An interview with 4 The Fallen/Miken/3n2's Jay Dahlby
Jay Dahlby
Who are you playing with in 2013?
4thefallen/3n2/Miken
Why do you like the game of softball?
I,like so many others, love the competition and camaraderie that go with upper ball.
Who is the best softball player you have ever seen play?
Can't narrow it done to just one but my personal favorites to watch are Buck, Filby, Burdick, Devo, Pesso, Bryson and Dress
Who is the best up and coming player in softball and why?
Any of the guys on the future stars team for ASA are pretty good choices
What is your nickname in softball?
Dahlbs or NASCAR
What is your height and weight?
6'4" – 260 lbs
Where do you call home?
River Falls WI
What's your favorite way to spend an off weekend?
I've been known to have a couple cocktails and play hockey till dawn
What do you do for a living?
I'm a local p&d driver for a firm in MN
Did you play sports in High School / College / Pro?
Hockey and Football in HS and couple years of Jr hockey out of school
How did you get your start in softball and how did you get to the upper level?
Started with some friends from HS the summer after we graduated and did that for a few years then we went and did tournaments at bars when we were old enough to get in, or so our ids said. A guy by the name of Geno Burdick asked me to fill in for a tournament and I ended up finishing the year with them. Next couple years were kinda the same
What was the most surprising difference between Conference play and non-Conference play when you made the jump?
Margin of error is very small. With some teams a bad game means your down for the tourney. The talent level is greater team wide. Everyone can hit.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Stop thinking in the box and just hit the F-ing ball hard
What advice can you give a young player trying to break into the upper level?
Work your ass off, respect your opponents and the game. It doesn't hurt to know a person or two in the upper scene
What positions do you play and what is your best position?
Catcher 1b EH pitcher in no particular order
What batting grip do you use?
Overlap my top hand and a pinky off the knob
What ounce bat do you use?
27 When its hot and very humid and 28 when its not
What do you do in the offseason to prepare for the next softball season?
Resistance bands and a bike. Some dumbbell and curl bar stuff.
What is your favorite sports team?
Not much of a pro sports guy, too much drama and not enough production in my opinion. College kids earn their game checks every night. I'm a WI Badger hockey fan
What is your favorite sport other than softball?
Hockey
Do you have any superstitions and if so, what are they?
Getting a hit in my first ab at the Major
What would be your "at bat" music selection?
Just about anything from Static X or Rage against the Machine
What is the best improvement upper level softball could make?
I think they need to 1- stop giving the bats back if they fail. If it fails y on earth do they just hand an "illegal" for USSSA play bat back to the guy/team. I think they need to cut open bats that fail and start to crack down on guys. Almost every team has a bat deal and all the manufacturers have representatives at every event so getting a new bat for one that fails but isn't cut shouldn't be that hard. Every player has their own bats tested. It may take longer but its a realistic and plausible solution
What is your favorite non-World tournament?
Firemans. Great atmosphere, great food. Hopefully the price of getting to MN goes down so it can get out of state talent/teams again
What is the best softball field you have played at and why?
Disney. It's a major league venue! How can it get better? Plus seeing your name on that mammoth score board is pretty sweet too.
Where is the best place to eat on the road after a game?
Chicken sandwich from Chik Fil A. I think its cuz we don't have any up north but when ever I see one I have to stop
What is the funniest thing you have ever seen on a softball field?
Couple years ago I was playing in a fall tourney locally. Guy hits a ball off the scoreboard. They are out of homeruns but the umpire said it hit the fence and that the ball was live. 3 Runs score during the confusion. I ask the umpire for an explanation when she says it hit wood I ran out to throw the ball off the scoreboard to make the sound again. When I threw the ball it hit the wooden fence! Needless to say I didnt win the argument.
Leave a Reply