An interview with Classic Glass/Easton outfielder Donald Hollingsworth!

Donald Hollingsworth

USSSA Playing History

GoSoftball.com Player Page

Who are you playing with in 2014?
Classic Glass/Easton

What positions do you play and what is your best position?
Most of my softball career has been spent playing CF, but I have also called LF and RF my home the past two seasons.  I will be playing RF for Classic Glass in 2014.

Who is the best softball player you have ever seen play?
Guys like Brian Weigman, Bryson Baker, Juilo Salazar, and Andy Purcell all show an amazing ability to play to game at a high level both mentally and physically. These four stand out in my eyes as the best player/players in the game.

Why do you like the game of softball?
Softball just like any other competitive sport is a challenge.  I love the challenge.  Being able to play at a high level, learning, developing, and competing against very good players adds to the challenge which keeps me coming back year after year.

Who is the best up and coming player in softball and why?
Players like Tyler Espland, Issac Gonzales, Josh Carter, Chris Terry, Justin Thayer, Flip Washington, and Jonny Perchak all come to mind as the best up and coming players in my eyes.  All these guys have a great balance of speed, power, fundamentals, and they take their defensice game very seriously.

Vets like Dameon Smith, Joey Smith, Sal Formosa, AJ Montano, and Rego Nieto also make the game look very easy every weekend.

What is your nickname in softball and how did you get it?
I have a couple nicknames and they stem from me being super small.

Midget, Vinny Del Negro are the most commmly used nicknames.

Most people call me "son" due to the fact that I say "solid son" 300 times a day.

What is your height and weight?
5'6 165 on a good day.

Where do you call home?
I live in San Leandro, California.

What's your favorite way to spend an off weekend?
Most of my off weekend time is spent washing my car, cleaning my house, and watching sports with my roomies.

What do you do for a living?
Receiving Manager for the Oakland Raider Image online web retail operation.

Did you play sports in High School / College / Pro?
I was a three sport guy in high school.  Baseball, basketball, and football.  After high school I spent two years at Chabot College playing baseball.  One year at UC Riverside, and 3 years of professional baseball playing with the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics.

How did you get your start in softball and how did you get to the upper level?
I grew up watching Classic Glass at a very young age.  Tom Formosa and my father are great friends and I always told Tom once baseball was over I was going to play for him.  It just so happened when I started my softball career in 2009 Classic Glass was playing in the conference.  I got very lucky playing with a great group of guys and have been fortunate to stay around ever since.

What was the most surprising difference between Conference play and non-Conference play when you made the jump?
The biggest difference between conference play and non-conference play is the ability to find holes and manipulate the ball.  Many hitters at the conference level have great eyes and always swing at good pitches which is another big difference between the levels.

Is there a player that you would compare your game to?
The past couple of seasons I have worked hard to use the entire field.  As a left handed hitter I like to compare my game to guys like Steven (Stuey) Lopez, and Brian Zirkle as they are quality left handed hitters.

What would you say is your career highlight to this point? Maybe one play or game that sticks out to you in particular?
I think the one game that sticks out in my mind was the 2009 Concord Major with Classic Glass.  We beat Dan Smith by double digits late in the night getting us to Sunday.  We placed third in the tourney and got bumped to Class 'A' Monday morning.

In your career was there a single person (player/manager/coach) who had the most significant impact on your approach to the game? Why?
There is an old school player from my home town named Garrett Sullivan who had a huge impact on my softball career.  Sully showed me the importance of hitting the ball the other way, swinging at strikes, and playing hard no matter who is watching.

What advice can you give a young player trying to break into the upper level?
The best advice I can give any player at this level is, "be humble".  Never let the highs get you too high and the lows get you too low.  Ride the wave, play the game with passion and respect your teammates between the lines.

What type of batting grip do you use and what ounce bat?
I use an overlap batting grip.

What do you do in the offseason to prepare for the next softball season?
In the offseason I workout and hit with my boss Brian "b-money" Moran.  We lift 4-5 days a week and hit every Tuesday and Thursday.

Issac "baby g" Gonzales and I hit every other Sunday with his uncle Steve and good buddy Shimi.  Most of my time is spent chasing dingers.

What is your favorite sports team and your favorite sport other than softball?
My favorite sports teams are the Oakland Raiders, Miami Heat, New York Yankees, and San Jose Sharks.  I very much enjoy watching hockey games.

Do you have any superstitions and if so, what are they?
For those who know me my list of superstitions would take three years to list, with that said one of my main superstitions is cleaning my shoes and glove with scrubbin bubbles after every game.

What would be your "at bat" music selection?
100% "Go DJ" by Little Wayne.

What is the best improvement upper level softball could make?
I haven't been around the game long enough to have a quality improvement suggestion.  Usssa puts on great events and gives us players a chance to remain comptetive and play at a high level evey year from what I have noticed.

What is your favorite non-World tournament and why?
I enjoy Toys for Tots in Palm Springs.  Great balls, good players, a fun yet competitive atmosphere that makes for a productive weekend.

What is the best softball field/complex you have played at and why?
Best complex I have played at is Disney.  Nothing is better then playing on a Big League spring training field.

Where is the best place to eat on the road after a game?
Waffle House is the greatest place ever to eat on the road.

What is the funniest thing you have ever seen on a softball field?
My current coach Charles Dyson who is a few days short of 100 years old had to play in a game last year for Classic Glass at the Perris Major.  With 100 or so people watching Charles lined out with a runner on 3rd in a close game to end the inning.  I know he was nervous but he didn't miss a beat.  Solid son!!!