Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.
Athletes Unlimited softball started late July. Two folks there are shortstop Sis Bates and fan Chris B.
Sis (aka Nicole) was an excellent player in her youth, but she really caught the eye of Washington Head Coach Heather Tarr at a camp. She would go on to have a stellar career with the Huskies. She was a three time Softball America Defensive Player of the Year.
Sis also played for the U.S. National team. That team won a gold medal at the Pan Am games in 2023.
I knew of Sis and saw her on television a few times, but it wasn't until she joined AU SB that I saw her up close in Rosemont. Her reputation was accurate, as she is a defensive wizard. I also quickly learned she is a delightful person. If Sis is near a ballfield, chances are she is smiling. So are the fans actually, because she is just that much fun. Sis played fairly regularly with Sam Fischer at third base, making an incredible left side of the infield. The duo also might have more fun than anyone.
Then again, Chris B. has a lot of fun, too. His fun comes from clicking his camera about 2,000 times a game. That is not a typo. Chris takes roughly that many pictures at every game and has been doing so since the early days of the old Chicago Bandits. If you want a picture of any former Bandit, odds are Chris has it.
Chris often gives pictures to players. Sometimes he puts them on his tshirts, too. Last year, he made a special Sis Bates Wheaties Box. He really is a good guy and quite a trip.
For more info on AU, go to AUProSports.com. If you're near Chicago, stop in for a fun time at an AU game. Maybe Chris will even take your picture.
Sis Bates and Chris in Rosemont, IL-June 2023.
