TODD JOERLING

Softball

Born: May 12, 1963, New Melle, MO
Position: Shortstop
Played For: Steele’s Silver Bullets, Lighthouse, Bell Corporation

One of the most decorated players in the annals of Independent Sports Association history, Todd Joerling has played on four Super World Series championship teams and another four runners-up teams.

In 1989, Joerling broke into the Major ranks of softball with the Steele’s Silver Bullets out of Grafton, Ohio, where he remained until the 1991 season. In 1991 Todd played for Lighthouse/Sunbelt of Stone Mountain, Ga. From 1992-94 Todd played for Woody Bell’s Bell Corporation in Tampa, Fla., and in 1995 Bell Corp. teamed with Wayne Williams to form the Bell Corp/Sunbelt team. From 1996-1998 Todd remained with Wayne Williams and played for Sunbelt/Dan Smith. In 1999 Todd played with Team Easton. He then back to Bell Corp in 2000.

In his career, Todd was a part of 11 national championship teams, a 19-time All-World selection and a two-time National Tournament MVP. Todd is a fivetime national batting average champion, a one-time World Series batting champion and a two-time Gold Glove, as well as playing on countless All-Tournament teams.

The man from Defiance, Mo., was named to Super World Series teams in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2002, and 2003. Besides the above mentioned teams Joerling has also played with Lighthouse/Sunbelt/Worth and Bell Corp. of Tampa, Fla., and Bell Corp/Sunbelt/Easton.

Todd made Supreme Softball’s first team seven out of eight years and was selected as a member of the All-Century Team and was a first team shortstop on the All-Decade team for the 1990’s. As of Todd’s induction into the National Softball Association Sports Hall of Fame; his lifetime batting average is .720.

Joerling’s achievements on the field are only superseded by his character both on and off the field. Todd is a genuine ambassador for the sport of softball. Because of his gentle manner in which he carries the ambassador banner, Todd has been called the modern day Bruce Meade.

Joerling stands as one of softballs’ alltime truly great people, and quite possibly the greatest shortstop the game has ever known. In November 2001, Joerling became the fifth player to be inducted into the National Softball Association (NSA) Hall of Fame.

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