When fast pitch fans discuss the outstanding pitchers in the early days of the Amateur Softball Association one name that is mentioned often is Harry (Coon) Rosen. Rosen played in the first ASA National Championship in 1933, hurling J.L. Friedman Jewelers of Chicago, IL to the title by beating Briggs Beautyware of Detroit, MI 5-1. Rosen fanned 16 batters and allowed one hit in handing Briggs its only loss of the season. The Jewelers finished the year 108-11. According to Rosen, he appeared in the national championship every year before retiring after the 1946 season. In the 1933 championship, Rosen said he won eight games, pitched five no-hitters and hurled 71 innings, striking out 160 batters. Rosen, who said he hurled 300 no-hitters and 195 perfect games in his legendary career, was featured in a 1935 “Ripley’s Believe It or Not,” for allowing one hit in two games while striking out 37 of 39 batters, yet lost both games, 1-0. Rosen played for teams in Phoenix, AZ, Lettuce Kings, Chicago, IL and Los Angeles, CA. He was born June 25, 1908 in Lincoln, NE, but grew up in Chicago where he played baseball at Turley High School. At the University of Illinois, Rosen starred in baseball and football and in his senior year batted .368 to lead the University to the Big Ten Conference title. In 1999, Rosen was named one of the 100 best athletes in the history of Arizona, finishing 64th. Rosen passed away January 4th, 1997 in Sun City, CA at 88.
