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 History |
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A Continuing Tradition-THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
We would like to have you take a short trip with us through some great memories, as we retrace the history of the Hot Peppers softball organization.......Sandy (Bosworth)Roberts was born in London, England and was the daughter of Harley and Irene 'Micky' Bosworth. Harley was in the U.S. Army and during Sandy's growing up years, she and her parents traveled throughout the world and the United States-as most military families are used to. The family first came to Sierra Vista when Sandy was in the fourth grade but only for a short time. They returned when Sandy was in the 7th grade and Sandy lived here in Sierra Vista from then on. She attended school here and graduated with honors from Buena High School in 1964. She attended Arizona State University before entering Civil Svc. She met Bill when he was assigned to Fort Huachuca as an MP. Billy was born in Covington, Tennessee and came to Arizona from New Albany, Mississippi. They married on May 10, 1969 prior to Bill being sent to Korea. Their daughter Tisha was born soon after Billy's return from Korea on May 11, 1970.
Soon after the birth of their daughter Tisha in 1970, Sandy began playing on a newly formed women's fastpitch team and her husband Bill became the assistant coach. It was not long until Bill became the head coach of the local team. It was only a short time until the team met to rename the Sierra Vista Women's Fastpitch Softball team-BORING AND WAY TOO LONG. About 100 names were tried but the women finally decided on 'Peppers.' Then Sandy jokingly added, "How about 'Hot' Peppers?" It was a go. Everyone...except the coaches....liked it. So of course that meant we had to have that name. (ha, ha)So that became the name of the team which has been around for thirty years. The team has played in 12, 14, 16, 18 & under, women's Class AA, A, B, & C. During these different classes of play, the Hot Peppers have won numerous softball championships, including state, regional and national titles.
The very first team played against Bisbee, Benson, Davis Monthon, Fort Huachuca, Patagonia, Nogales and Tucson. Members of that first team included Sandy Roberts, Sue Townsend, Nancy (Brown) Bakarich, Becky Babuca, Mary Lytle, Mary Harper, Jackie Driver, Ruth Barnett, Lynn Porter, Bea Moses, Cha Cha Tovar, Bea Schuler, Janet Wesley, Kathy Bland, Esther Burchill, and Susanne Wilson. They played about 13 games that first season (before they began entering tourneys). The team practiced on Tuesday nights and played on the weekend and the only tourney they played in was the ASA State. Back in those years, there was only women's AA & A. Each season the team gained more fans and played to packed bleachers when they played at home.
In 1971-1973, the Peppers began to include some younger players on their roster taking Sue Cross(U of A catcher), Nancy Galloway, and Carol Nelson. In 1973 the team took third place in the ASA state tourney. Their very first trophy for tourney play was in that year.
Many high school players began to come out of ponytail and play on the traveling team including Lette Fontes, Laura Cox, Laura Painter, and Betty Vega to name a few. One of the top teams they played in competition during those years was a top small town competitive team called the Mammoth Rebels. Several of their players had played in the Nationals and on All American teams. One of the earliest uniforms they played in was a grey uniform with a very short skirt on it-kinda like the one worn in "A League of Their Own." A team that seemed to dominate area softball during those early years came from out of Tucson called HMR and also the Tucson Raindrops. Several of these players still can be found wandering around the softball fields watching daughters and grandchildren play now.
By 1977, the Hot Peppers continued in popularity and began a winning tradition under the continued coaching of Billy Roberts and the team became known as "ambassadors of Sierra Vista". One of the best winning seasons occured during these next years with the majority of the players coming from Buena. The core of the team later went on to play college softball and become college All Americans. The 1977 season was a winning one where the Peppers won 7 tourneys including state (which they had won several times) with a win/loss record of 71 and 12. That Hot Pepper team played together for the next six or seven years continuing through the summer when they came home from college. Members included Diane Brown(P), Debbie Brown (1st), Judy Fenske (2d), Judy Vallejos (OF), Tammie Ragatz (OF), Pam Ragatz (OF), Tamara Arnwine (1st), Yvonne Naterra (3d), Christy Fontes (SS), Fran Scott (1st), Becky Babuca (SS), Mary Cassidy(C), and Sandy Roberts (OF).
The Hot Peppers team played many colleges in the early spring to help promote scholarships for their players. These included the University of Arizona, ASU, Az Western, Pima Community College, Eastern Az and Central Az, The University of New Mexico, New Mexico State. The team competed in tourneys in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Colorado, Texas, and California.
