WHEREAS, Softball was invented in 1895 by Minneapolis Fire Captain Louis Rober to help the members of his fire station stay fit; and
     WHEREAS, The sport was originally played with a 16-inch ball and named "Kittenball"; and
     WHEREAS, Senior softball began in the 1930s at a retirement community in Saint Petersburg, Florida, as a way to keep residents healthy and active; and
     WHEREAS, There are more than 1.5 million active senior softball players today; and
     WHEREAS, Softball is one of the few sports in the United States where men and women have achieved near parity in numbers; and
     WHEREAS, Senior Softball-USA (SSUSA) is the world's largest organization of senior softball players - boasting 25,000 members - and it strives to provide every senior in the United States who wants to play softball with that opportunity; and
     WHEREAS, The SSUSA divisions are split into five-year increments from ages 50 to 80 for men and ages 45 to 80 for women; and
     WHEREAS, The "Northwest 75" team is composed of three players from Oregon, three from Vancouver, Washington, and nine players from Olympia to Bothell; all players are older than 75; and
     WHEREAS, In September of 2004, the SSUSA held their World championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Northwest 75 turned a triple play; and
     WHEREAS, The Northwest 75 won the Triple Grand Slam, the highest honor, meaning they swept the Western National, National, and World championships; and
     WHEREAS, The Northwest 75 is distinguished as one of only 12 teams to ever win the Triple Grand Slam;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate congratulate the Northwest 75 softball team for its high achievement and triumph in senior softball and for exemplifying that exercise promotes happy, full lives that can span a lifetime; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the Northwest 75 softball team.