History
The team was founded in 1947 by William S. Simpson as the Raybestos Girl All-Stars. Over the years the team name has changed to Raybestos Brakettes (1948), Hi-Ho Brakettes, Stratford Brakettes, or Connecticut Brakettes (2006). The Brakette name is derived from the main product of the Raybestos plant in Stratford which produced brake linings for automobiles and trucks.
In 2006 the Brakettes fielded two teams. The Connecticut Brakettes were members of National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), finishing second in the regular season with a record of 27-15. In the NPF championship game, the Connecticut Brakettes lost to the fourth place New England Riptide 2-0. In 2006 they also fielded the Stratford Brakettes in the Amateur Softball Association (ASA). They won the 2006 women's major fastpitch tournament held in Amherst, New York.
The Brakettes dropped out of the NPF league in 2007 but still competes as an amateur team in the women's major division of the Amateur Softball Association (ASA).
Highlights of the Brakettes' seasons include:
| year | wins | losses | post season | comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 16 | 4 | Lost in the state tournament quarter-finals in a 22-21 game | Team founded as Raybestos Girl All-Stars |
| 1948 | 18 | 2 | Eastern Coast Women's Softball championship winners | Team name changed to Raybestos Brakettes |
| 1950 | Appeared at ASA national tournament | A national tournament game against host San Antonio, Texas Thompson team is won 2-1 | ||
| 1956 | 4th place finish in national tournament held in Clearwater, Florida | |||
| 1958 | 52 | 5 | Beat the Hacienda Rockets for first ASA Women's Major Fastpitch championship | National tournament held at Raybestos Memorial Field in Stratford |
| 1959–1960 | Second and third consecutive national championship winners | |||
| 1961 | 3rd place finish in 2-1 loss to eventual championship winners the Whittier, California Gold Sox | Championship held in Portland, Oregon | ||
| 1965 | At the first ISF Women's World Championship in Melbourne, Australia, Brakettes finish 2nd place in a loss to the host team | |||
| 1966 | 74 | 4 | ||
| 1967 | Winner of their 6th ASA national championship, the National All-Star Series, and the Pan American Games | |||
| 1968 | Tie with Orange, California Lionettes for ASA National title (7th for the Brakettes) | |||
| 1970 | 2nd place finish at ISF Women's World Championship in Osaka | |||
| 1971 | 57 | 0 | ASA fastpitch national championship | |
| 1974 | 1st place finish at ISF Women's World Championship, ASA Women's Major Fastpitch champions (4th consecutive year) | ISF championship is held at Raybestos Memorial Field in Stratford | ||
| 1976 | 44 | 11 | ASA fastpitch national championship | John Stratton is temporary coach for disabled Ralph Raymond |
| 1978 | 78 | 8 | ASA national champions (1978 is the 8th consecutive and 15th overall championship for the Brakettes) | |
| 1980 | ASA national champions | Championship held in East Lansing, Michigan | ||
| 1985 | Team name is changed to Hi-Ho Brakettes | |||
| 1986 | Winners of the ISF championship in Auckland, New Zealand; gold medal in U.S. Olympic Sports Festival, First place at Canada Cup in Vancouver; 2nd place ASA championship | |||
| 1990 | D'Addario drops sponsorship, resumed by Raymark-Raybestos (no longer in Stratford) through 1995 | |||
| 1993 | 2nd place finish in ASA championship against the Redding Rebels | The championship is held in Stratford at DeLuca field. | ||
| 1995 | 57 | 3 | ||
| 1996 | 4 way tie for 9th place finish in ASA fastpitch national championship | Championship held in Stratford at DeLuca Field. Team is sponsored by David Olin Carpenter. | ||
| 1997 | 4 way tie for 9th place finish in ASA fastpitch national championship | |||
| 1998 | 4 way tie for 9th place finish in ASA fastpitch national championship | |||
| 1999 | 3rd place finish in ASA fastpitch national championship | Championship held in Stratford | ||
| 2000 | 3rd place finish in ASA fastpitch national championship | |||
| 2001 | 3rd place finish in ASA fastpitch national championship | |||
| 2002 | 78 | 1 | ASA Women's Major Fastpitch champions (24th) | Championship held in Stratford at DeLuca Field. |
| 2003 | 65 | 5 | ASA Women's Major Fastpitch champions (25th) 4th place finish at Canada Cup | |
| 2004 | 50 | 4 | ASA Women's Major Fastpitch champions (26th) | |
| 2005 | 51 | 17 | 2nd place finish in ASA fastpitch national championship | Championship held in Stratford at DeLuca Field. |
| 2006 | 27 | 15 | 2nd place finish in NPF | Team called Connecticut Brakettes in the NPF league |
| 46 | 4 | 1st place finish in ASA Major fastpitch tournament (27th) in Amherst, New York against the Southern California Sliders | Team called Stratford Brakettes in the ASA league | |
| 2007 | ASA Women's Major Fastpitch champions (28th) | Only an ASA team is fielded this season | ||
| 2008 | 3rd place finish in ASA fastpitch national championship | |||
| 2009 | 49 | 7 | 4th place after 1-0 loss to Stratford Breakers | Regional ASA championship held in Stratford at DeLuca Field |
| Total | > 3,242 | 3 ISF Women's World Championship, 28 ASA National Championships, 19 National Hall of Fame members, and 11 Olympians |
Read more about this topic: Connecticut Brakettes
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