Lindsay Edwards in front of the developments at the Whanganui Ball Park. Photo / Mike Tweed
Whanganui's Lindsay Edwards' 50-plus year commitment to softball has been recognised on the highest stage.
He was inducted into the World Baseball Softball Confederation (Hall of Fame) this week, an honour he said had blown him away.
"I got a call at about 10pm from Tony Giles [Softball New Zealand chief executive], who said he had some wonderful news.
"Tony had just got out of the convention in Taipei."
Edwards said he had taken the natural progression from playing to coaching to umpiring.
For the past 25 years he has also been involved in administrating at the Whanganui Softball Association, and was currently on the committee.
He got into softball at age 18.
"I used to play cricket but it took too long and I got sick of getting caught on the boundary after waiting all day to get a bat.
"A friend of mine who lived around the corner played softball so I thought I'd give it a go as well.
"I've never looked back, really."
Edwards represented Whanganui, Hastings, and the New Zealand Combined Services during his playing years.
"We had a very good Whanganui side in those days.
"I was lucky enough to catch to a guy by the name of Eric Wilson. He was a very, very good pitcher who played for New Zealand."
Some of his fondest memories playing in Whanganui involved his Aces team battling the Braves for a place in the national championships.
"We would have a five-match series and it was always close."
Edward's umpiring career began in 1988 and has taken him to world champs, junior world champs, and in 2005 he officiated at the International Softball Congress in Fargo, USA.
A major inspiration in that department was former Whanganui resident and umpiring chief of New Zealand, the late Charlie Phillips.
Phillips was the first New Zealander to play, umpire and administer softball internationally.
"He had all the attributes you needed as an umpire - professionalism, absolute detail, and player control," Edwards said.
"Charlie is also in the hall of fame."
Fellow committee member Kay Kotuhi-Brown said Edwards was the "go-to person" when it came to softball in Whanganui.
"We've got a really great committee, and everybody does everything for the love and betterment of the sport in Whanganui, whether that's senior softball coming back last season or the new grounds being developed.
"Lindsay plays a big part in all of that - development, getting funding, just everything."
Players of all ages knew who Edwards was, Kotuhi-Brown said.
"You can ask the young kids or the senior people.
"He's great and so is his family. His daughter Paula [Darlington] is also on the committee.
"Throughout the 50 years he's been involved I don't think there would be one person who would say he didn't deserve it [the induction]."
The Whanganui Ball Park in Gonville is currently undergoing a major redevelopment, with the diamond to be renamed the Don Brewer Diamond.
"Don founded the Braves club and was also an umpire," Edwards said.
"He was responsible for getting this [park] up and running and the way it is today."
The park itself was perfect for viewing, and softball in Whanganui had always been family friendly, Edwards said.
He recently retired, after a 27-year career in sports retail.
"I'm not going anywhere. They [Whanganui Softball Association] are going to need a grounds person - someone to do some weeding and making sure the lawns are mowed.
"This is my happy place, I just love it.
"I've been bloody lucky. Good people have helped me along the way, and I couldn't have done it without the support of my family and my wife Annette."