Steel City Players Make Their Mark at Gay Softball World Series

Pittsburgh players competed among 4,200 athletes in Columbus, Ohio.

Posted by By Jeff Freedman September 10, 2026 2 Min Read
Photo courtesy of the Steel City Softball League.

The Steel City Softball League’s own Gracie Lou Freebushes proudly represented Pittsburgh at the International Pride Softball (iPride) Gay Softball World Series in Columbus, Ohio. This year’s tournament made history, bringing together 56 cities, 256 teams, and 4,200 athletes competing across seven ability-based divisions.

Taking the field in the massive 96-team D Division, the Freebushes put up a hard-fought performance, scoring victories over the Knoxville Cyclones, Tampa Bay Pitch Slapped, and Southern New England Crew. The team also faced off against the Dallas Diesel, Naptown Sluggers, Detroit Flaming Dragons, and Fort Lauderdale Glitterati.

Pittsburgh had even more reason to celebrate in Columbus. Steel City players Wayne Dotson and Rob Hickman joined the Las Vegas Old Bats for the tournament and came home champions, helping the team capture the Master’s D Division title. Congratulations, Wayne and Rob!

And the next World Series promises to be a big one: preparations are already underway for the milestone 50th Anniversary Gay Softball World Series, headed to San Francisco in 2027.




Back home, SCSL celebrated its 45th season last month with its annual banquet at 5801. The league is now in the middle of its Fall Season, with teams continuing to take the field for a few more weeks, weather permitting.

Following its recent elections, SCSL has also announced the executive board that will lead the organization into the 2027 season. Bobby Angelo will serve as Commissioner, joined by Competitive Division Assistant Commissioner Wayne Dotson and Recreational Division Assistant Commissioner Matt Jenkins. Harry Caskey will serve as Secretary, Christina Medley as Treasurer, Amy Haushalter as Fields Chairperson, Thomas Wright as Marketing Chairperson, and Brian Werner as Membership Chairperson.

Congratulations to the players, volunteers, leadership, and entire Steel City Softball League community on completing a fantastic 45th season — and here’s to everything waiting on deck for 2027.

Photos courtesy of the Steel City Softball League.

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Jeff Freedman
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Jeff Freedman (he/him) is a Pittsburgh native celebrating his fourth decade of LGBTQ+ community volunteerism. A co-founder of the Steel City Softball League in 1981, Jeff has remained a dedicated advocate ever since. His leadership includes serving on the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission for LGBTQ Affairs, chairing Pittsburgh Pride celebrations from 2005 to 2007, and currently serving as the Pittsburgh Pride March & Parade Co-Chair. In recognition of his lifelong dedication, Jeff was named the 2025 Pittsburgh Pride Grand Marshal. Regular parade-goers will recognize him as the enthusiastic voice on the megaphone organizing the march participants. Jeff looks forward to sharing his best stories—at least the printable ones—with the QBurgh community.