Ideally Brian Rothrock would have liked to have been pitching in the major leagues. As fate would have it, Rothrock spent three years pitching in the Minnesota Twins organization.But, after being shuffled around coupled with arm problems, Rothrock decided to give up professional baseball and return to Central Illinois to try fast pitch softball. It was a move neither he or his teams would regret. Although struggling at first to find his stroke, he eventually found it and developed into one of the game’s most feared hitters during the 11 years he played major fast pitch for teams in Illinois, including nine years for Decatur, IL. Between 1981-1989 Rothrock batted .335 with 928 hits in 2,770 at-bats and hit 148 doubles, 72 triples and 181 homers or at least 20 per year against some of the best pitching in the United States. Only once did he hit below . 300 (.298 in 1982) and in 1988 batted .411 and .379 in 1985. That season included 33 homers, 106 RBIs, 21 doubles, eight triples, 128 hits and 100 runs scored. His 1985 performance helped Decatur place runner-up in the national championship. It also placed second in 1982,1983 and 1984 plus won the national title in 1981, Brian’s first year with the team. Rothrock batted .283 in nine nationals and five times was named an ASA All-American. He led the 1988 ASA national in batting with a .458 average and in 1983 shared the home run leadership with three. He batted .286 in four Olympic Festivals and starred in two World Championships.
