Betty Ippolito

The appearance of a notice in the February 6, 1979 issue of The Crimson officially marked the beginning of the "Betty Ippolito Era" of Harvard softball. Only a sophomore at the time, Ippolito decided to take control of a program that had almost nothing going for it. Except Betty Ippolito.

First, she actively recruited. The 1978 squad consisted of only ten players--enough for a starting lineup and one pinch hitter, but not respectability. In the spring of 1979, however, Ippolito managed to convince 50 people that they wanted to play club softball.

After that, Ippolito approached Kit Morris, the assistant to the athletic director, and asked him to coach the squad she assembled. He agreed, and together the two of them raised the club level squad this year to its present varsity status.

"If it weren't for Betty, this team never would have become a varsity," Morris says. "We had to convince the athletic department that people really wanted to be a part of the program and Betty made sure they did and helped me make sure that the department knew it."

This season's 14-5 record and third place finish at the Ivy League tournament rewarded Ippolito and Morris for their efforts.

"I was shocked by how good we were this season." Ippolito says, serving as team captain for her third year. "We improved so much over the other three years I was on the club that it was like playing on an entirely different team."

The fact that Ippolito became an entirely different player contributed largely to the squad's success. Always a streak hitter in the past. Ippolito finally went on a season-long tear, batting .439 and collecting All-Ivy accolades for her performance in the tournament.

"No way I thought Betty would ever hit close to .450." Morris says. "In the past, she would become extremely upset when things weren't going well. She was always so into the game that her intensity sometimes hurt her performance, but this season she learned how to deal with her frustration, and the results were amazing."

Ippolito agrees with Morris's assessment of the problems which plagued her prior to this season. "It took me until this year to learn how to control my emotions," she says. "It's just that the sport and the team have always been so important to me."

Versatility

Although she won her first varsity letter last fall as the goalie for the field hockey team. Ippolito says that softball is her favorite sport. "I really love it--I swear I could talk about it for hours."

As much as Ippolito enjoys athletics, she still manages to devote time to several other activities. Working through the Big Sister program at the Philips Brooks House, she spends a few hours every week with Laurie Rodriguez, a 12-year-old North Cambridge resident. "I think it's healthy to get away from this place every now and then so you can stay in touch with reality."

Sophomore pitcher Nancy Boutilier feels that Ippolito's ability to "stay in touch with reality" makes her an ideal captain. "Betty is one of the few people at this school who has the proper perspective on things," she says. "So whatever the situation requires to motivate the team. Betty can provide it. Maybe that's why she's such a great leader."

Or maybe it's just osmosis, Nancy. Consider that all four of her Kirkland House roommates have been varsity team captains--Chris Sailer in lacrosse and field hockey, Katie Kelly in swimming. Annie Velie in lacrosse and Janice Nevin, last year in lightweight crew.

"Actually, we aren't her roommates," Nevin, whom Ippolito persuaded to become the official softball team scorer this spring, says. "We are the Betty Ippolito Answering Service. She gets more phone calls than you could ever imagine."

The incessant phone calls and the fact that she received the "Spirit of Kirkland House" award at the senior banquet attest to Ippolito's popularity in the House, but she insists that her actual residence is Charlie's Kitchen.

"If I don't live there. I at least keep them in business," she says. "My parents own a restaurant in our hometown--Derby, Ct.--so the place feels like home."

"I also think the restaurant kept me on the team this year," she says with a smile. "Kit was going to cut me, but my parents always have the team down for dinner during the season, so he didn't."

Morris denies considering the possibility of cutting his captain, but admits, "It's a good thing Betty played such a sharp right field, because I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't look forward to pizza at her parent's place."

Despite the allure of the pizza and pasta at Ippolito's River Restaurant, Betty will not return to Derby next year. After she receives her degree in economics this June, she will head for New York City, where she will work as a business analyst for American Express.

"I'm the first member of the family to actually leave the nest," she says. "I'm really psyched about living in New York. Derby is hardly a booming metropolis, so it should be an interesting experience."

"Right now I'm not sure how long I want to stay with American Express. I really want to succeed in the business world, but having a family is the most important thing to me,' she says and adds hesitantly. "I also have a hidden desire to coach softball and stay involved with the game."

If she does, you never know, major league softball could be just around the corner.