Jackie Newman was regarded as one of the greatest fast-pitch softball pitchers in Ventura County history. There weren’t many statistics from the 1950s and 1960s kept to back up that claim. Just legendary performances.
With Newman in the circle, two county teams were runners-up in three national tournaments in a dozen year span. There were four national/world all-tournament selections.
His fastball was once clocked at 106 miles per hour.
There was the MVP award at the 1956 National Softball Congress tournament and All-World selection the following summer, leading the Oxnard Elks to runner-up finishes. Newman was the MVP of the 1960 Western Softball Congress and its top pitcher two years later. At the 1963 Amateur Softball Association tournament, Newman struck out 29 in 30 innings as Oxnard placed third.
The Camarillo Kings were the runner-up at the 1968 ASA tournament with Newman winning three of his four starts. His only loss came in the championship game when the opposing pitcher threw a no-hitter.
While still in high school, he pitched his men’s team to the 1951 city championship. The summer after graduating from Oxnard High, Newman was 33-3, allowing only six runs.
On furlough from the Army in 1954 and having not pitched for 10 months, Newman pitched a one-hitter and struck out 19. The following year, Newman pitched a perfect game with 19 strikeouts in a Santa Barbara Tournament.
After years of frustrating hitters in men’s leagues since the age of 16, the City of Recreation Department considered limiting Newman to any position – except pitcher – in league games. Too many mismatched teams were leaving. After careful debate, Newman could pitch – until his team had reached a predetermined lead.
After wrapping up 27 seasons, Newman continued to leave his mark, serving as pitching coach for the Camarillo Kings’ 1981 and 1982 International Softball Congress national championship teams.
While Newman could have made a living as a professional softball pitcher, worked as a draftsman at Point Mugu and a technical illustrator for the Dynaelectron Company in Oxnard.
He and his wife Carolyn Rose Newman have two children, David and Karen. His family resides in Henderson, Nev.