{{short description|Professional softball team}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} The '''Cincinnati Rivermen''' were a professional [[softball]] team who played at Newport Recreation Center in [[Newport, Kentucky]] in the [[men's professional softball leagues|North American Softball League (NASL)]] during the 1980 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Cincinnati_Rivermen|title=Cincinnati Rivermen - Ohio History Central|website=ohiohistorycentral.org}}</ref>
==League history== Cincinnati was represented by the [[Cincinnati Suds]], who played in the first professional league, the [[men's professional softball leagues|American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL)]], beginning with the founding of that league in 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.softballhistoryusa.com/kentucky-bourbons/|title=Kentucky Bourbons – Softball History USA|website=www.softballhistoryusa.com}}</ref> But 1980 was a year of division in professional softball as the [[Cleveland Stepien's Competitors]], the [[Fort Wayne Huggie Bears]] and the [[Milwaukee Schlitz]] broke away from the APSPL to form a new league, the North American Softball League, under the leadership of [[Cleveland Stepien's Competitors]] owner [[Ted Stepien]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64663193/pittsburgh-post-gazette/|title=Clipped From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=April 24, 1980|pages=11|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The Cincinnati Suds continued in the reduced numbers of the APSPL.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64668331/democrat-and-chronicle/|title=Clipped From Democrat and Chronicle|date=March 24, 1980|pages=35|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Stepien placed NASL teams in several APSPL markets, including [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]], [[Pittsburgh]], and [[Cincinnati]] with the Rivermen. Stepien owned 6 of the 8 teams in the NASL, with only Milwaukee and Fort Wayne having local ownership.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64306795/the-pittsburgh-press/|title=Clipped From The Pittsburgh Press|date=May 8, 1980|pages=4|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The owner of the [[Pittsburgh Hardhats (softball)|Pittsburgh Hardhats]] of the APSPL brought an unsuccessful challenge in federal court in an attempt to prevent splitting the young professional sport.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64982230/the-pittsburgh-press/|title=Clipped From The Pittsburgh Press|date=March 9, 1980|pages=84|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64668298/pittsburgh-post-gazette/|title=Clipped From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=June 19, 1980|pages=61|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64666599/detroit-free-press/|title=Clipped From Detroit Free Press|date=March 8, 1980|pages=33|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64666746/detroit-free-press/|title=Clipped From Detroit Free Press|date=March 8, 1980|pages=37|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
Stepien went into the APSPL markets trying to lure talent away as well. He hired Donnie Rardin, former [[Kentucky Bourbons]] player, to play and serve as General Manager for the [[Lexington Stallions]], and did the same in Pittsburgh with Roger Snatchko, former Pittsburgh Hardhat, who would lead the new [[Pittsburgh Champions]]. It was much the same in Cincinnati, hiring former Sud Mike LaFever to play and serve as General Manager. LaFever would then draw even more talent from his former team, splitting the Cincinnati professional ranks just before the season was to begin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64876627/the-cincinnati-enquirer/|title=Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=April 21, 1980|pages=28|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64397063/lexington-leader/|title=Clipped From Lexington Leader|date=May 16, 1980|pages=16|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65739125/lexington-leader/|title=Clipped From Lexington Leader|date=May 16, 1980|pages=20|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The Suds would play the 1980 APSPL season at the [[Crosley Field]] replica in nearby [[Union, Kentucky]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64876086/the-cincinnati-enquirer/|title=Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=June 27, 1980|pages=20|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Cincinnati Rivermen==
