Combining to play 15 seasons across three different teams, including the legendary Raybestos Cardinals, Franklin Cardinals and Worchester Interstate Batterymen, Tom Penders won five National Championships and is considered as one of the greatest Fast Pitch players ASA/USA Softball has ever seen. Named first-team All-American in the 1975 and 1976 National Championships, Tom always found a way to get on base or get a key hit in the game. Fourteen ASA National Tournaments and six National ASA Finals also marked his notable career in addition to his performance on the 1984 WBSC World Games with Team USA, where they earned the Bronze Medal. Accumulating five National Championship rings is a feat only having accomplished by a handful of players during the 1969-84 era. Penders established a much-deserved reputation as a player who could serve in all areas of the game, becoming a defensive star in addition to his timely hits offensively. Contributing to the success of the 1976 National Championship team with the Raybestos Cardinals, he set a tournament record for highest fielding percentage, committing zero errors. A legendary NCAA men’s basketball coach, it was inevitable his path would lead to a career in softball as he grew up alongside his dad, who was an ASA Commissioner in Stratford. Throughout his playing career, Penders was a versatile player who was willing to do whatever it took for the good of the team.
