Balls, Bats, & Family: The History of the SFAAA

09/11/2026

Patrick Herman, one of the founding members of the Fort Lauderdale Manatease that served as a backbone of SFAAA, was found deceased in his Orlando home on Monday, according to a Facebook post by the Orlando Front Runners.
Patrick was 69 years old.
The Orlando Sentinel has reported that Crime Scene Investigators have been inside Patrick’s home the last two days collecting evidence. The Orlando Front Runners post reports that police have a suspect in custody.
Patrick recently shared his story with Balls, Bats & Family: The History of the SFAAA, about coming out gay, playing softball, and what it meant to return to Wimberly Fields in Oakland Park as SFAAA celebrated its 30th anniversary. The link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpMNfPYjcLY
“Patrick was not only one of the pioneers that built our SFAAA family but one of the kindest and most giving people I have ever met. I am heartbroken,” SFAAA co-founder Jim Stork says.
In addition to his involvement with SFAAA and the Orlando Front Runners, Patrick performed in the Orlando Gay Chorus and also participated in the OGC oral history project.
Patrick will be deeply missed by all who knew him. We hold his friends and loved ones in our thoughts, and hope justice is swiftly brought to anyone responsible.

A must watch story for anyone who has struggled with being gay. Pa...

08/31/2026

Before the formation of the SFAAA, there was a team called the Manatease that played in the city leagues of Fort Lauderdale. Patrick Herman was one of the founding players of that team, which served as the backbone for our league.

Patrick’s story is a must-watch for anyone who has struggled with coming out. He talks about the difficulties of coming out in the 1970s, his journey to gay softball, and what it meant to return to Wimberly Fields in Oakland Park for the SFAAA’s 30th reunion.

From coming out to finding his chosen family, and then returning 30 years later to celebrate what they built—this is Patrick’s journey.

A must watch story for anyone who has struggled with being gay. Pa...

08/21/2026

🎥 NEW VIDEO INTERVIEW DROP! 🌈🥎

The Latino Influence in the SFAAA

Two voices. Two journeys. One powerful story of culture, community, and chosen family.

In this special Balls, Bats, & Family conversation, retired Miami Herald reporter Steve Rothaus sits down with SFAAA Softball League Hall of Fame inductees Ralph Cardona and Oscar Rosado to explore the growth and lasting influence of the Latino community within our league.

Ralph and Oscar reflect on how Latino players have helped shape the SFAAA both on and off the field; bringing their culture, leadership, friendships, and passion for the game to a league that has become home to generations of LGBTQ+ athletes.

Their conversation also goes beyond softball. Together, they discuss how state and national political issues affecting the Latino community have touched members of the broader SFAAA family; and why visibility, belonging, and standing together continue to matter.

🌈 Our league’s history is made up of many stories, cultures, and voices. Together, they tell the story of who we are.

🎥 Watch “The Latino Influence in the SFAAA” now.
👉 https://youtu.be/rtfEmtvjknU

The Latino Influence in the SFAAAIn this joint interview, retired...

08/13/2026

🏳️‍🌈🥎 WE’RE HONORED! 🥎🏳️‍🌈

We are incredibly proud to share that Balls, Bats, & Family has been named one of three nominees for the International Pride Softball Community Impact Award!

What began as an effort to preserve and share the history of the SFAAA Softball League (SFAAA) has become something even more meaningful: a celebration of the people, friendships, milestones, struggles, victories, and chosen family that have shaped our league and our LGBTQ+ softball community for more than three decades.

Every photograph. Every interview. Every story. Every memory.

They remind us that our history matters, and the people who made that history deserve to be remembered.

A huge THANK YOU to International Pride Softball for this incredible recognition and, even more importantly, for being part of the SFAAA family. We are grateful to be part of a larger Pride softball community that understands the power of sport to create connection, belonging, visibility, and family.

And congratulations to our fellow Community Impact Award nominees! We are honored to stand alongside others doing meaningful work to strengthen and celebrate our community. 👏👏👏

No matter who takes home the award, this nomination is already a win for everyone whose story is part of Balls, Bats, & Family.

To the players, coaches, managers, commissioners, volunteers, fans, friends, and families who built SFAAA, and to those carrying it forward today;

This nomination belongs to you. 🥎🏳️‍🌈

We are incredibly honored!

06/11/2026

🌈 HISTORY MADE AT WIMBERLY FIELD! 🥎
League founders, early sponsors, players, league commissioners, managers, board members, Hall of Fame members, local historians, fans, players' spouses, and elected officials all gathered together to recognize a milestone.

We celebrated Broward County's First-Ever LGBTQ+ Historic Marker—which stands as one of the very first LGBTQ+ markers of any kind in the state of Florida. This landmark is dedicated to the 1994 founding of the SFAAA Gay Softball League at Wimberly Field in Oakland Park.

And a big thanks to Johnathan Leon at Michael Murphy Photography for the great photos! Michael Murphy Photographic International Pride Softball

06/06/2026

Well deserved!

