Softball SA is saddened to share the news of the passing of Kathleen Correll (nee Edwards).

Icon, giving, heart and soul, author, record keeper, warm-hearted, kind, caring, Life Member, our friend… 

These superlatives only briefly touch on what Kath was and means to Softball in South Australia.

Kath began playing softball in 1945, the game's second season. Softball became a way of life for Kath and many of her contemporaries.

Kath’s wide-ranging involvement in softball diminished after husband Tom’s early death, leaving her with the responsibility of raising their three sons, but that didn’t mean it stopped.

Stoic and determined, Kath completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Adelaide, and she returned to the workforce with the government in a voluntary capacity.

Starting in 1991 on ‘The Diamond Duels’ (Softball SA’s history book of the first 60 years) project, it is considered the high point of contributions made to the sport of softball, by anyone. Taking 14 years to research, compile, and edit, Kath and Lorraine Mildren produced a comprehensive recollection from the first days in 1944, up to 2004 of the history of our sport in South Australia. A quote from Softball SA Life Member and former President Keith Sampson (in the Foreword of Diamond Duels) says “We are indebted to Kath and Lorraine who undertook the mammoth task… the quality and comprehensiveness of the document reflects such an effort”.

Her friend, colleague, and co-author of ‘Diamond Duels’, Lorraine Mildren wrote of Kath;

Kath Correll started as a player in the second season [in 1945/46] with the Spitfires and began a long association with the sport from that point. She played a pivotal role in the early years, essentially being the office-bearer and performing numerous other tasks.

In the third season, she started her own club, the Rebels [now the Glenelg Rebels] that became a formidable competitor during the first decade [winning seven of the next nine grand finals] and the club is still going strong almost 80 years on.

Kath completed the 1946/47 season as association secretary and then served 4 terms in this position. The sport hosted its first Australian championships in March 1951, the year of the Commonwealth Jubilee celebrations. She played first base and was captain of the first South Australian team to compete for the Gilley’s Shield. In addition, she was one of SA's delegates at the meetings that formed the Australian Women's softball council that same year.

Kath returned as secretary to the association for season 53/54 and then served 3 terms as president. In her middle term Adelaide was again hosting with SA winning its first Gilley’s Shield. At this championship, Kath earned her Australian umpires’ badge (AA). During the previous decade whilst playing, coaching, umpiring, teaching the game to the new clubs, and holding administrative positions in the association, Kath delivered lectures on the playing rules and served on the Australian Rules Interpretations Committee for one term during the 1st World Softball Championship for Women held in Melbourne in 1965 as one of the ‘girls in gold’. She held the position of finance officer after serving three seasons as the association's treasurer.

Kath’s involvement in all phases of the game is significant. As well as the positions mentioned above, she was a state team manager in 1953 and state team scorer in 1967.

Kath displayed a passion for the game by remaining involved from her first game back in the association's second season. This passion culminated in her being awarded life membership in 1958. In 1969 the association inaugurated the Kathleen Correll Medal, awarded each season to the Women's A-Grade ‘Player of the Year’.

An invitation in 1981 to become a patron of the association was further recognition of an imposing involvement in the sport of softball [this is a position she held until her passing].

As a player, Kath represented South Australia and was Captain of the first Inter-State team (playing 1^st base) in 1948, and also the first team/captain to compete for the Gilley’s Shield in 1949.  

State and National Representation Record:

-          State Player 1948-51 (4 years) all as either Captain or V/C. Also played 3^rd base, was known as “a Team Player and a good batter”.

o   Captain: 1948, 1949 and 1951

o   V/C: 1950

-          State Manager: 1953

-          State Scorer: 1967

-          Australian Umpire: 1956

-          Australian Rules Interpretations Committee 1957-1959

-          ‘Girls in Gold’: 1965

To support the first ISF (now WBSC) Women’s Softball World Championship, in Melbourne in 1965, special officials were appointed who became known as the ‘Girls in Gold’. 24 representatives from most states welded into an off-diamond team dressed in gold, supporting the efforts before and during, to ensure the success of the event. Kath was one of four South Australians to form part of this group, Kath was appointed as the Finance Officer, along with Joan Cahill (as Grounds Supervisor), Mildred Jenkinson (lunch supervisor), and Lorraine Mildren (Chairperson of Umpires – selection and protest committees).   

Softball SA (including SAWSA and SASA) Positions held:

• Secretary (office-bearer) 1947-1951 and 1953/54
• Vice President 1951/52
• President 1954-1957
• Treasurer 1962-1965

Softball SA Honours:

• Awarded Life Membership in 1958
• Naming of the Premier League (formerly SASA A-Grade) Player of the Year in 1969
• Softball SA Patron: 1981-2025
• Outstanding Service to Softball (Technical & Professional Development): 2006 (jointly awarded with Lorraine Mildren) for co-authoring Diamond Duels                                                                                       

Of Diamond Duels she said “The story is related of how softball in SA started during a World War, became a part of the national programme, and celebrated the championship victory in 1956. It attempts to give a picture of the women (and the men who assisted them) who made the game a part of their lives in the early years.”

In her later years, Kath kept in touch with the Softball SA office and often attended functions and events. A thrill for the current State Operations Manager, James Harris, was when he would receive correspondence from Kath, either a kindly worded email, or occasionally, a very neatly handwritten letter to confirm attendance for an event (or an apology), and to always accept her ongoing position as Patron of Softball SA. Kath would always thank James for his communication, welcoming her and all Life Members to functions, and for his knowledge and passion for the game, ensuring its history is recognised and remembered.

Her legacy will last for as long as Softball in South Australia is played and beyond… may she rest in peace

Vale Kath

Her funeral will be held at Berry Funeral Directors Main Funeral Chapel (please enter the carpark via Prosser Avenue) on TUESDAY, 6/5/25 at 1pm.