In a softball career that spanned a quarter century, powerful first baseman/catcher Duane Laws hit for both average and power, compiling a .710 average while pounding out over 1250 home runs- all of it done with wooden and early model, non-high tech aluminum bats. During that span of time, he appeared in 14 World and National tournaments. Laws played USSSA softball from 1974 to 1984, and again from 1990 to 1994, finally retiring at 48 years old.

A basketball and baseball players at Sparta high school, Laws played little baseball during his fours years in the Air Force. A  year after coming home from overseas, though, he started playing baseball in the St. Clair/Monroe County League, as well as some fast pitch softball.  Then one evening a guy named  Ray Naile asked him to play softball.

Had he gone with his initial reaction when Naile asked to play, Laws, a baseball and fast pitch player, would have never played an inning of slow pitch.

"Slow pitch softball?" Laws replied scornfully when asked him if he'd be interested in playing the game. "You gotta be crazy! That's a girl's sport!"

Laws admits that he soon found out he was wrong.

"Slow pitch had it's ups and downs, too," he acknowledged. "It wasn't as easy as it looked."

Playing in a qualifier in Red Bud once, he hit 14 homers, one of several occasions in which the powerful, 6 foot, six inch Laws hit ten or more homers in a tournament. Laws was a key player on the 1976 Braun's softball squad that won the USSSA Class B State championship. He also played for Kohler's when they won the 1985 USSSA AA State. Though 44 years old at the time, Laws won two batting titles in 1990, a preseason tournament and a league batting title.

"All the years I played USSSA softball, it was because I loved it," said Laws. "I enjoyed every minute of it."

Laws points to the entire Braun's team when asked who he most recalls best.

"The guys there, they gave me a lot of support," said Laws. "None of them were (anywhere) near as big as me, but they were a bunch of scrappers. They were a confidence builder for me."

Like many players, though, Laws has mixed feelings about today's high tech bats. While acknowledging that they've help some players, he wouldn't ever consider using one. He recalls handling one of the first high tech bats owned by his friend (and fellow Illinois Hall of Famer) Greg Jones.

"I told him, There's no way I could use this," recalled Laws. "I'd have no bat control with such a light bat."

Bat control was never a problem for Duane. He played our sport well enough to gain the respect of many friends and opponents alike.