Dale's Manning became `Babe Ruth of slowpitch in Oklahoma'
DALE — Seven years ago, Dale assistant coach J.D. Widner noticed something special few had yet to around the community.
Delanie Manning, then a sixth grader with tremendous power, was hitting home runs in slowpitch softball at the high school field.
Widner wasted little time telling head coach Andy Powell about what he saw. Manning had to be moved up to the middle-school team. Widner even said Manning would be the best slowpitch hitter in school history.
He could have won a lot of bets back then.
Over time, Manning developed into the state's most feared hitter. With her bubbly personality and humbleness, she bashed 151 career home runs in four high school seasons while winning a state championship each spring.
“She's the Babe Ruth of slowpitch in Oklahoma,” Powell said. “Everyone from 6A Southmoore to Class B Kiowa knows who Delanie Manning is. They really do.
“I don't know if you've ever had that before.”
Manning's career ended a few weeks ago with a sixth title in eight championship appearances between fastpitch and slowpitch. This spring, she belted 45 homers, drove in 86 runs, scored 92 runs and walked a whopping 40 times.
There was little doubt Manning was the best slowpitch player in the state — perhaps in state history — and she is The Oklahoman's All- City Player of the Year for a second straight season.
“I l ook back at how people feared me when we played, but not how dominant I was,” Manning said. “A lot of it was having Danielle there as a sister. I wanted to beat her in everything.”
Manning's older sister Dani can now claim second on the all-time list at Dale to Delanie. They were teammates the first two spring title runs, and Dani was the All-City Player of the Year in 2017. They drove each other to greatness.
But the past two years Delanie had to find her own way.
Last season, she thrived. This spring, she didn't have the same protection in the lineup, allowing teams to avoid her early in the spring as she grew frustrated.
The Pirates still found a way. The team combined for a school-record 207 home runs.
“We beat it with people that we redoubted ,” Manning said. “We've always been doubted on because we've always been younger and not as good as my sister's group. It was good to go out and show it to everybody.”
Now, Manning will leave behind slowpitch, the sport that made her name famous around the state. She's playing fastpitch at nearby Seminole State.
She still plans to find a co-ed league to continue slowpitch.
“Nothing will beat slowpitch,” Manning said. “It's too fun.”