Beginning in 1977, the team's sponsor was Meadowlark Lemon(who had been an instrumental player on the Halem Globetrotters) for several years. Interest grew in developing the younger players on a farm team called the Pepperettes, which was a 16 and under team coached by Don Bennett. They won the state title as well, at a time when youth teams were growing in popularity. Marcella Reyes, along with Kim Harder, Debbie Waynick, the Margargee sisters, Angie Robinson, Donna Opitz, Patty Shields, and Mary Flauta, to name only a few of the players of this time. The Hot Peppers were playing AA softball with the majority of their players 18 and under. The Peppers played in the Sun City Saint stadium against the 11 time AA Women's National Champion-Sun City Saints. The Peppers had their egos inflated when they were able to defeat the Saints in their own stadium-once-only once but it was a thrill. The Saints continued to invite the Sierra Vista team to play in their home park(which had carpeted dugouts, with ice cold lemonade in a large barrel, a bathroom, and packed stands). This was an adventure of a lifetime for the small town team that was gradually earning the respect of some of the top teams in the country. In the season of 1979 and 1980 the Peppers toured California and played the well-known Sepulveda Raiders, (at that time already a 5 time National Champion out of Long Beach) and they also traveled and toured in Canada for eleven days playing in two tourneys-competing in 14 games(their travel there was sponsored by Meadowlark Lemon). They took third in Calgary and took first place defeating the Canadian National Champs in Edmonton, Sascatchewan in 13 innings 1-0. The youngest players on the team were Elma Rude, and Nikki Woo (14). In 1982 Don Bennett took the older team to the Regionals to compete in the ASA Class A tourney while Sandy and Billy took their daughter Tisha and team to their first 12 and under nationals held in Kansas. We have selected out several specific seasons to mention as a thirty year history could extend for a long time and the list of players continues upward in the count. Several young players on the young farm team only played for a short time while others stayed and played from 3-5-7 years. (We apologize if we inadvertantly have not mentioned someone-time marches on). Coach 'Bill' decided to change the division of play the next year due to many of the older players moving away and to also start following their daughter as she began competitive play. The following season the Peppers converted to 14 and under tand then to 16 and under and finally to 18 and under.
In 1987 the team converted back to women's softball but still including several high school age players-still with Billy at the helm taking his team to another state championship. In 1988 the Peppers began a series of state titles, championships and a berth to the women's nationals in Tucson where they finished third with two players making All American. They returned again in 1989-1993 to play at Nationals. The team won the 1992 Class C ASA Nationals in Memphis Tennessee Both Sandy and Bill had the return of several of their earlier players to compose the team in the 1992 women's team. The team won their first couple of games and and then lost to be thrown into the losers bracket and they ended up playing in 9 games to win the National Championship. Bill and Sandy still had a youth team in the summer prior to the Nationals in 1993 and four of those players moved up from the youth team to play on the adult women's team. The 1993 tourney was also the last season that Sandy was an active player on the team roster in the women's games.
 | | Their daughter Tisha on First team pitcher at 92 ASA Nationals in Memphis Tenn |
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Realizing a DREAM-1992 National Championship
The members of the 1992 National Champions team were Tisha Roberts, Trish Magargee, Shuryl Margargee, Sandy Roberts, Jolynda Thompson, Sara Fernandez, Brenda Haines, Roberta Edwards, Paige Losey, Noel Geddes, Jenny Caporale, and Dee Foster, with 6 players making the ASA All American teams. Trish Holmes(Magargee) 1st string All American Catcher, Tisha Roberts 1st string All American Pitcher , Paige Losey 2d string All American Pitcher, and Jenny Caporale 2d string All American 1st base, Brenda Haynes 3d string All American Outfielder, and Robbie Edwards 3d string All American 3d base. The Peppers first National trip with Tisha had been in 1982 and exactly 10 years later the Pepper team won the title and their daughter Tisha was a member of that team.
In 1993 Megan Bivens, Dionne Russell, Jessica Russell and Jenny Bivens joined and played in the B Nationals in Glendale, Az. The coaches and members of the team were spotlighted on local television station in Phoenix to honor the Hot Pepper team because it was still under the same coaching management after so many years. Also, in that season there were two teams and Bill and Sandy coached 16 and under and then the women's team. The Peppers then continued on as a youth team to help develop young players from the area to later lead them into competitive college play. The Hot Peppers good reputation, competitive play and coaching have continued to help athletes open college play opportunities throughout the years.
In 1998, Clayton Lee and Jim Bell strived to keep the Pepper traditions going by joining with Bill and Sandy. They coached a 16 and under team while Bill and Sandy coached an 18 and under team. Gail Bell and Sally Lee helped run the administrative duties. Six of those players went on to play college ball including Amber Lee, Michelle Robinson, Linda Brenner, Jenny Bivens, Elizabeth Pearce, and Catherine Buckmire.