General Manager and outfielder Mike Lafever brought several Suds players to the Rivermen as outfielders Greg Sandy, Mike O'Brien and Jim Tuttle, player-manager Paul Campbell and infielders Jim Kuhn and Mike LaVangie came to the new team with extensive experience gained with the Suds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64677158/the-cincinnati-enquirer/|title=Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=April 21, 1980|pages=28|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The Rivermen missed the NASL playoffs with a 25-37 (.403), 10.5 games behind the Eastern Division winning [[Detroit Auto Kings]] and 5.5 games behind 2nd place Cleveland. Riverman Jim Kuhn added to the Cleveland-Cincinnati rivalry in June with a bench-clearing brawl with Cleveland pitcher Dana Andry, which resulted in NASL Commissioner Robert Brown suspending Kuhn for a pair of games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65739517/the-cincinnati-enquirer/|title=Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=June 20, 1980|pages=18|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65739793/the-cincinnati-enquirer/|title=Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=June 21, 1980|pages=14|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> In late July, Cincinnati was 2.5 games behind Cleveland for a playoff spot A late-season 6th game, a three double-header sweep in Detroit cemented the 3rd place finish on the season for the Rivermen.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65739920/the-cincinnati-enquirer/|title=Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=July 25, 1980|pages=17|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65740289/detroit-free-press/|title=Clipped From Detroit Free Press|date=August 16, 1980|pages=33|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65740106/detroit-free-press/|title=Clipped From Detroit Free Press|date=August 18, 1980|pages=49|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65740088/detroit-free-press/|title=Clipped From Detroit Free Press|date=August 17, 1980|pages=71|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
Mike LaFever (34 HRs, 88 RBIs) and player-manager Paul Campbell (.514 BA) made the NASL all-pro team for the Rivermen.<ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64876576/the-cincinnati-enquirer/|title=Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=June 20, 1980|pages=18|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Mike O'Brien and Jim Tuttle (24 HRs) represented the Rivermen at the mid-season NASL All-Star game in [[Willoughby, Ohio]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65739262/the-cincinnati-enquirer/|title=Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=July 10, 1980|pages=42|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.softballhistoryusa.com/category/other/nasl/|title=NASL – Softball History USA|website=www.softballhistoryusa.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.softballhistoryusa.com/professional-slow-pitch-softball-history/|title=Professional Slow Pitch Softball History – Softball History USA|website=www.softballhistoryusa.com}}</ref>
The NASL and the Cincinnati Rivermen franchise lasted only one season.<ref name="auto2"/> After the season, the NASL and the APSPL officially merged, but only the Milwaukee Schlitz would go to the new United Professional Softball League (UPSL) and the Rivermen disbanded. Of note, the Cincinnati Suds had their worst record in their six seasons of professional softball in the divided year of 1980 and would rebound to a league-leading best record in 1981. Rivermen (O'Brien, LaFever, Campbell) were members of the 1981 UPSL champion Kentucky Bourbons squad and O'Brien would deliver a game-winning hit for Kentucky in the semi-finals to end the Suds shot at a title.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64981897/the-courier-journal/|title=Clipped From The Courier-Journal|date=May 16, 1981|pages=8|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.softballhistoryusa.com/category/other/uspl/|title=USPL – Softball History USA|website=www.softballhistoryusa.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65531399/the-courier-journal/|title=Clipped From The Courier-Journal|date=August 31, 1981|pages=19|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The UPSL folded after the 1982 season, bringing an end to the professional softball era for men in the United States as players returned once again to amateur leagues.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.softballhistoryusa.com/|title=Softball History USA – This site is dedicated to collecting the history of the great sport of softball.|website=www.softballhistoryusa.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://detroitcaesars.weebly.com/|title=Detroit Caesars|website=Detroit Caesars}}</ref>
==Cincinnati Rivermen record==
{| class="wikitable" |- style="background: #F2F2F2;" ! Year !! Record !! Pct !! Finish !! Division !! Playoffs !! League |- align=center | 1980 || 25-37 || .403 || 3rd || Eastern || - || NASL |- align=center |}
==See also== * [[Sports in Cincinnati, Ohio]]
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == *[https://funwhileitlasted.net/2014/03/07/1977-1982-cincinnati-suds-softball/ Cincinnati Suds on Fun While It Lasted] *[https://www.angelfire.com/sd/slopitch/pro.html Softball History Data] *[https://www.softballhistoryusa.com/ Softball History USA] *[https://detroitcaesars.weebly.com/ Detroit Caesars Online Home] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20190324200635/https://www.teamusa.org/usa-softball/national-softball-hall-of-fame National Softball Hall of Fame]
[[Category:Softball teams in Ohio]] [[Category:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1982]] [[Category:Sports clubs and teams established in 1977]] [[Category:1977 establishments in Ohio]] [[Category:1982 disestablishments in Ohio]] [[Category:men's professional softball teams]] [[Category:Sports clubs and teams in Cincinnati]] [[Category:Newport, Kentucky]]