01/30/2026
This Saturday is our 2025-26 Hall of Fame Ceremony and as we go through the week, we are honoring each inductee.
Today's inductee is our 1977 & 1978 Softball Teams.
In the fall of 1977, an MDJ headline proclaimed that “Times are Changin” and suggested that the GHSA would soon sanction a statewide playoff for the sport of softball. Coach Jim Mau, then in his second year as the Wheeler softball coach (and already a state championship baseball coach), was quoted in that article saying, “You wouldn’t believe the interest in softball around this area. I have to feel it would be a greater incentive for the girls to play for a state championship. I would love to see it sanctioned.” Several years though would pass before any changes took place, leaving players of that era limited to the county championship. And yet, the Wheeler softball players of the mid to late ‘70s had already experienced the thrill of state championship wins at various levels of the Georgia Parks and Recreation Association. Encouraged and coached by many of their own parents, the experiences would provide the foundation for the high school teams to follow, in particular the Cobb County Championship teams of 1977 and 1978. Those seasons may have been abbreviated, but those players saw no limits and pushed through to win “championships.”
The ‘77 team came out swinging after finishing the previous season just one game, one out and one close play away from making the championship. Losing that game to Wills would prove inspirational for the returning players. These girls would go undefeated through most of the regular season, winning the sub-region title, and only losing one game at the very end of the regular schedule. The Cobb County Tournament proved challenging. Once again, Wills stood in the way, winning the first contest and sending the “Wild Kittens” to the loser’s bracket where the girls played through 12 hours on a Saturday to make it to the championship, once again versus Wills. On a Monday night, the prospects were daunting, requiring the Wild Kittens to beat Wills twice to claim the title. Big bats, great pitching, and good defense got the job done. Three more home runs were added to the tournament total of five for the team. And, dramatically, the second game ended with a triple play to win the county championship. In an interview, Coach Mau expressed his pride and announced he would be throwing the girls a big party. The ‘77 team’s championship run and season record of 19-2 included 32 home runs, 163 runs scored, team batting average of .362, and a run average of 7.6 vs opponent average of 3.14.
The 1978 Wheeler team maintained a load of experience despite losing three starters to graduation from the previous year. Coach Mau set the stage when he said, “I feel like we could be as good as we were last year.” The competition proved strong throughout the regular season with teams like Walton climbing the ladder. The “Wild Kittens” would suffer three losses during the regular season, but still entered the county/region tournament as the #1 seed. This year, however, the girls stayed undefeated in tournament play, coming out of the winner’s bracket to face Sprayberry for the championship. A three run homer contributed to the final score of 4-2 to clinch the title of a possible two game final stand-off. Finishing the season with an overall record of 17-3, Coach Mau commented, “The competition was probably much stronger this year. That helped us because there were no sure wins, so we had to play top notch every time out.” To this day, members of these teams continue to relish their team experiences, taking pride in their accomplishments and the standards they set in competition for athletes and teams that would follow in the Wildcat tradition.
