Joe Kreger traveled the world in his youth as a self-described Air Force “brat.” When he came to live in the Puget Sound area, he began a slowpitch softball career in which he had the world at his feet. Kreger was born in Eatonville in January of1950. Before he returned to his hometown for his senior year in high school in 1968, Kreger and his family had lived in such countries as France and Greece. Living overseas, “I never had the opportunities high school athletes enjoyed stateside,” states Kreger. “Nevertheless, playing older ‘G.I.’s was invaluable in my athletic maturity.” As a softball pitcher, Kreger was adept at pitching between his legs and behind his back and notched two perfect games, almost impossible in the game of slowpitch. Kreger could hit for average and power, leading his Heidelberg team in home runs in 1976. That same season, he helped Heidelberg win approximately 10 tournaments. Among the teams to benefit from Kreger’s talents in the 1970s and 80s, besides Heidelberg, were Dean’s Tavern, Hi Hat, Puyallup Eagles, Wested Tire, Tacoma Slopitch and Palmer Construction. He earned tournament all-star honors approximately 70 times and was selected as Most Valuable Player in tournaments in which he played in five different states – Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Wisconsin.