Gordie Hetrick inducted into USA Softball of Michigan Hall of Fame

Gordon 'Gordie' Hetrick

   Among the newest members of the USA Softball Hall of Fame of Michigan is Gordon ‘Gordie’ Hetrick—a 1964 Fowlerville High School graduate. Hetrick, age 70 and a Perry resident, was inducted into the Hall this past Saturday (Jan. 21) at a ceremony in Midland.

   Nominating him for this honor was Harold Krueger of Howell, who is also in the Hall of Fame and has been the coach of several fast-pitch softball and baseball teams that Hetrick played on over the years. Hetrick said that Krueger, along with his two daughters, Lindsay and Lacey, were planning to attend the induction ceremony.

    In published comments, Krueger described Gordie as “one of the most deserving nominees ever,” adding, “He’s a jock. If anybody ever belonged in pro ball, it was Gordie Hetrick.”

   A press release issued by the USA Softball of Michigan stated that, “Gordie not only exhibited a talent on the field that was special, but was a leader who inspired you to do your best. He demonstrated this at all times and expected you to do the same.”

    Hetrick recalled that he started playing competitive fast pitch for a team in the Webberville Men’s League shortly after he’d finished college. He was soon playing for squads in other leagues, including Lansing, Corunna, Flint, and Ann Arbor. He noted that early on, he was also a member of the Lansing All-Stars, a semi-pro football team. “On some nights during the season I’d go from football practice to a softball game,” he said.

   “I started out playing shortstop, third base, and second base and occasionally pitched,” he said. “Early on, I had a ball game nearly every night.”

    While men’s fast-pitch games were usually low-scoring affairs due to the ability of the pitchers, Hetrick said he enjoyed success at the plate both by getting hits and by being fast. “There were guys who you couldn’t hit, so you bunted them and needed to beat out the throw,” he explained. He added that fast-pitch is a quick-paced game and making a mistake could cost your team the game.      

     While playing in the various leagues occupied much of his summer week nights, he also played for teams in weekend tournaments and participated in the state and national tournaments. “In those post-season tournaments, a player could only play on one team so you had to decide which one to declare for,” he said.

   The goal was to win the state tournament and then move onto the national event. Hetrick played on teams that did just that and, being a competitor, he expected others to share that aspiration. But not everyone did.

    As he related the story, he was 55 years old—a good deal older than the other players--when his team won the state tournament. We were now qualified to go to the nationals, but not all of the guys wanted to go. Some of the younger ones wanted to go hunting or do something else.”

    By then, he added, he’d played with three different generations of players. Seeing that lack of interest, which was a foreign sentiment to him, he decided to end his fast-pitch playing then and there.

   But he did not exactly hang up the bat and glove. Hetrick had been playing baseball in Flint and by then was in a senior league, so he continued his participation. “I started out in a 30 & Over League and was about 10 years older than the rest of the players,” he said. “I then joined the 40 & Over League in my early 50’s, and the 50 & Over League when I was 63.”

   He also has taken part in the state and national tournaments, just as he did when playing softball. He recently played (as he has before) in the Roy Hobbs Baseball League held in Fort Myers, Florida.

   “The older you get, the number of players and teams in these (senior) leagues narrows down,” he said. “But you still have players, like me, who are lifetime players and want to continue.”

    WHILE THE INDUCTION INTO THE HALL OF FAME recognizes his long and successful career in fast-pitch softball and while he’s still playing competitive baseball at age 70 (a noteworthy fact in itself), Hetrick’s athletic career—both as a player and coach—has other highlights, ones that date back to his high school days and include other sports.

   Gordie, who was born in 1946, grew up on a dairy farm on Bull Run Road, south of Fowlerville. His parents are the late Paul, Sr. and Marcella Hetrick.  The family includes his older brother, Paul, Jr. and  younger brother, Wade.

   “I played a lot of sports contest with the other kids in our neighborhood,” he recalled. “Football in the fall, basketball and hockey in the winter, and baseball in the spring and summer. I had a basket in the barn, putting it wherever the hay wasn’t. I remember trying to punt my football to see if I could clear the high-tension wires. I played baseball on a church league, and we had a 4-H team that I pitched for that went to the state tournament at Michigan State.”

