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 Henry “Hank” Hess · Hank stared playing fast pitch softball in 1944, at the age of 35 years, after playing many years of baseball. · After his first game of softball, Hank found out that the ball wasn’t soft and the spikes were very sharp, so he decided to become the first catcher in Dutchess County Softball to wear shin guards and a chest protector and a good mask behind the plate. · In his career of 15 years, Hank played on many great teams in Dutchess County, such as: Western Printing in the city Industrial League. This team won many championships and consistently finished in the playoffs. · Hank also started on the famous Allan All-Star Team, that won the Eastern Regional Tournament in 1945 and went to the next round in Syracuse, where they lost in the finals. · Hank also played with the Esquire Team in the Poughkeepsie Major League which won the league championship in 1946. This team also won the Eastern State Championship and traveled to the state championship in Cobleskill, where they lost in the semi-final. This was a single elimination tournament. · Hank caught for many top teams in the Poughkeepsie area including: The Dells, the Booth Hose, the Pirate Canoe Club and also the Valentine Express, which also won their league championship. · Valentine Express often traveled to Connecticut to play the Raybestos Cardinal team, and once beat them in a doubleheader where Hank went 4 for 8, including a home run. · Hank had an outstanding throwing arm and not many base runners would try to steal a base on him. · Hank had a career batting average over his many of his years playing of .310. Not bad for an individual who did not start playing until the twilight of his career. · In 1979, when Joe Costine started the Dutchess County Hall of Fame, he chose Hank to serve on the selection committee as a charter member. Hank still serves on this committee. · In 1982, Chick Chivelli started a new Fast Pitch Softball League and asked Hank to serve on the board of directors. · In 1976, Hank was named by the Poughkeepsie Elk’s Club as the Outstanding Senior Citizen in sports in Dutchess County, at their Night of Champions Awards Ceremony. · In 1979, Hank was inducted into the Dutchess County Fast Pitch Hall of Fame. · In 1986, Hank was inducted into the Dutchess County Sports Museum Hall of Fame for Meritorious Service to Sports. · In addition to softball, Hank was also active in handball, where he is a member of the YMCA Hall of Fame. Hank has had an outstanding career in fast pitch softball and has proven himself over his years of playing and keeping softball alive in Dutchess County, to be very deserving of induction into the New York State Hall of Fame | Hall of Fame Photo Album | Hamilton Bio | Marx Bio | Staples Bio | Dorazio Bio | Farrell Bio | Katcher Bio | Plummer Bio | Snyder Bio | Aurigemma Bio | Houck Bio | Veronesi Bio | GWilliams Bio | Charles Bio | Herman Bio | Caprara Bio | Crane Bio | Held Bio | Lewenn Bio | Stewart Bio | Clavio Bio | Craver Bio | Doxsey Bio | Love Bio | McKenna Bio | McSweeney Bio | Costine Bio | Crisci Bio | Valachovic Bio | DeFligio Bio | Hess Bio | Caserto Bio | Dardano Bio | Ong Bio | Gaffney Bio | Mott Bio | Schneider Bio | Calcagino Bio | Chiavelli Bio | Curtin Jack | Durante Bio | Molinaro Bio | Berman Bio | Dumah Bio | Horton Bio | Key Bio | Petrillo Bio | Vasenelli Bio | Butch Veronesi Bio | Wells Bio | Castle Bio | Gallo Bio | Moresco Bio | Morien Bio | Zovistoski Bio | Lashomb Bio | Taurisano Bio | Argento Bio | Brown Bio | Masco Bio | Boise Bio | Chappell Bio | Fetterly Bio | Goyette Bio | Millard Bio | Rathburn Bio | Hoffman Bio | Kerr Bio | Partigianoni Bio | Passante Bio | Sanford Bio | Barker Bio | Chetney Bio | Foland Bio | Eggleston Bio | Richard Johnson Bio | Savona Bio | Bosch Bio | Kusmuk Bio | Walsh Bio | Soricelli Bio | Jan Fetterly Bio | Blum Bio | Gears Bio | Tom Castle Bio | Jan Fetterly Bio | | Francis E. Mott Hall of Fame | Fred Schneider Memorial Scholarship Award | | Return Home | Commissoner's Desk | Officers & Commissioners | Umpires | Awards & Hall of Fame | Tournament Information | Great Links | Photos | Contact Us | |
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