Kampschmidt, Bernie
Inducted: 1983
Covington, Kentucky
Zollner Pistons
BERNIE KAMPSCHMIDT’S CAREER STARTED IN 1937 AND HE QUICKLY MADE IT TO THE BIG TIME, PLAYING WITH THE NICK CARR BOOSTERS OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, WHO CAPTURED THE KENTUCKY STATE TITLE IN 1938 AND WENT ON TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1939. KAMPSCHMIDT PLAYED ON 4 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS.
HE WAS CONSIDERED BY MOST THE GREATEST CATCHER IN SOFTBALL AND WAS STRONG DEFENSIVELY. HE WAS A STANDOUT CLUTCH HITTER.
BERNIE WAS A MEMBER OF THE GREATEST MEN’S FASTPITCH TEAM OF ALL TIME, THE 1945-1946-1947 ZOLLNER PISTONS OF FT. WAYNE. THE PISTONS WON THE NATIONAL TITLE EACH OF THOSE YEARS.
HE PLAYED IN MORE THAN 2,500 GAMES.
IN 1942, HIS TEAM PLAYED 101 GAMES WITH A WIN RECORD OF 99-2. BERNIE HAD GREAT LEADERSHIP ABILITY. HE WAS ELECTED TO THE NATIONAL HALL OF FAME IN 1959.