Bobby Shaffer

Elected : USSSA New York Hall Of Fame in 2018
Inducted : 2019, Rochester, NY

While in high school at Churchville - Chili, Bob started playing softball with his brother Randy on the Sullivan Shoe team that won the local Chili League ten years in a row.  Forty years later in 2016, Bob again won the Chili League with his two sons, Evan and Brett. 

Softball has always been a family endeavor at the Shaffer house. His dad played fast-pitch until age 58, while his Mom actually umpired for USSSA for many years. Sister Sheryl played for Priotti’s, and her husband Glenn was “The Shoes” 6’6” shortstop and cleanup batter.  Bob’s wife Elana also played in the Chili League with her sister and won many league titles.  Bob and Randy elected to the 1st Annual Churchville-Chili Athletic Hall of Fame on December 8.2017.

After Playing baseball in college foe MCC and Florida International where Bob pitched and won two regional finals and competed in two College Worlds Series, Bob started getting serious about “Travel” Softball.  Over the next 10 years, he played for many B and C teams from Rochester that finished in the top three in National Tournaments.  Sponsors included Ronnies/TJ’s Lounge, MCM Fuels, Antex, and Leisure Time Marine. Bob was named All- World in 1988 when Antex finished third at the C World Tournament. Being left-handed and having a strong arm, Bob mainly played outfield in his early years.  He also was the recipient of the Peter Castle Sportsmanship Award while playing at Ronnie’s Ballpark.

While teaching business at Attica High School, Bob continued playing with strong C teams but began pitching more. Marlen Floors, Sneezy’s, Ronnies/Champs and D&D’s won numerous tournaments, and Bob was selected to NIT All-Tournament in1992. After age 40, bob again was named to the all-tournament team for Fallone’s while playing in New Jersey in 1998. He was a member of Ferra’s Class C NOT champions in 2001, and the Rochester Athletic Club, winner of the class D NIT in Pennsylvania in 2006.  Finally, at age 52 Bob was paying with both sons in Syracuse and was named to his last All-Tournament team.  Bob Still plays Senior Softball and was the manager and leading hitter when the Rochester 50’s won the Senior World Series in Phoenix, Arizona in 2011.

Bob would like to thank the many teammates (that include all four 2019 Male Hall of Fame inductees) and sponsors that let him play softball, and USSSA for being a quality organization.  If you need someone to throw batting practice to your team, give Bob Shaffer a call and he will be right over! Bob is currently the pitching coach at GCC where is the batting practice pitcher.