Bustos is the MAN…errr…Woman
Crystl Bustos strikes a familiar pose as she watches another softball sail away (USA Softball).
For a professional women’s softball player to become nationally known, the typical criteria is:
A. Be a dominant pitcher
OR
B. Be attractive
It really helps if both of the criteria can be met (ala Jennie Finch or Cat Osterman). However, one player is breaking the mold.
Crystl Bustos isn’t your typical thin, lean, smiling Team USA softball player, and she is unapologetic about it. Instead of shopping sprees, manicures, and nice cars, Bustos would rather drive around in her truck or play with all-terrain vehicles, and she deplores shopping stating she’d be in heaven if she had a personal shopper to pick up food and clothes.
Instead of sappy love movies, Bustos lists her favorites as Scarface, Young Guns, and The Godfather. While many have stated judgmental, negative opinions about Bustos, she is nothing more than a tomboy that used to get in a lot of fights before she found softball and matured into a woman who is starting a non-profit organization to help inner city children and their families be able to afford to play sports.
And as for that other criterion: she definitely isn’t a pitcher. No, Bustos instead puts fear into pitchers as she is probably the most feared hitter in the history of women’s softball.
Just a glimpse of her prolific power in a batting practice:
But, Bustos isn’t Pedro Cerrano just putting on a show in batting practice until facing any pitch not straight. In 2004, she hit .346 with 5 home runs and 10 RBIs for gold medalist Team USA in the Athens Olympics.
And this summer’s Olympics?
Bustos only hit .500 with 6 home runs, 10 RBIs, and a .607 on base percentage after being walked six times. Unfortunately, Bustos and Team USA (8-1) fell one game short of another Olympic gold when they were upended earlier this week 3-1 by Japan (7-2).
Team USA’s lone run in the gold medal game? Fittingly, a Bustos’ solo home run. After the game, Bustos and four other teammates left their spikes at home plate as they each are retiring from USA Softball.
While USA Softball may find a prettier face or a slimmer body that is more marketable, they’ll never find a replacement for the most feared hitter in the game.
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