Passing of Bob Roff

Bob’s softball involvement begun at a young age when in the 1957/58 year aged about 14 or 15 years old, he joined the Panthers club. It is reported that it did not take young Roff much time to make his way into the senior team and in 1963/64 he pitched Panthers to their first Calder McKay Shield victory. Word has it that he was far from a spot pitcher, very erratic and with a very unusual pitching action. Team members have described Bob as a good man to have in our team, rather be playing with him that against him, competitive and reliable and seemingly he had that tremendous sense of humour from the word go. He was also known to keep everyone in line if required. Bob would take new players under his wing people and help them wherever he could, always approachable and a true club man.
 

Bob played for Southland from 1961 to 1968 generally featuring in the outfield. Once his playing days were over he coached for both club and Southland at both junior and senior levels and was known to push his charges pretty hard at times.
 

Bob was an inspirational member of the Panthers club whose contributions were many and varied: player, coach, parent, committee member and full time comedian and he touched the lives of many over the 63 years of his involvement with his club and Southland Softball.
 

He was awarded Life membership of the Panthers club in 1982. In later years Bob really enjoyed his involvement with Evergreens Softball.