The History of JPL Softball's C League

Ed McNevin started the first JPL slo-pitch softball league in 1968. Ed soon saw the need for a less competitive coed softball program to include more people, and in 1975 (approximately) he started the B league. Then in 1979 (approximately), Ed founded the casual C league, with more coed participation, for almost anyone who wanted to play softball. Every year C League plays a spring/summer season of approximately 15 to 19 games during the 20 weeks running from mid-April to the end of August.

C League at its founding had the highest requirements on participation by female players, and it was the only non-competitive fun league, with no league standings kept. At the height of softball's popularity at JPL in the late 1980s or early 1990s, various offshoots of B and C leagues also sprung up, including B Minor, Coed, and D leagues. All of these spinoff leagues were more competitive than C League, and only Coed League had a higher female participation requirement. C League to this day has remained the only non-competitive fun league within the JPL Softball Program for three decades.

The C league was particularly successful. At its maximum there were 30 teams, each with more players than the more competitive league teams, typically 20-25 players. Hundreds of JPLers, contractors and family members were involved in the program. Finally, in the mid-1980s, Ed had to delegate some authority to a League Council composed of officers, commissioners for each league, and the team managers.

Ed's favorite result in the C league was a tie game. If his team was too far ahead, he would send out a very interesting set of players and defensive alignment. This was before he instituted C League's novel mercy rule that permits play to continue, while handicapping the stronger team from amassing an even bigger lead.

Ed McNevin remained the czar of all JPL softball leagues through 1986, at which time the program had expanded to include nearly 50 teams, and this was more than any one person could manage. Starting in 1987, Ed divested responsibility for C League to new league co-commissioners Sam Dolinar and Ray Morris. In 1991, Ray remained as commissioner of C League after Sam became treasurer of the JPL Softball Program. Within a few years, the C League commissioner's post was assumed by Charlie Kaczinski, who has continued in that position ever since.

Participation in C League peaked in 1987 and 1988. C League had 29 teams in 1987 and 30 teams at the start of 1988. A team of co-op students joined halfway through the 1988 season, thus establishing the league's all-time record of 31 teams. JPL's softball program continued to grow through 1989 and 1990, but C League lost a handful of teams who opted to join the newly formed Coed or B Minor leagues. Participation during the 21st century has stabilized at 12 to 15 teams.

Richard Chen launched C League's original website in 1997, and archival html records are available online for every season from 1997 onward. For the two decades of C League's history prior to 1997, archival records exist only on paper. Scanned pdfs of the early C League historical records will be posted on this website as they become available.

Long-time veterans of C League are requested to contact Sam Dolinar (4-7403) and submit copies or scans of any ancient records that they possess, so that these records can be added to the historical archives of this website.

C League past seasons: 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | pre-1997