Open Women - Gilley's Shield Awards

At each Gilley's Shield, five awards are presented:

• Midge Nelson Medal - Most Valuable Player
• Sybil Turner Medal - Best Batter
• Lorraine Woolley Medal - Best Pitcher
• Rosemary Adey Medal - Rookie of the Year
• Player of the Grand Final

Midge Nelson Medal – Most Valuable Player

Midge Nelson began her international and state career with Australia and Victoria in 1960. Her career continued for the next 18 years at this level until her retirement from both state and national commitments in 1978. During her time she captained both the Victorian and Australian teams from 1972 to 1978.

Midge played in four World Championships, her first coinciding with the inaugural Championship held in Melbourne in 1965 and is one of only three in the world to have achieved this feat.

During her time as a player she also held the position of President of the Victorian Softball Association for two years. In 1978 she was awarded a BEM (British Empire Medal) for her services to softball and was awarded life membership to VSA. In 1979, Nelson was appointed coach of Victoria’s State Representative Team and held that position until 1987.

In 1983 she was honoured by being inducted into the International Softball Federation Hall of Fame. This honour was followed by her induction to the Australian Sports’ and Australian Softball Federation Halls of Fame in 1985.

Past Winners

Sybil Turner Medal – Best Batter

Sybil Turner started playing softball in 1968 for Carlingford High School Softball Team in NSW and represented NSW for thirteen years from 1970 to 1983.

Turner began her international career with her debut in the 1974 World Championship held in Connecticut, USA. She continued on to represent Australia again at the 1982 World Championship in Taipei where she was among six Australians to be named in the top twenty batters of the tournament.

Following the World Championship, Turner retired from international competition and in 1987 was inducted into the Australian Softball Federation Hall of Fame. Turner’s achievement on the plate was recognised worldwide in 1993 when she was inducted into the International Softball Federation Hall of Fame.

The first Sybil Turner “Best Batter” Medal was presented to Vicki Grant from Western Australia at the 1988 Australian Open Women’s Fastpitch Championship.

Past Winners

Lorraine Woolley Medal – Best Pitcher

Lorraine Woolley was among those who immortalised softball in Australia when she was selected as one of three Queensland representatives to play in the inaugural International Softball Federation World Championship in Melbourne in 1965.

She was again selected to play for Australia in the 1967 tour of South Africa and the second ISF World Championship played in Japan in 1970 as one of only two Queensland representatives. Woolley gained the reputation of being Australia’s number one pitcher, and had been given the honour of leading the team alongside captain Gladys Phillips.

In 1985, Woolley was inducted into the Australian Softball Federation Hall of Fame. Her contribution and dedication to softball from the mound was honoured that same year when Leanne Evans received the first Lorraine Woolley Medal as the most outstanding pitcher in a national championship.

Past Winners

Rosemary Adey Medal – Rookie of the Year

Rosemary Adey needs little introduction. She began playing in 1954 for her home state of South Australia as a first base player. She was vice-captain of the SA Open Women’s Softball Team in 1955 & 56, captain from 1957 to 1960 and coach from 1961 to 1963.

She was selected in a secondary Australian Squad as captain in 1953 and debuted internationally in 1954 during a test series against New Zealand and was selected in the Australian team to play South Africa in 1960. Nevertheless it is as an administrator that Rosemary will be best remembered.

Rosemary’s career as a softball administrator began in 1952 when she was elected Vice-President of the South Australian Softball Association, a position she held until 1968. She was elected President in 1978 and continued in that role until 1990. At the same time she was elected as Vice President of the Australian Softball Federation Board of Management and became President in 1982. In 1993, she was also elected as the International Softball Federation Vice President – Oceania.

For her services to the development of softball both in Australia and worldwide, Rosemary was awarded SASA Life Membership in 1976. She was honoured in 1987 with the Order of Australia, ASF Life Membership in 1989 and inducted into the ASF Hall of Fame in 1991 and the ISF Hall of Fame in 1997. In November 2001, Rosemary ended her official involvement in softball when she retired her position on the ISF Board after 51 years of service leaving a legacy that will never be forgotten.

Past Winners

Player of the Grand Final

The Player of the Grand Final is awarded to the player adjudged to be best performed in the grand final.

Past Winners