A Look Back at Steele's (Cleveland, Ohio)
Dave Neale guided Steele's to 11 national championships between 1985 and 1990; his 1990 Silver Bullets team won a record 142 games and 13 tournaments in a row, including the first three legs of the Grand Slam, for a final 226-9 mark
Mike Macenko and Steele's boss Dave Neale
Neale is in the ASA Hall of Honor, plus the ISA and NSA Halls of Fame; Macenko is a three-time Hall of Famer (ISA, NSA, USSSA), and is a sure bet to make the ASA
Craig Elliott and Mike Macenko
Charles Wright . . . they called him "The Georgia Peach" . . . 4-time MVP
He holds No. 452 home run ball after breaking Rick Scherr's record; he finished the 1986 season with 503 home runs; the next season Mike Macenko topped that with 844.
Mike Bolen . . . came out of Cleveland, Tenn., to play for many of the better teams -- Burnette & Associates, Dave Carroll, Jerry's, Steele's, Howard's . . . a very selective hitter, and a very good hitter
Mike Bolen, Craig Elliott, Joe Young, Mike Macenko
This photo of "The Four Horsemen of Steele's" was taken before the start of the 1986 season
Mike Macenko from Ohio and Steve Craven from Georgia
Kenny Scobee . . . talkative Texan takes a big swing for the Steele's/Sunbelt Hitmen
Jose Santiago . . . Floridian focusing in on a base hit for the Steele's/Sunbelt Hitmen
Doug Burns . . . Kansan at the plate for the Steele's/Sunbelt Hitmen
Brian Jeffers from Indiana and Shawn Keane from Pennsylvania
Sylvin Little . . . Georgian had a stint with the Steele's/Sunbelt Hitmen
Bill Blake . . . burly Texan played several years with the Steele's Silver Bullets and the Steele's/Sunbelt Hitmen . . . MVP for Smythe Sox in the 1987 USSSA World Series
The 1989 Steele's Silver Bullets Team
The 1990 Steele's Silver Bullets Team
L-R, standing: Coach Randy Gorrell, Dirk Androff, Rick Weiterman, Ken Loeri, Ernie Montgomery, Todd Joerling, coach-player Terry Perryman, Scott Virkus, Greg Schulte, Monty Tucker, manager Dave Neale
L-R, kneeling: Dan Schuck, Larry Fredieu, Mike Macenko, Bill Blake
Steele's 1990 team won the prestigious Smoky Mountain Classic at Maryville, Tenn. Steele's also won the Smoky in 1986 and 1987. Standing (L-R): Scott Virkus, Ernie Montgomery, John Grissom, Bill Blake, Monty Tucker, Dirk Androff, Mike Macenko, Dan Schuck; kneeling: Danny Williams, Joe Foley, Todd Joerling, Rik Lucas, Dave Neale, Terry Perryman, Greg Schulte, Rick Weiterman.
Standing (L-R): Scott Virkus, Rick Weiterman, Mike Bolen, Mike Macenko, Freddie Trice, Monty Tucker, Craig Elliott, Kenny Dain, Manager Dave Neale. Kneeling: Jeff Stamps, coach Randy Gorrell, Ricky Huggins, Ron Parnell, Doug Roberson, Dennis Graser.
The 1990 Steele's Silver Bullets . . . winner of 142 games in a row for a final record of 226-9
The 1993 Steele's Hit Men -- Standing (L-R): Sponsor Wayne Williamson, Jacques Millier, Mike Macenko, Randy Kortokrax, Derek Oliver, Scott Virkus, Doug Burns, Shawn Keane, coach Joe Albert, Phil Jobe, Steve Craven, manager Dave Neale; Kneeling: Kenny Scobee, Todd Martin, Butch Ovens, Sylvin Little, coach Doug Wheelbarger.
Hit Men in 1992: Scott Elliott, Jimmy Powers, Phil Jobe, Steve Craven.
Jimmy Powers slugged 225 home runs for the Hit Men in 1992, tops on the circuit.
Ernie Montgomery . . . from Knoxville, Tenn. . . . MVP for Steele's Silver Bullets in the 1990 ISA World Series at Columbus, Ohio
Ernie Montgomery lets one fly in the 1993 Smoky Mountain Classic; Scott Virkus gets a high five after a 1993 home run from Sylvin Little as Jacques Millier looks on.
Randy Kortokrax and Tot Powers; Dave Neale and Wayne Williamson.
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Email: jeromeearnest@netscape.net
