It’s 1969, the war in Vietnam is still raging. Woodstock is about to explode onto the news, and the very first Kiracofe Memorial Softball Tournament is kicked off launching the birth of what is now known as the Kalamazoo Amateur Athletic Federation (KAAF). The Kalamazoo Insurance Agents softball team sweeps the tournament making the Federation proud and capturing the attention of athletes across the country. In the first decade of play, the tournament was quickly becoming one of the top amateur events in the country, attracting teams from around the country.

By 1979, the Kiracofe had become a must-play event. An upstart team, from Kalamazoo, called Bunca & Frey stole the title from defending champions and national powerhouse Sackett Brick Company. However, in 1981, Sackett Brick came back strong and became the first team to win two Kiracofe championship titles. During the 80s, the Kiracofe was won by other national powerhouses like Gregg Security out of Pittsburgh in ’85 and North Coast Travelers from Willard, Ohio in ’86. However, in ’88 those upstarts from Bunca, now a national powerhouse themselves, won their second title, starting a run that would earn them five of the next six championships. The second decade of Kiracofe tournament play proved Kalamazoo could not only host top level play, but would be a force to be reckoned with for teams across the country for years to come. The Kiracofe reputation for solid, competitive play was known, and amateur team’s were vying for the chance to claim the title.

From 1988-98 the tournament was dominated by two determined teams, Bunca and Pace. Between the two, nine Kiracofe titles in ten years were won with Bunca winning five and Pace four. In 1990, Pace Electronics out of Sodus, NY defeated the once unstoppable Bunca, preventing Bunca from winning three consecutive titles in a row. Bunca proved themselves a force still by following their loss with three more title wins. Pace would come back and win two Kiracofe championships in a row following Bunca’s three year reign. No team would challenge their rivalry until 2001 when Plumbers and Pipefitters from Lansing, MI made their mark, becoming the second team to win three Kiracofe titles in a row (2001-03), a feat even Pace never managed to accomplish.

While the rivalries were brewing, the Kiracofe was expanding. In 1985, the C division was added, and in ’97 a D division was added. From 1997 to 2003 three Kiracofe champions were crowned each year, one in each division. In 2004, the tournament was reorganized and two men’s divisions were offered replacing the A, B, and C divisions with an Upper and Lower. Then, in 2005. a woman’s division was added. The expansions only drew more positive attention and power house teams. In 2009 Softball Fans.com team won its third consecutive Women’s championship placing themselves in elite company with there male counterparts. SoftballFans.com features several of America’s premier players. The Kiracofe Memorial continues to be a high quality, highly competitive tournament featuring some of the top slow pitch softball players in the country.

Men’s Upper Champions

• 2016 Tri-County Drywall
• 2015 No Upper Division
• 2014 Advanced Truck & Auto/Honey Badgers
• 2013 22 Below/Suburban
• 2012 Street Kids/Mojo
• 2011 Street Kids
• 2010 Suburban Softball Club
• 2009 Monhollan
• 2008 Monhollan
• 2007 Farm Bureau Insurance
• 2006 Cavalier
• 2005 Suburban Mechanical
• 2004 Kubiak Brothers

Men’s Lower Champions

• 2016 T-Shirt Printing Plus
• 2015 ROI
• 2014 Tri – County Drywall/Top Hand/Vendetta
• 2013 Softball Nation
• 2012 Reckless
• 2011 Bourbon Street
• 2010 Softball Nation
• 2009 The Cross Softball Club
• 2008 Kapow
• 2007 Rounders
• 2006 KASC
• 2005 WSEX
• 2004 Suburban Mechanical

Women’s Champions

• 2016 Softball Nation
• 2015 HMX / Graham Sports 
• 2014 Random
• 2013 FYCU
• 2012 SoftballFans.com
• 2011 BMV Doctors/Mizuno
• 2010 BMV Doctors/Mizuno
• 2009 Softball Fans
• 2008 Softball Fans
• 2007 Softball Fans
• 2006 Sugar Roo’s
• 2005 Sugar Roo’s

Past Kiracofe Champions

• 1969 Kalamazoo Insurance Agents – Kalamazoo MI
• 1970 Smitty’s Sport Shop – Battle Creek MI
• 1971 Green Parrot Bar – Greenville MI
• 1972 Squire Pub – Detroit MI
• 1973 Timbers – Toledo OH
• 1974 Kiracofe Painting – Kalamazoo MI
• 1975 Longielieres Restaurant – Grand Rapids MI
• 1976 American Amusement – Lansing MI
• 1977 Nottke’s Bowl – Battle Creek MI
• 1978 Sackett Brick – Company Kalamazoo MI
• 1979 Bunca & Frey – Kalamazoo MI
• 1980 Jaqua Realty – Kalamazoo MI
• 1981 Sackett Brick Company – Kalamazoo MI
• 1982 Eastwood Tavern – Kalamazoo MI
• 1983 Miller High Life – Sterling Heights MI
• 1984 Snyders – Redford MI
• 1985 Gregg Security – Pittsburgh PA
• 1986 North Coast Travelers – Willard OH
• 1988 Bunca Car Wash – Kalamazoo MI
• 1989 Bunca Car Wash – Kalamazoo MI
• 1990 Pace Electronics – Sodus NY
• 1991 Bunca Car Wash – Kalamazoo MI
• 1992 Bunca/Worth – Kalamazoo MI
• 1993 Bunca/Worth – Kalamazoo MI
• 1994 Pace Electronics – Sodus NY
• 1995 Pace Electronics – Sodus NY
• 1996 Jimmie’s/Grover – Kalamazoo MI
• 1997 Borgman Ford – Grand Rapids MI
• 1998 Pace/TPS – Rochester NY
• 1999 Kluever’s Snap On – Metamora IL
• 2000 Raiders/Web Works – Grandville MI
• 2001 Plumbers & Pipefitters – Lansing MI
• 2002 Plumbers & Pipefitters – Lansing MI
• 2003 Plumbers & Pipefitters – Lansing MI

Class C Past Champions

• 1985 OK Welding – Albion MI
• 1986 Schupan Aluminum – Kalamazoo MI
• 1987 Starz – Otsego MI
• 1988 Jim’s Bar – Otsego MI
• 1989 Let’s Go Blue – Kalamazoo MI
• 1990 NY Like/Brown Sugar – Grand Rapids MI
• 1991 Let’s Go Blue – Kalamazoo MI
• 1992 Harmony Homes – Gobles MI
• 1993 Sports Page – Kalamazoo MI
• 1994 Raiders – Grand Rapids MI
• 1995 Burke’s/Steeles – Detriot MI
• 1996 Coachman – Middlebury IN
• 1997 Blaylock/Early – Kalamazoo MI
• 1998 Universal Dome/Worth – Mishawaka IN
• 1999 The Bullets – Grand Rapids MI
• 2000 Borgman Ford – Grand Rapids MI
• 2001 Detroit Free Press – Muskegon MI
• 2002 Calivers – Battle Creek MI
• 2003 PNA/Peters & Marske – Michigan City IN

Class D Past Champions

• 1997 The World/Accent Limo – Kalamazoo MI
• 1998 Koestner Pontiac – Portage MI
• 1999 Rhino’s – Grand Rapids MI
• 2000 Precision Drywall – Wyoming MI
• 2001 Kalamazoo Merchants – Kalamazoo MI
• 2002 Ed’s/Lite – Harrison County
• 2003 Superior Sports/Kewadin Casino