, Brad Max, Billy Thompson, John Longhurst, Mike Verso, Brian Pattilo, Troy Fenn, Scot Fenn, Dave Molinaro, John Oliver, Jeff Satterlee, Tony Lato, Howie Marstellar, Gary Pro, Chachi Bellagursi, Randy Garrison, Jeff Ford, Larry Long, Bill Wilson, Rick Charles, Chris Feeney, Bob Morris, Benny Parson and Jeff Jones.
     
     Ralph Reuber has more than 25 years of experience as a softball player, sponsor, umpire and manager. He is district commissioner for the ASA in Southern Nevada. He can be reached at 260-7803.