Baseball v Softball - Rona takes Black Sox leave

JASON OXENHAM/Fairfax Media

KEY MAN: Brad Rona has enjoyed success with the Black Sox as part of the 2000 and 2004 world-title winning teams.

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Brad and Pita Rona are trying to have their cake and eat it.

The Black Sox father-and-son duo will commit to playing baseball for the next year and then hope for selection in the New Zealand team for 2013 world softball championships.

The Ronas, along with outfielder Ben Enoka, were summoned to a meeting in Auckland last night by Black Sox head coach Eddie Kohlhase and manager Doug Golightly, where the latter promised to read them the riot act.

The trio had played club baseball for West City Metro on November 13, in direct contravention of Golightly's explicit instructions.

Having won the world title on three successive occasions, the Black Sox were beaten by Australia in the 2009 final and Golightly said nothing would be allowed to derail the team's 2013 campaign. Ahead of the meeting he'd said the Black Sox were a dictatorship, not a democracy, and that the trio would need to perform a convincing act of contrition if they were to wear the team's colours again.

But two hours after the talks had convened, it became clear the Ronas had called Golightly's bluff.

Rather than come to heel, they'll try to make the New Zealand team for next year's world baseball classic and worry about the 2013 softball championships after that.

"It shows a hell of a lot of respect for both parties and I think its is the best possible outcome actually,'' Golightly maintained.

"There's been no animosity. Both parties have ensured their integriry is intact and it's good for the two blokes that they can concentrate all their energies solely on baseball.''

Which is true, to a point. Only 35-year-old Brad Rona, and 17-year-old Pita, will continue to play club and provincial softball which, in terms of Softball New Zealand's selection criteria, means they remain eligible for the Black Sox.

In Auckland, at least, softball is said to be coming under increasing threat from baseball and last night's developments certainly hint at this country's traditional diamond sport becoming second best.

"No, no. Not at all,'' Golightly insisted.

"Moving forward, you can't stand in the way of young men wanting to puruse their dreams and that's exactly what we've seen here.''

Enoka's situation is yet to be resolved, although Golightly said he was hopeful he would stay with softball. But given how the Ronas have managed to get the best of both worlds, it would not be a shock if he and others demand the same treatement.

Aside from not wanting their squad members playing any other sport, Golightly said he had been definite about baseball being on the banned list because of the number of Black Sox who'd expressed interest in playing the game.
But the way seems open for others to follow the Ronas now.

"Oh well. Good luck to them if they want to do that,'' Golightly said.

The Ronas were due to be part of New Zealand's 17-man squad to play in Australia this month and while the absence of Pita will be a shame, not having his father there is a body blow to the Black Sox. A winner of two world titles, Brad Rona was also vice-captain of the team and one of the sport's leading players.

- © Fairfax NZ News