Goforth Withstands Travel, Tragedy to Continue Career

Toni Goforth, 16, has had to do a lot of traveling to play the caliber of fast pitch softball she and her parents believe will get her a college scholarship.

Twice a week in the summer, Mary Jo Goforth, Toni’s mother, drives Toni seven hours round-trip from the family’s home in Santa Maria to Westminster. There, Goforth practices as a pitcher with the Batbusters--the defending national champions in the 16-and-under division of the American Softball Assn.

The mileage builds even more when her dad, Paul, drives her to weekend games.

But Toni has had to make a journey that can’t be measured in miles to even play softball this season.

Goforth is recovering from third-degree burns over both legs suffered Jan. 27, 1988, in a propane gas explosion in the family’s motor home.

Goforth and her mother had moved into the motor home in Santa Ynez, 30 miles south of Santa Maria, so Toni could qualify to play travel ball in the Southern Division and increase her chances of being seen by the top college coaches.

“It’s better competition and better coaching (in the Southern Division),” said Goforth, who already has been contacted by Georgia State and Florida State although she will be only a junior at Righetti High School this fall. “I have a better chance of getting a college scholarship.”

Santa Maria is in the Central Division and Goforth could not get a release from ASA’s Central California commissioner, Dick Grove, who wanted talented players to help strengthen the division. So Goforth had to move within Southern District boundaries.

Three days after the move, during the second semester of her freshman year “a (piece) on the motor home’s propane stove came loose and blew up in my mom’s face,” Goforth said.

“I pulled my mom out and got myself out. I didn’t really know I was burned at first. I looked down and I saw flames coming off my legs.”

Toni did what she had been taught in school. She stopped, dropped and rolled on the ground to put out the flames instead of trying to put them out with her hands, her mother said. “The doctor said had she not done that, if she tried to put them out with her hands, she would have burned her palms and would not have pitched this year,” her mother said.

Even so, the burns covered such a large area and were so deep that Dr. Richard Grossman of the Sherman Oaks Burn Center warned Toni she probably would not play softball for at least six months and probably a year.

“The only thing (Toni) asked the doctor when she was in the hospital was if she could play softball,” Mary Jo said.

Grossman performed five surgeries. Toni wears special stockings and shin guards to protect her legs, but otherwise is fine.

Toni and her mother were in the hospital 17 days. A month and a half later, Goforth played in her first high school tournament for Santa Ynez High School.

“This girl was determined to play softball and she just pushed herself and pushed herself and by her own force of will was able to do it,” Grossman said.

Said Toni: “All my friends think I’m crazy to come down here (but) I care about softball more than my school work, and I care about softball more than my boyfriend.”

Mary Jo Goforth also has recovered from the accident. She acknowledges that not many parents would do what she and her husband are doing for Toni.

But she said she knows softball is her daughter’s first love and she hopes it will get her to college and perhaps the Olympics if softball becomes an exhibition sport in 1992.

After Toni’s father sent a letter of protest to the ASA’s national office this spring, Toni got a release to play in the Southern Division this season. But next year it might be even harder because the ASA is considering doing away with releases, said Bobbi Jordan, ASA’s Southern California commissioner.