(Editor's note: This is the first of a two-part story on softball pioneer Arnie Weaver.)

Few people qualify as legends in their own time.

In Arnie Weaver's case, he is indeed a legendary modified-pitch softball player, manager and pioneer.

Today at 7 p.m., Weaver will be recognized for all his efforts at Miller-Sibley Complex in Franklin.

Weaver, who retired as a player last year, began his 47-year career in the summer of 1960 on the diamonds of Clarion County. He and some friends formed a fast-pitch church league team known as Ashland and played against the likes of Salem, Kossuth, St. Mark's and Crossroads.

Little did he know Ashland would become a powerhouse both statewide and in Venango County and from its humble beginnings would help revolutionize softball in Pennsylvania.

"I started out playing left field and after a few games switched to third base," Weaver said. "I played third base all the years in Clarion County."

Weaver, however, made his mark as a player on the mound, where he would later be named the Most Valuable Pitcher when Ashland won the 1974 ASA 9-man Modified-pitch State Championships at Scranton.

It was the first state tournament in the new classification and winning the title remains one of Weaver's most memorable moments.

"One of the biggest good feelings was in 1974 being the state champions," Weaver humbly said. "We only had 11 or 12 guys, my brother got hurt in the first inning and we had to play someone who wasn't a regular. Being state champions, a bunch a guys who were farmers and working our way up from the church league was something. It was probably the greatest thing."

There were many other memories, too ... some not so good.

"The worst thing was being second in the nationals," Weaver said of Mellons runner-up finish in the ASA 10-man Modified-pitch National Championships played at Meadville's Lincoln Avenue Complex.

"We were ahead 5-0 in the fifth inning against Amato's of Staten Island, N.Y., and we lost, 10-5," he remembers. "It was one of my biggest disappointments playing ball. We had it and let it get away. They scored a lot of runs with two outs, we just couldn't put them away."

Mellons, which would become a perennial state and national contender, began its run of success in 1982 when as a first-year team it finished second in the ASA 10-man Modified-pitch State Championships at Oxford.

"We lost our first game and in the second game we were down 10 runs and wound up winning," Weaver recalls. "We wound up losing in the championship game, but that second game made us a team. We were sailing after that. We played strong defense, so we didn't have to score many runs. We were a seven-run ball team at best. But, we didn't allow many runs. We averaged giving up around three."

Mellons, which Weaver recalls won three-or-four state titles, not only finished second once at the nationals, but was also a force almost each and every year.

"We always played a lot of hard ball in Meadville," Weaver said. "We always did well up there. We were most generally in the top 10."

Weaver's teams were also top notch in the local arena.

In the first year of what is now the 30th Annual Hop Homan-Chops Cunningham Oil Heritage Memorial Tournament the format was modified-pitch rules. Ashland, led by Weaver, lost its first game and battled back through the losers' bracket to win 10 straight games and the championship. Weaver pitched all 11 games.

"We had to go down to Franklin to finish it," Weaver said. "Art's Place was the winners' bracket champion and it got dark and we had to go to Franklin to finish it because they had lights. We started at 8 a.m. and were still playing in 1 a.m."

When Ashland joined the Franklin League in 1967, the rules were fast-pitch, but were soon to become modified.

Weaver had much to do with that and the development of modified-pitch softball across the state and nation.

How much did Weaver do for modified softball?

"Arnie Weaver helped teach me the 10-man modified game," Western Area ASA of Pennsylvania Commissioner Guy DeMaio said. "He and Pete Huefner, those guys convinced me that was the way to go. He also was instrumental in developing classifications, so teams who couldn't compete with teams like Ashland could be competitive and learn to play the game and advance up the ladder."

DeMaio, the chairman of national ASA modified-pitch rules committee, quipped, "When I first met Arnie Weaver, I didn't even know the modified game existed."

Herb Bigley, who took over as president of the local modified league in 1982 and still holds the post, described Weaver's contributions as "invaluable."

"(Arnie) had wisdom," Bigley said. "I respected his opinion and he was always there. He ran work sessions and made sure things were done right. He has a tireless work ethic and what he gave back to the game is priceless. He never asked for anything.

"He was the face of modified for a lot of years," Bigley continued. "A lot of people played this game, but he stood the test of time. It is important to the league and important to modified that we let him know how we feel about him."

"I'm very humbled by this," Weaver said of tonight's ceremony. "When I first heard about this (being honored) I wanted to make it a point to thank everyone. I definitely have to thank the softball business, and you can't name names because you would forget someone important. But there are so many people.

"One thing I do want to stress is I feel I owe the softball business more than it owes me," he continued. "I feel very strongly about that."

Weaver, who estimates - conservatively - that he won more than 1,500 games, was quick to point out, "I've lost more games than a lot of guys have played."

Tonight, Weaver will get another victory.

(Tomorrow: Weaver talks of his career while Bigley and others remember what made him the face of Venango County softball.)