Victor “Vic” Soto
Victor Soto started pitching at the early age of 10 years old. His mother, in her own right, was a great pitcher and player for the Pueblo Army Depot. She mentored and helped groom him into being one of the most competitive and talented softball pitchers of his time.
Vic was a 1972 graduate of Pueblo County High School and started playing in the Men’s Fast Pitch League at the age of seventeen. Playing at Giodone’s Field, El Rey, Bessemer, McHarg Field, Ruby Hill, City Park, and traveling throughout the state during his playing years. During that time, he played with some of the best fast pitch players from Pueblo, many of which have also been inducted into the Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame. During one of Vic’s travels to Holcome, Kansas, Vic was recruited to pitch for a team in America’s oldest and longest running Hispanic Tournament in Houston, Texas. Vic’s team won the tournament the first year and was runner up the next.
When asked to list all of his tournament MVP or All-Tourney awards, his response was, “how do you count awards when you are having so much fun?” He competed at an elite level during his playing years. Vic played for Nite Club, T’s, Perfect Image, Capritta’ s Oasis, Lee’s, and the Pueblo Merchants. His Pueblo Merchant team won the 1985 State Championship which was held in Denver. His former teammates all appreciated his passion and love for the game and in some cases if not most, his leadership.
Like many players, Vic has moved on from the great game of fast pitch softball, except to be a fan. He is very much involved in the community. He is part of a group of volunteers that “Keep the Community Clean.” The group goes around the community a few times a year and helps pick up the junk and trash for people with disabilities and the elderly. Every Easter, Vic and his wife donate about two hundred Easter baskets and toys for all the children in their community.
Victor Soto’s legacy will be: Great pitcher and softball player, great teammate, great competitor, great sportsmanship, and above all, great citizen..
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Steve Pineda
Steve was born and raised in the Bessemer area and began playing softball in 1966 in the Pueblo City Youth League. Steve was a 1972 graduate of Central High School.
At the age of 18 years old, he played catcher with the Assumption Catholic Church team and caught for Pueblo Softball Hall of Famers Mike Leyba (2011), Ed Montelongo (2014), and Dan Rosales (2011). Throughout the many years that followed, he played with and against many of Pueblo’s elite and Hall of Famers including, Alan Colglazier, Dave Masser, and Lee Poteet.
Because of his dedication to the game, PSHOF member Marion Hernandez (Class of 2012) encouraged Steve to learn the traits of becoming an umpire. Marion said that Steve exhibited great professionalism, sportsmanship, respect, and integrity to all players, coaches, and fans whether he was on the field or off.
It was mentioned by the late Joe Santos (PSHOF 2010), to his son Jerry Santos (PSHOF 2020), that he felt Steve was the role model of an umpire due to his well-kept appearance on the field, his hustle, and his knowledge of the rules of softball.
Steve was elected President by his fellow umpires for the local Umpire Association of Pueblo. During his tenure, he recruited and tutored many people to help them become the best umpires they could be. His goal was to continue the legacy of well-respected umpires known throughout Colorado.
He was one of ten umpires selected from the State of Colorado for the Rocky Mountain Congress Traveling League. Steve umpired in over fifty-two post season CHSSA high school girls fastpitch tourneys and received seven appointments to umpire the CHSSA high school girls fastpitch State Finals.
At the height of his 27-year umpire career, Steve was chosen by the Amateur Softball Association to officiate in the National Men’s Fast Pitch Tournament held in Clinton, Utah. Steve was then selected as one of four umpires to officiate the Men’s Fast Pitch National Championship game.
Liz Chapman
Liz grew up out on the St. Charles Mesa east of Pueblo and comes from a “ball-playing family.” Growing up around the game, everyone in her family played, including her mom and dad. Liz started playing 8-and-under out in the county and eventually ended up playing women’s fastpitch at Bessemer Park for many years in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Unlike many young adults, Liz did not let her passion for the sport die. She continued on to play slow-pitch for many years. This is where her true passion for the sport started. She learned quickly how to umpire and ended up becoming well known throughout Colorado and spent the next thirty years plus umpiring men’s fastpitch, co-ed slow pitch, girls fastpitch, and even t-ball in Pueblo, Canon City, Walsenburg, Denver, Colorado Springs, Fountain, Lamar, and La Junta.
