Marty Grant isn’t one to talk about the impressive statistics he racked up during his 19-year international softball career.
But being inducted into the WBSC World Softball Hall of Fame this month prompted the Nelson pitcher to take a look back at his career.
The induction citation said it all – Marty stands among the true legends of the game, a world-class pitcher, a fierce competitor and a man whose contribution to softball has been felt far beyond the diamond.
“I was really excited by the honour. Being recognised gives you some sort of credibility,” insists the 59-year-old, who was named in the New Zealand Softball Hall of Fame in 2015. He wondered whether subsequently launching baseball in Nelson might have upset some people and denied him the international softball accolade.
For the record, Marty won two world championships at a time when the sport was on an absolute high in this country.
“I was playing 11 months of the year and had 18 seasons in the United States, many of them in the Mid-West and it was very competitive,” recalls Marty.
Wear and tear was inevitable.
“My body has been through some torment because of the amount of effort I put into training. I was never one to shirk on the preparation. It was always full-on, and your body suffers when you do that. I have a bone that sticks out of my shoulder, but there is no pain and it doesn’t affect me.”
While in the US, he was encouraged to take up baseball, but he wanted to play for Black Sox.
“There was a clause in the rules, if you didn’t come back and play in the domestic competition then you wouldn’t be picked.”
Marty has taken a well-earned break from both codes after lengthy coaching stints.
‘I tried to play and coach last year because the junior team had no pitcher. But the body really took a bashing, so I am having time out. I must admit there is a bit of a vacuum but now I cook a lot,” says Marty.
He completed an adult building apprenticeship, “got his ticket” and is currently working on a construction project at Nayland College where he spent a year at high school and made the South Island U18 rugby side.
“I was a fullback or second five and used to cart the ball up.” While the body is feeling refreshed, Marty hasn’t lost his desire for top level softball.
