The Hall of Fame Selection Committee has named five new members to the Softball shrine. Meeting via zoom on Thursday, January 20th with all twelve members participating, the committee chose some of the best players to ever take the field in North Dakota. The 2022 inductees include Tracy Marbeck of Bismarck, Darcy Byrne of Fargo, Jon Gums of Bismarck, Mark Riggs of West Fargo, and Shane Piatz of Fargo.

Bismarck’s Tracy Marback grew up with a front row seat to her mother Debby’s Hall of Fame career (Class of 2002) and drew inspiration from that to become a Hall of Fame player herself. Tracy was a dynamic hitter who could hit to all fields with power. Praised for her knowledge of the game & leadership, she was named to the All-American Team at the 2005 Coed Slow Pitch Class B National Tournament, then broke through with a national title with Agassiz Underground at the 2010 Women’s Slow Pitch Class C Northern National Tournament. Her team accomplishments also include 10 state championships and 10 McQuades titles.

However, Tracy’s on-field accomplishments only scratched the surface of her contributions to the game. She was a manager, an umpire, and a league representative. She served as the local commissioner in Grand Forks as well as the state’s Junior Olympics Commissioner. Her early experience coaching youth teams led to a head coaching career at Quincy University, University of North Dakota, and Mayville State. With 115 wins, Tracy is the winningest head coach in the history of the UND softball program.

Darcy Byrne of Fargo was a member of the supremely talented and immensely successful Kegel Black Knights fastpitch teams that have seen numerous members go on to earn induction into the North Dakota Softball Hall of Fame. Sponsor and coach (and 2016 Hall of Famer) Jon Kegel, however, insists that Darcy was the best of them all. His pitching prowess (373-81 with 17 no-hitters & a perfect game for Kegel) elevated them from a dominant local team to a national power. Darcy earned 1st team honors at 10 national and world tournaments, including 5 MVP awards.

Darcy was so committed to the sport that he could often be found working with the grounds crew during tournaments. He is currently serving as a volunteer coach at North Dakota State University under head coach and Kegel teammate Darren Mueller. The same generous nature that he used to bring new players to the game during his playing days has translated to shaping the young Bison pitching staff. Darcy continues to this day to influence younger fastpitch players in the same way that the legendary Ollie Fiddler (Hall of Fame Class of 1986) influenced him.

Bismarck’s Jon Gums enters the Hall of Fame as one of the best all-around slow pitch hitters on a number of powerhouse teams over the decades, including national contender Capital City Construction. In fact, he continues to be a significant contributor as a player and a team-builder at the Senior level today. Batting either near the top or even in the heart of the order, he was both a table-setter and a run-producer.  “Jonny Ball Game” was also a fearless defender on the left side of the infield as well as on the pitching rubber - always willing to put his body in front of the ball so he could utilize his cannon arm to finish off a play.

Teammates have noted Gums’ hard work and dedication which translated to practice as much as the games themselves. It was no coincidence then that his teams found themselves claiming the championship trophy at over 20 state tournaments and one national. For his efforts, Jon would be named as a first team and a second team All-American during his career. His expectations of winning any given tournament his teams were participating in provided an infectious mentality that resonated with his teammates.

Often batting cleanup at the highest levels of play, West Fargo’s Mark Riggs was a classic power hitter for a number of top teams such as Hair Hospital, Army’s Sports Bar, Toad’s Ride and Shine, and the iconic Tharaldson Enterprises. The home run threat hardly resulted in an all-or-nothing approach at the plate, though, as Mark posted a batting average in excess of .700. He was an integral part of national tournament teams in the A & B classifications of Men’s Slow Pitch as well as Men’s Masters & Coed, earning numerous All-Tournament Team honors.

As he transitioned into the role of manager for Tharaldson Enterprises, the team dominated the Sam McQuade Jr Charity Softball Tournament winning 8 out of 10 years while also compiling an over .800 winning percentage in national tournament play. In 2009, Tharaldson would claim the Class B National Championship, further reinforcing the leadership qualities that resonated throughout Mark’s career.

Few players could make a case for Hall of Fame status based solely upon their defense, especially in slow pitch, but Fargo’s Shane Piatz would likely be among that elite group. We will never know, though, because his .650 average more than complimented his supreme play at shortstop. He has been described by teammates as having exceptional athleticism and quickness that helped him make a major impact at a very young age. Such a cornerstone made Shane a valuable commodity for a number of top teams in North Dakota - Bellerud Transportation, Tharaldson Enterprises, Napoleon Quintet, Sperle Masonry, Heartland Investors, The Box - and helped him earn 31 state and 6 national championships. Individually, his on-field performances earned him All-American honors at 5 national tournaments.

Not content to let his exceptional play provide his only positive impact on the game, he became an umpire within the last decade, working 5 state tournaments in that time. Shane is the only individual earning first-ballot induction this year and will join older brother Bob (Class of 2015) in the North Dakota Softball Hall of Fame.