In 1999, the Hot Peppers were a 16 and under team with Bill as Head Coach and Clayton Lee as Assistant Coach. Under their guidance, the team had a very successful season, winning all but 4 games and also winning the ASA state, and Rocky Mountain Regional Championship and taking the team to Steamboat Springs, CO, for the USSSA National.Many players including Beth Stewart, Abbie Stewart, Haley Bell, Amanda Orosco, Sabrina Jessie, Mitsy Magdelena, Jenna Bell, Kelsy Baker, Kelly Nelson, Michelle Kraft, Shannon Wright, Nicole Pate,Tara Shaver and Ginger Lee.
Six more players from the team, Jenni Gordon, Sabrina Jessie, Audi Riviera, Lori Browning, Michelle Hofmann, and Haley Bell received scholarships to play college softball in succeeding years.
During the softball season, 2000, Clayton Lee spearheaded the play of an 18 and under Hot Peppers. Assisting Coach Lee was Bob Gierke with Sally Lee coordinating team arrangements. Continuing management duties were Bill and Sandy (Billy also helped continue his work as pitching coach). Clayton's 18 and under team was named the ASA Class B State Champions and attended the Regional play in Fort Collings, Colorado. So far from that team, Stacey Griffith is playing on sofball scholarship at El Paso Community College and Ginger Lee is considering several softball scholarship offers after graduation in May.
Bill and Sandy found that sitting back and only limiting their coaching was not enough when their grandsons moved and they had the need to become more involved. So they coached a 14 and under All Star team in the fall of 2000-that was it they became re-motivated with the players on that team-wanting to learn more about their skills and the game they were playing. Answering the call from numerous fans and players, Bill and Sandy will coach another 16 and under Hot Peppers team in the year 2001, as they celebrate the 30th year of the Hot Pepper Teams. They still have a softball expertise and love of the game to share and teach to many more players. So the tradition will continue again this season. Their team's main sponsor will be Circle B Auto and many numerous booster supporters from within the Sierra Vista surrounding area. Bill Roberts in the Head Coach and Tm Manager. Sandy will share coaching duties as well as continue the public relations duties for the team. Barbara Anderson is the Head Chairman of team committees(and urges anyone interested in contributing donations to the team to contact the Hot Peppers). Several of last years 18 and under team will be returning including GINGER LEE, TONIA RAMIREZ, JJ VALENCIA, BRIANNA LEE, CASSY ANDERSON, & KELLY GIERKE. In 2001, the Peppers won numberous tourneys including the Triple Crown Hall of Fame All American Nationals in the 16 and under Division in Albuquerque. Also returning to the Peppers this season will be veteran players BETH STEWART , ABBIE STEWART and Nicole Pate.
Noteworthy also is that several of this years 16 and under team are playing high school softball from Freshman through Varsity levels in three different high schools. The oldest player is 15 with the youngest being 13. Members of the 2001 16 and under Hot Peppers are: PATTY EGAN, JENNIFER SHERRY, CARA REDMOND, KARI TORESDAHL, SABRINA SMITH, LAURA McMILLAN, GENNIFER BROWN, MEGAN WILKERSON,NICHELLE STINSON, CHRISTINA GOMEZ, DEZERAY WEIKER, MICHELLE ANDERSON, JASMINE MARTAN, JOHANNA NEEDHAM, AND SANDY MEADOWS with CLANCY WILKERSON our bat boy. Our plate is full-the team is young-full of potential, great attitudes, outstanding softball skills and many goals.
Here we are in the year 2001 and about to continue an established softball tradition. There will be both a 16 and under and 18 and under team this year as we celebrate our 30th year of the Hot Peppers-WHO KNEW? Here in Sierra Vista we have been additionally honored by the recognition of momentos of our teams history and accomplishments in the newly named Hank Hauser Museum (part of the Ethel Berger Senior Center). Beginning with the very first team, continuing down the many years since the team was founded by Sandy and Bill, an exhibition is on display to the public of scrapbooks, programs, past uniforms, team photos, honors and their 1992 National Champion trophy. The exhibit will rotate monthly featuring different years of play including uniforms, team photos, scrapbooks with news clippings etc., (in the near future slides will be converted to be included in the exhibit of past years. In Sierra Vista at the new Applebees Restaurant out on Hwy 92, the team has once again received a place of recognition with a picture of the 2002 Hot Peppers on the walls and honoring all those teams and individuals who have played on the team for Bill and Sandy and coaches of the Pepperettes Don and Peggy Bennett, Clayton Lee, Jim Bell and Bob Gierke for their farm teams of the Peppers. also in the year 2002, the Hot Peppers placed second in the ASA B 16 and under Nationals in Midland, Texas. The season was very successful for the local team which won several tourneys, it was however a very difficult summer season for Bill and Sandy personally. Sandy's father had surgery in July and passed away soon after. The Peppers were in the middle of a very competitive summer of play but the assistant coach helped as well as several outstanding parents-Barb Anderson, Randy Redmond, Jim Anderson who all contributed to helping take the team to California for a TCS tourney. Bill returned to take the team through the Regional tourney and the championship and qualifying for the ASA Nationals. Sandy, Bill and Sandy's mom packed up and took the team to the ASA Nationals in Midland and also to a second place finish. Realizing the difficulty of travel for Sandy's mom in 2003, the coaches contacted the players and told them that they would have to not coach a team that coming summer and then proceeded to help the kids get on teams. Time passed and numerous requests by both players and parents brought the Coaches-Bill and Sandy back into coaching once again in 2004. Sandy's mom became one of their biggest fans on the road with the team. In the season of 2004, the Peppers once again repeated their phenomenal success with numerous tourney wins and concluding the season with another TCS All American Hall of Fame Championship in the 18 and under division of play.