Dodgers unveil permanent stadium memorial honoring gay players Glenn Burke and Billy Bean

06/03/2026

🎥 NEW VIDEO INTERVIEW DROP! ❤️🥎

Every history project has a beginning. In this special installment of our Balls, Bats, & Family series, SFAAA Softball League Co-Founder and Executive Producer Jim Stork sits down with Commissioner Rocky Bowell to share the story behind the documentaries that have helped preserve our league's remarkable history.

Together, Jim and Rocky reflect on the origins of the Balls, Bats, & Family project, the SFAAA's landmark 30th Anniversary Celebration, and the importance of documenting the stories, people, and moments that have shaped our organization since 1991.

This conversation is also deeply personal. Jim shares how the passing of his husband, Ron, in 2023 sparked a wave of reflection and emotion that ultimately led him back to the league and renewed his commitment to preserving the history of his chosen family. What began as a desire to honor the past became a mission to ensure that future generations will know the stories, struggles, triumphs, and friendships that built the SFAAA.

🌈 More than a softball league, the SFAAA is a family. This interview captures the heart of why our history matters and why preserving it matters even more.

🎥 Watch Jim and Rocky's video now:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUOUgJiUuIo

Jim Stork League Co-Founder, SFAAA HOF, Founder Storks Bakery, Form...

06/01/2026

You are cordially invited to participate in a photo session marking the placement of SFAAA's historical marker at Wimberly Fields in Oakland Park.

This is the first LGBTQ+ historical marker in Broward County and the first known state of Florida. The photo session coincides with Oakland Park’s Pride weekend.

The photo shoot will begin Saturday June 6th at 10 a.m. with city commissioners, SFAAA founders, SFAAA Hall of Fame members, as well as other league leaders, city staff, and local civic leaders who were instrumental in turning the concept of the SFAAA historical marker into a reality.

ATTIRE: We encourage everyone to wear your favorite jersey no matter the era.

UPDATE AS OF JUNE 1:
We have over 20 people confirmed.
We are honored to welcome three of our original team managers and sponsors: Flo Gallo, our straight ally who managed the Everglades Bar; Toni Barone, owner of End Up and Sea Monster; and George Kessinger, manager of the Club Caribbean Resort.

Other notable attendees include Stan Butler, George Foley, and at least five to six players from the original Everglades team. We will also be joined by Steve Rothaus, who conducted the Balls, Bats and Family interviews. Karen Kelley, an original partner in Kicks Sports Bar and an early women’s division sponsor / player; and historians Susan Gillis and Dr. Julio Capo will be attending.

Special Early Photo Session 9:45am

Representatives from BlaQ Out (Florida Black LGBTQ+ Pride Weekend) will arrive early at 9:45 AM due to their afternoon event at Richardson Park. They will be taking photos with Hall of Famer, Hayward McQueen (tentative), former SFAAA Commissioner Jarvis McCray, Oakland Park City Commissioner/Former Mayor Tim Lonergan, and State Representative/Former Mayor Mitch Rosenwald. Anyone else who arrives early is more than welcome to join this photo session.

The entire session is an open invitation for anyone who would like to help memorialize this historic marker. Official photography will be captured by Michael Murphy Photography.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Best regards,

Jim Stork
SFAAA League Co-Founder

RSVP to [email protected]
SFAAA Softball Historic Marker Photo Session
Saturday June 6th 10am
Wimberly Field #3
4070 NE 3rd Ave
(NE 3rd Ave at NE 40th Ct)
Oakland Park Fl 33334
***Along the breezeway beside the Dillon Tennis Center … just beyond 3rd base.

05/14/2026

🎥 NEW VIDEO INTERVIEW DROP! 🌈⚾

We’re proud to share the latest installment in our Balls, Bats, and Family history series featuring Oscar Rosado, a passionate advocate, dedicated volunteer, and beloved member of the SFAAA Softball League family.

In this candid 2025 interview, New York native Oscar speaks proudly about his Latino heritage and shares a coming-out story that stands in unique contrast to many of the previous voices in this series. He reflects on his journey from working his way through college, to the State Attorney’s Office, and ultimately to a prestigious local law firm.

Oscar also shares how discovering the SFAAA changed the course of his life after moving from West Miami to Wilton Manors in the 2000s. What began as softball quickly became family, community, and purpose. His tireless commitment to the league, especially through his leadership with the Hurricane Showdown, earned him the Volunteer of the Year Award and eventual induction into the SFAAA Hall of Fame in 2022.

Never one to hold back, Oscar opens up about friendships, romances, today’s political climate, and the profound impact the league has had on his life.

❤️ By the end of this interview, you’ll understand why the SFAAA is more than a league — it’s chosen family.

🎥 Watch Oscar’s powerful story now:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX18uUleN0Q

In this 2025 interview, New York native Oscar Rosado speaks passionately about his Latino heritage and shares a coming-out story that stands in unique contra...

05/12/2026

Dodgers to install dedication to gay MLB players on Pride Night