Liz is well known as the organizer of the St. Joseph’s Annual Co-ed Slow Pitch Tournament which has been going strong for over 20 years thanks to Liz’s hard work and dedication. It is not uncommon to find Liz lending a hand at other softball tournaments in the community whether it is organizing scholarship opportunities for our young student athletes or helping to raising money for local non-profits such as CASA of Pueblo, Race for the Cure for Breast Cancer, and several other local non-profit organizations. Liz is currently on a committee to collect used sports equipment to give to kids that would not otherwise be able to afford.
Liz was instrumental in getting the ball fields at St. Joseph’s Church renovated. Once known as the worst ball fields in Pueblo, her hard work has benefited not only St. Joseph’s, but the youth in the community, allowing them to have a safe place to practice and play.
She is an amazing individual who deserves to be recognized for the countless hours of “behind the scenes” hard work she is always willing to do.
Audrey (Rendon) LaFountain
RAudrey Rendon LaFountain grew up around the game of softball and loved watching men’s fastpitch at Bessemer Park. It was these experiences, the people, and the culture, which influenced her love of the game. She started her softball career playing with La Gente Youth Sports at Rawlings Field and then went on to play competitive travel ball for teams in Pueblo, Colorado Springs, and Denver.
Audrey attended Pueblo Central High School from 2000 to 2003. She was a four-year letter winner in softball and track & field. During her high school softball career, she played for Coach Charlie Manning (2012 PSHOF inductee), Boisen Arguello, Bobby Bonner (2010 PSHOF inductee), and Charlie Montera. As a Wildcat she pitched, played 3rd base, and shortstop. Her high school career accolades include being named All-SCL four times, CHSAA/CCGS 4A All-State, Pueblo Central Coaches award two times, and named the Pueblo Central Female "Athlete-of-the-Year" in 2003.
Audrey was heavily recruited and made the decision to sign with the University of Louisville. There she was a four-time All-Conference First Team selection and still owns many season and career records for the Cardinals, including hits (283), at-bats (753), stolen bases (82), triples (26), and assists (489). Her accolades at Louisville include 2004 Conference USA "Freshman-of-the-Year" and First-Team selection, 2005 Conference USA First-Team selection and NCAA National Leader in triples (10), 2006 Big East First Team selection, 2007 Big East First-Team selection, University of Louisville Female Spring Sport "Athlete-of-the-Year" (2007), and was drafted in the third round by the Rockford Thunder of the National Pro Fastpitch League in 2007. She played two seasons for Rockford at third base and shortstop. Her final season was with the Philadelphia Force. Throughout Audrey’s career, she was known for her speed, being an offensive catalyst as a leadoff hitter.
After her college and pro careers, Audrey continued to coach at the collegiate level, run camps, and conduct lessons for girls of all ages. Today, Audrey lives in Louisville, KY with her husband and three children who are starting playing careers of their own..
Angelus Chapel (McCulley Family)
Charles and Petra Gonzalez de McCulley answered the call to come to Pueblo. At the advice of T.G. McCarthy, Charles’ college classmate at the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, encouraged him to come to Pueblo. History has it that T.G.’s grandfather brought Alva and Helen Jones from Chicago in 1921 after the Great Pueblo Flood. They were brought to Pueblo to take care of the Hispanic and African American community, and Charles and Petra would be brought for the same reason.
In 1967, Charles came to Pueblo to see what would be his home along with his wife Petra, and their four children. Their plan was to be here for five years and then go back to the Bay Area. The Bessemer community was so good to McCulley’s, they often stated “when we met the Pueblo people, drank the Pueblo water, and ate the Pueblo chile, they were hooked.” Petra, a native of Panama the Republic of Panama did not speak English so the Bessemer area was perfect, “melting pot,” as at that time was diverse with a community of Hispanics, African Americans, Italians, Bojons, Greeks, Irish, and Asians.
Together, the legacy of Charles and Petra continues and upholds their “Pledge” to all. Their sacred pledge is to serve every family as if they were their own, to treat every woman as if she were their own mother or sister, every man as if he were their father or brother. The McCulley’s are honored and privileged to serve ALL! They are committed to every family that walks through their doors and look forward to continuing to serve future generations.
In the early 1970s, the McCulley’s began regularly sponsoring fastpitch softball teams throughout the community. It was not uncommon to see Petra McCulley in attendance at weekly fastpitch games being played at Bessemer Park. In 2009, Angelus Chapel became one of the first corporate sponsors of the Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame and continues to this day