(In the year 2003, it was also announced at a city council meeting that
the Community Center Field A softball field would be named after us-Coaches Bill and Sandy Roberts in honor of their 30 plus years of coaching the Hot Peppers softball teams. The dedication will take place soon. We want to apologize if we have forgotten to name some of our dear players and the honors that they received. Many scrapbooks with news articles can be found in the Sierra Vista library-please stop by and visit the museum.)
In the year 2004, the Hot Peppers will once again take to the softball fields and begin competitive play in the 18 and under division. Plans are being made for the start of the season and setting up tourney play. We hope that all of you come out and watch these young players who love this game of softball. Members of this team were Cara Redmond, Michelle Anderson, Brittny Baynes, Laura McMillan, Jaz Martan, Patty Egan, Ashley Chavez, Jenna Wright, Christina Gomez, Nicole Smith, Regina Nucci, Jesi Lee, Megan Wilkerson, Kari Toresdahl. We also began our work with an upcoming talented young player Meghan McIntosh.
Yes, the 30 year tradition keeps on a going. With the dedication of softball loving people like Billy, Sandy, and Tisha Roberts, Don and Jan Huthoefer, Meadowlark Lemon, Jim Bell, Gail Bell, Bob Gierke, Clayton and Sally Lee, Jackie Branning, Jim Stone, Barbara and Richard Anderson, Michael Denman, Don and Peggy Bennett, Nancy Brown, Ray and Jan Brown, Sue and Steve McKinney, Mike Egan, Randy Redmond, John Stokes, Gary Brown, the Toresdahls-WOW!Who knows-What each season will bring! Check back freqently and follow a team that is still making some HISTORY. Some of our past Pepper coaches have been Steve Nelson, Larry Townsend, Mike Denman, Don Bennett/Peggy Bennett, Mark, Jim Stone, Jackie Branning, Steve McKinney, Nancy Brown, Clayton Lee, Jim Bell, Bob Gierke, Bob Sherry, and Joey Huish
*There were many players too numerous to list but who were very important and instrumental to the longevity of the Hot Peppers. Softball scholarships have found their way into the lives of numerous Pepper players-just in 2006, the Peppers have five grads on scholarship and 6 slumni players returning to college on scholarship. Two Pepper alumni players were rostered as ASA Assistant Coaches this summer as well Michelle Hofman-named NCAA Div II MVP from the NAtional Championship-Angelo State University won the tourney and also Ginger Lee-graduate of Midland Junior College and Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Throughout the early years of the Peppers, the coaches -Bill and Sandy served as ASA District Commissioners. Bill served as a member of the Sierra Vista Parks and Recreation Commission and was named Coach of the Year numerous years. Both found time to also coach outside of the Peppers those kids who needed skill training-as volunteers. They also volunteered coaching at Buena High School for five years and then Sandy was given the chance to be the assistant varsity coach at Buena for five years. The couple was also nominated as Citizens of the Year here in Sierra Vista. Several players gained playing time with the Pepperettes our youth farm team under Coach Bennett. There have been well over 550 Hot Pepper Alumni with many players going on to play college softball including alumni players Grace Leteule-Michigan University, Mary Cassidy-UofA, Michelle Hoffman-Angelo State University, Sue Cross-UofA and so on. , many players becoming teachers, coaches, nurses, lawyers, social workers, business owners and parents of future Hot Peppers. The team has played internationally-taking a tour of Canada when they were sponsored by Meadowlark Lemon. Each season awakens happy memories and creates new ones for us all. Billy, Sandy and Tisha(their daughter) have dedicated their lives to the sport of fastpitch softball, through this team and have loved it. You know all in all-IT'S GREAT to be a part of so many lives. When we are asked years later what we remember most-it has to be ALL the FOLKS we have met through the play of the HOT PEPPERS-who became an important part of our softball FAMILY. THANKS FOR ALL THOSE GREAT MEMORIES.
Please come down to the ball fields and watch the Peppers play-and probably years from now Bill and I will be sitting near the dugout(one of our favorite spots) 'CATCHING THAT OLD SOFTBALL FEVER' LETS PLAY SOFTBALL!!!
Sandy and Bill Roberts
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