Former national softball players Ross Smith, Rhonda Hira, Helen Townsend and Michael White are the latest inductees into the Softball New Zealand Hall of Fame.

Smith, a former Hutt Valley representative, was in the original “Pilgrams” New Zealand men’s team that competed in the 1966 inaugural men’s world championship tournament in Mexico. The New Zealand side finished third at that tournament.

White, a former Wellington representative but now living in the United States, made his debut for New Zealand in 1983. He played in four world championships for the Black Sox and a further two for his adopted country. For White the highlight of his Black Sox career was in 1996 in Michigan when he became the first player to pitch the perfect game in a world championship final. His performance on the mound helping the Black Sox to a 4-0 win over Canada.

With five world championships to her credit, an Olympic Games and two Olympic qualifying tournaments, Hira, who has represented Hutt Valley and Canterbury, is one of New Zealand’s most experienced players. The infielder made her world championship debut at the 1986 tournament which was held in Auckland, her last such tournament was the 2002 tournament .

Townsend made her White Sox debut in 1990 and was a member of the team that won the silver medal at the world championship that year. The Canterbury catcher played in a further two world championships and both the 1995 and 1999 Olympic Qualifying tournament. Her swansong tournament for the White Sox was the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Since her retirement from the game, Townsend has remained involved in the sport taking on the video analysist role with the White Sox and Black Sox sides and attended both the 2004 and 2009 world championships with the latter team.