Originally a fast pitch player, Frank (Hooks) DeLuca switched to slow pitch in 1958. It was a decision neither he nor the Avco Lycoming team would regret during the next 13 years. During that time, DeLuca hurled the Stratford, CT team to a pair of Men’s Major Industrial Slow Pitch national titles (1968 and 1969), in compiling an overall mound record of 737 wins and 121 losses for a winning percentage of .859. In national championship play, DeLuca had a 28-7 record with an ERA of 4.41 and a .525 batting average. His lifetime batting average was .484. In the 1968 national tourney, DeLuca was 8-1 and had an ERA of 2.71. In 1969 he was undefeated in six games and had an ERA of 2.84. Following the 1968 national, Avco swept a four-game series against the Industrial Slow Pitch All-Stars, winning 8-2, 21-5, 13-5 and 14-5. DeLuca hurled all four games with his “never know” pitching style and batted .417. DeLuca was the first industrial slow pitch player elected to the ASA Hall of Fame. He was born July 11, 1929 and had a 26-year softball career, starting with Lombard’s in 1945 and ending with Avco Lycoming in 1971.
