Darren Zack

Darren Zack (born in 1960 in Garden River, Ontario, Canada), also known by his nickname "Z-MAN", Darren Zack is a legend in the world of Fastpitch Softball.[1] Zack is an Ojibwa softball player and he has set records at every level, pitching the most wins, strikeouts and consecutive scoreless innings, and capturing three gold medals at the Pan Am Games.[1][2][3] Zack has been described by teammates and opponents as "unhittable", "the greatest pitcher of all time", the "Babe Ruth of Fastpitch softball", and the "nicest man/person you will ever meet".[1] Others refer to him as the Wayne Gretzky of fastball.[4] To this day, Darren actively promotes Fastpitch by conducting pitching clinics throughout North America, encouraging community involvement in the sport.[1]

Zack has been described by many to be a fan favourite, always taking the time to pose for pictures and sign autographs.[1][5] Many also have commented on his humble and gentle nature.[1][4] Along with taking pride in his sport of Fastpitch, Zack takes extreme pride in where it was born and raised, and continues to live there.[1] Zack currently lives in the Garden River First Nation Reserve with his wife Charlotte and their children.[3][6] Zack has 5 children, Shawn, John, late William, Molli and Darren Junior.[7] Shawn has 2 sons and Jr has a son and daughter, thus Darren has 4 grandchildren.[7] Zack's culture and spirituality is important to him and a central part of his life, specifically the teachings of the tobacco.[1]

Zack had a book released about him in 2010, called "Z-Man Darren Zack" which chronicles his career.[8]

Early life

Zack was born during 1960 in Garden River, Ontario, Canada to John and Edith Zack and grew up on the Garden River First Nations Reserve near Sault Ste. Marie.[2][3] He is a part of the Ojibwa tribe and remains a resident of the Garden River First Nation reserve. His motivation to play fastball comes from his childhood and he shows this through the clinics he puts on for native children throughout Ontario.[9] He has one sister Leslie and one brother Brenden.[7] While he was young he was taught many sports, including fishing, hunting, football, and softball, the latter of which was a family tradition.[2] Zack believes his family's love for Fastpitch and the fact they would throw the ball around with him as a child was instrumental to his career success.[1] He has also commented that as a child the mentors in his life had encouraged him to go as far as he could with the sport.[4] Specifically as a teenager, after consulting his grandfather with a dream about an eagle and playing for team Canada, his grandfather explained the eagle was the "highest bird" and symbolic of no one being able to break his records if he pursued fastpitch.[1] In 2003 Darren Zack ran to be elected on to the council of the Garden River First Nations band. He along with 44 other candidates ran for 12 available spots. Zack's care for the youth is an asset for his political intentions.[10]

Athletic career

Zack got his start in the game as a 14-year-old with the Garden River Braves in 1974.[5][1] He began his fastball career at first and third base, but all the while he yearned to pitch.[1] Zack kept practicing on the sidelines, biding his time, waiting his turn. When he was 19 years old his uncle did not show up for the game and he got his first chance to pitch.[1][5] In 1983 the Boston Belmont Merchants came calling, and he played three seasons for teams in Boston and Connecticut, including Wellesley Trucking.[1][5] In 1987 he joined Ashland ESS, and then had a stint with the Vancouver Magicians (1990-1992) of the Norwest League, while also spending two seasons pitching in New Zealand.[1][5] According to Al Mitchell Zack's Manager for the Magicians good pitchers have about four pitches, but Zack throws six. Steve Frost a sports reporter said that on top his multitude of pitches Zack can routinely throw between 85–90 miles per hour.[11]

Zack competed in the International Softball Congress (ISC) World Tournament on several occasions. His first appearance in the tournament was in Saskatoon, 1987.[6] He won four ISC World Tournament Championships, that were 1993 and 1995 with the Toronto Gators, 1998 with the Tamper Smokers, and 2000 with Decatur Pride.[6] Due to these accomplishments, Zack has set records such as the second-best record for all-time consecutive game wins and third in ISC World Tournament victories.[6] In addition, he was named to the ISC All-World Team nine times between the years of 1992 and 2004.[6] A highlight of his career was pitching 150 strikeouts over the course of 69.66 consecutive scoreless innings and winning 10 games at the 1995 ISC World Tournament in Iowa.[2]

Zack played for the Canadian National Team from 1991-2004.[12] He has won several medals, including gold medals at the Pan-American Games and a silver medal at the 1996 World Softball Championships.[2] He won two consecutive gold medals at the Pan American games in 1991 1995. He was also the Canadian champion in 1991, 1993 and in 1995.[13] Zack has also played for several Canadian Native Fastball Championships (CNFC) teams including Garden River, Horse Lake Thunder, Sapotaweyak, and Invermere A's.[14]

In 2002 Zack was induced into Sault Ste. Marie Sports Hall of Fame.[1] Usually, there is a three-year waiting period after an athlete retires to be induced, however, based on Zack's success and ability to give Sault Ste. Marie National exposure, this waiting period was waved.[1]

Darren continues to dominate the sport and is considered the face of fastpitch [15] Zack picked up a championship at the World Senior Men's Fastball Tournament in 2002, and a 3rd-place finish in 2006. In 2010, Zack was playing alongside his son Darren Zack Jr. with the Palermo Athletics, a Kitchener area club.[6] Zack has won 2 Ontario Masters Championships with the Toronto Gators and was named Top Pitcher in 2013.[16] Zack has also won the ISC Legends World Championship twice with the Cobourg Force and was named MV Pitcher in 2010 and 2012.[16] Additionally, Darren has competed in two NAFA Masters World Series, picking up one championship and he has also competed at 3 ASA Masters Championships.[16]

Honours and awards

Records
  • third all-time in tournament wins (54 wins; 29 shutouts)[6]
  • second in most victories in a single ISC tournament (10; 1993)[6]
  • second best all-time consecutive wins in ISC competition[6]
  • ISC tournament record for consecutive innings without allowing a run (10 games; 69 2/3)[6][12]

Awards

Medals
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References
  1. Chiefs and Champions Darren Zack. (2006). Vancouver, BC : Moving Images Distribution
  2. King, C. Richard (2015-03-10). Native Americans in Sports. Routledge. ISBN 9781317464037
  3. "Indspire | Darren Zack". indspire.ca. Retrieved 2017-02-14
  4. "Darren Zack is fastball's true legend".
  5. "Darren Zack enters the 2010 ISC Hall of Fame".
  6. nurun.com. "Zack's illustrious career rewarded with Hall nod". Sault Star. Retrieved 2017-02-14.
  7. "Z-Man - Darren Zack - a bio by Joe Corbiere".
  8. "Darren Zack guides Cobourg (Ont.) Force to ISC Legends title".
  9. "Softball BC: Glen Todd and Darren Zack accepted to ISF Hall of Fame". softball.bc.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  10. "Darren Zack launches political pitch". SooToday.com. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  11. "Congratulations to Darren Zack - Fastpitch Chronicle". www.alsfastball.com. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  12. "Z-Man inducted into Canada's Softball Hall of Fame".
  13. "Local Athletes". www.saulttourism.com. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  14. "Canadian Native Fastball Championship". www.nativefastball.ca. Retrieved 2017-03-30
  15. "2016 Toronto Gators Legends Roster".
  16. "Ontario Masters Fastball Hall of Fame - Class of 2014".
  17. Christie, James (November 10, 2000). "Morris on special mission". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  18. "Softball BC: Five Ontario Nominees will be Inducted to Softball Canada Hall of Fame". softball.bc.ca. Retrieved 2017-03-30
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