Female Player
Jane Scheper Meier began her 15-year slow pitch softball career in 1964, competing in a Catholic Youth Organization League at the age of 13. Two years later she joined Ducker’s to compete in the Friday Night Women’s League in Covington, where she would catch the eye of two eventual Hall of Fame coaches: Commie Currens and Merle Williams. Jane joined Currens’ Burger Beer team for the 1971- ’72 seasons, then, after a season with the Cincinnati Cardinals, became the starting left-fielder and number two hitter for Williams’ legendary Sorrento’s Pizza teams. Competing at the highest level of play over the next six years, Sorrento’s became one of the dominant teams in Women’s slow pitch softball, compiling a 483-68 won-lost record and an .877 winning percentage. Playing 90-plus games every summer, Sorrento’s collected numerous invitational titles, captured three Amateur Softball Association Metros and a Midwest Regional crown, and finished in the top ten in ASA National or USSSA World Tournament play in five of the next six seasons. The team’s greatest achievement came in 1976 in Chattanooga, Tn. where they won ten games in a row to climb out of the losers’ bracket and stun the North Carolina Rubiotts in a double-finals to win the ASA Women’s Major National Championship. A .401 hitter during her six years with Sorrento’s, Jane was ultimately named to the Greater Cincinnati Women’s All-Century team in 2000.
Jane has also achieved extensive local, regional and national recognition, honors and awards for her expansive community involvement, contributions and service as a board and committee member, volunteer, speaker, teacher, coach and athletic director. She has been inducted into nine Halls of Fame and received five national awards for her leadership achievements.
During her a 31-year career as a coach and athletic director at Northern Kentucky University, Jane coached four eventual members of the Greater Cincinnati Softball Hall of Fame, including Brenda Ryan, Pam Patrus, Amy Flaugher and Tina May Tuck.