It didn’t matter to Kay Rich if opposing pitchers were throwing from 35 feet or 38 feet. She would get her share of hits and hit for a high average during a brilliant 21-year career that established her as one of the greatest all-around players in softball history. Rich starred in an era when high average hitters were rather the exception instead of the rule. Except if you were Rich, who batted .400 or higher three times in ASA national championship play and in the 1955 national tourney hit an eye-popping .611, including 10 hits and 10 RBIs. Between 1949 and 1957, Kay appeared in eight national championships and batted .371 (53-for-143) and had a fielding percentage of .974 with 99 putouts, 87 assists and only five errors. She batted .444 in the 1949 national championship when the distance from home plate to the pitcher’s mound was 35 feet. In 1952, the distance from home plate to the pitcher’s mound was increased from 35 to 38 feet and Kay again batted .400, with six of her eight hits for extra bases and a tourney-leading 17 total bases. She also was outstanding on defense with a 1.000 fielding percentage with 27 assists and 14 putouts. Rich played every position but pitcher on the softball field and there wasn’t any doubt that she would have done well as a pitcher if she wanted. She had an accurate arm and a smooth, easy throwing motion whatever position she played. Rich was named an ASA All-America eight times. In 1954, she was named national tourney MVP after batting .316. Rich passed away on July 1, 2017.