    Hetrick recalled that the late Bob Mohre, when he was a coach and physical education teacher at Fowlerville Schools, would have a baseball work-up every Saturday at the old Centennial Field. “He was the pitcher, and he’d throw to your ability so you could practice hitting. When you weren’t at the plate, you took turns playing at different positions. I used to ride my bike ten miles into town to take part.”

    In high school, his talent and competitive nature made him an outstanding player. He was on the varsity football, basketball, and baseball teams for three years, starting as a sophomore during the 1961-62 school year and was also a sprinter on the track team.

    As the starting quarterback his junior year, the Gladiators went undefeated with one tie to earn a co-championship in the old Ingham County League. During his senior year, the team was undefeated until the final game against an also undefeated Howell squad. The Glads lost that non-conference game 19-14, but did have the consolation of another ICL title. Hetrick was an All-State Honorable Mention that year in addition to his All-League honors.

   In basketball, the teams he played on won league titles and, as a personal highlight, Hetrick was named as a Class B All-State player his senior year.

   In baseball, he was named all-League his sophomore year as a second baseman. “We won the Lansing Area Diamond Classic that season,” he noted. He also did some pitching in high school, noting that he threw a knuckle-ball curve. At the plate, he accumulated a .518 batting average during those three years.

    Looking at college and a chance to continue his athletic career, Hetrick initially paid a visit to Central Michigan University where he was being offered a full-ride scholarship to play basketball. But before going to see that coach, he decided to visit the Chippewas’ football coach, Red Kelly, with the intention of seeing if he might be able to play both sports.

   “I had my coach (Chuck Brigham) with me,” Gordie recalled. “Kelly’s first words were, ‘You’ve got to put on 15 pounds or you can’t play with me.’ I didn’t say anything. Coach Brigham talked with him for a little while and then we left. I didn’t bother to see the basketball coach. The place didn’t seem like a good fit to me.”

    Instead, he accepted a scholarship offer to play basketball for Lake Superior College in Sault Ste. Marie.   When Hetrick enrolled, Lake Superior was a two-year college but was transitioning into a four-year university. “After my sophomore year, I decided to transfer to Alma so I could play football,” he said. “I was asked to stay, but I wanted to play additional sports.”

   While at Alma, he participated in four sports, as he had in high school, and earned eight letters. “In football, I played defensive back, was platooned at quarterback, and punted,” he said. “I averaged 21 points a game in basketball, I played centerfield and pitched on the baseball team, and ran track.”

   He was named to the All-MIAA Teams in both football and basketball and was named a NIAA All-American defensive back. As a bit of poetic justice, which he still relishes at age 70, Hetrick received his All-American plaque at a ceremony from Coach Red Kelly of CMU. Still another highlight was scoring 28 points in a basketball game that Alma won against the Chippewa squad.

   Gordie had majored in business administration and education in college and, after earning his Bachelor’s degree, planned to become a high school teacher and coach.

   A summer job for a concrete basement company changed that career path, he said. “I got hired right out of college as an assistant coach in football and basketball at Okemos High School, and I was student teaching,” he said. “I had an offer to teach and coach at a small school, but I was working at a job that summer for Lansing Poured Walls and was getting married. Jerry West, who was an All-American lineman at MSU, was also on the crew. Everything was competitive with us, and I really enjoyed the physical work.”

   Hetrick turned down the teaching offer and continued working for the pour wall company for several years and then bought his own equipment and started All-American Concrete. He has also taken different coaching jobs over the years. His resume includes helping out with the girls softball and boys junior varsity basketball teams at both Fowlerville and Perry High Schools, being a coach for the girls fast-pitch team at Lansing Community College, and serving as an assistant coach for the girls softball squad at Olivet College.

    Nowadays, he provides individual instruction as a pitching coach for some high school and college softball players along with occasionally doing a pour-wall basement job. And, as mentioned, he still plays baseball.

   Commenting on his passion for sports, Gordie said, “I grew up doing it. I love the competition. I might not be as fast or as good as I once was, but I still enjoy playing. I also like coaching, showing young people how to play the game and helping improve their skills.”