Stansbury, Tony

"Nails" was his nickname, and you guessed it, Tony Stansbury was tough as nails at probably the toughest position in softball--shortstop. Tony would run the bases almost in a sideways fashion usually favoring a knee injury, strawberry, or any other of the injuries created by being the most hard-nosed player on the infield.

Stansbury left it all on the field as his dirt-stained pants could attest to because he liked diving more than five-time Olympian, Greg Louganis. He kept many would-be RBIs in the dirt that also kept runner from second scoring on a hit, and his pinpoint strong arm threw out many who were thinking they got a base hit through the hole or up the middle.

Tony's defensive expertise landed him on many of the finest teams in Kentucky including Underwood Cattle, Planet Softball, Knight's of St John's, Greentree Toyota, and the finest of them all, Riverside Paving of Louisville, KY coached by the legendary, Mike Glasscock, and sponsored by Hall of Famer, Caroll Swartz.

Riverside won three ASA Major National Championships, a feat never duplicated in Kentucky, and Tony was an integral part of two of those titles in 1991 and 1994. He was named first team All-American in 1991 and was also named for a third time as the best Major shortstop in the Bluegrass by Kentucky Softball News.

In 1994, Tony and Riverside won the prestigious Yvon Pif Depatie in Sherbrooke, Canada and as a testament to his popularity, the next year when Riverside arrived north of the border, there was a kid wearing the #11 Riverside jersey worn by Stansbury the year before. Tony likes to tease good friend and Pif MVP, David Crawley, "I never saw anyone with a Crawley uniform."

The Pif and the World titles were just a hint of his success. He loved winning the Lake Cumberland Classic as well as being multiple Metro Champs and winner of the L.I.T. (Louisville Invitational Tournament) that sported teams from around the country.

After young man's ball, he was off to the Seniors, again where he excelled winning five more championship rings mostly with the 50 & Over teams.

"Nails" took home many gold gloves in his career and was proud to be known as a working man's shortstop that put in the effort during practice and always in the big games.

Gold gloves, MVPs, All-Tournaments and All-Worlds were the icing on Stansbury's softball cake, but it his sweetest moment came later in his career when he got to share the field with his son on the Brooks Sports teams.

"I've given blood, sweat, tears, and my body to this sport," and even as a senior today, he wants to play as long as he possibly can. Tony's lifelong friends that he met along his softball journey brings the biggest smile to our newest Kentucky Softball Hall of Fame member.