Holly is a Bay Area girl. Her baseball blood began to boil at a young age. Giants! Giants! Giants! Her family had season tickets . Her grandma's favorite player being # 44 Stretch, Willie McCovey. Some of her most cherished times were listening to the play by play on the radio all summer long in Dunsmuir.
As a youth in Foster City, Holly began playing softball. She guarded the hot corner and pitched. Of course all the accoutrements, everything had to match, the hair ribbons, the socks. Don't forget all those chants and that big yellow ball. As a young adult Holly played on a softball team with her mother Deane. Deane pitched and Holly continued to man the
hot corner. Some post game cocktails may have occasionally been had. Maybe even a tale or two about her mother's favorite umpire.
Later in life Holly was lucky enough to play indoor softball with family members, her son Christopher and her daughter in law also named Holly. Yes! There are two Holly Abplanalps! Yikes! Holly continued umpiring softball and began umpiring baseball games as her boys Christopher, Nicholas and Michael Dean began playing ball. Holly earned a Junior Softball Regional in Tucson AZ. This was in large part due to the recommendation from District 54 UIC William "Swanny" Swanson. Holly was chosen to work the championship at home plate. Little League baseball is where Holly met husband Mike. His sons Kyle and Cory played in a rival Roseville Little League. Holly and Mike are currently watching Jax, their grandson play in Woodcreek Little League, the same league his father played in as a kid. A full circle of baseball life.
Jerry Hash was Holly's mentor. Jerry led the FOA umpire group. FOA mainly dealt with softball but had a few baseball leagues. Every couple weeks on a Sunday, at a pizza joint, Jerry's umpire group would meet. Games were assigned, tests were taken, game issues and situations discussed. Worse ways to spend your Sunday. At a River Cats game one summer night Dan Blower asked Holly to join RCOA as an umpire. As the years passed Dan asked for help with youth league assigning, recruiting, and training umpires for the youth leagues. Swanny needed help with the NCOA umpire group and "borrowed" Holly from the softball league and introduced her to the SMSBL, and she’s been there ever since. Umpiring is great but Holly noted that there was a need for a "post game". All things about umpiring could be discussed after, during and before a cocktail or two. Thus the "FUN BUNCH" was born. Rick Bannister (RIP), Kevin Henry (RIP), Bob Hocking, Rick Parsons, Jerry Nolan, Paul Hironaka, Rich Hudson, Swanny and Holly. The FNL now includes matching hats, shirts, jackets, pullovers, booney hats and anything else. Holly takes immense pride in making calls but also being a member of the best dressed crews in Palm Springs, Las Vegas and premier tournament MSBL World Series in Phoenix, as well as SMSBL games. Her heart and soul go towards serving others. This has allowed her to live a full and rewarding life. She is blessed and grateful to be a part of something so wonderful and amazing. Every time she sees the field, smells the grass, and makes her first call, it is like opening a new gift on Christmas morning.
Holly’s induction into the SMSBL Hall of Fame is a testament to her ability, character, support, and contributions to the League.
