HISTORY

In the early 1960s, a group of softball players from Auckland and Wellington gathered to discuss an annual game for old players. Pop Chote, a dedicated softball manager and coach, donated a trophy known as the "Pop Chote Trophy." The first Evergreens game between Auckland and Wellington took place in 1963. Qualification for Evergreen players required having played Major A Representative Softball for their province and being out of representative softball for two years.

Annual games were played in Taumarunui or Te Kuiti from 1963 to 1970. The gatherings included golf, softball games, and the renewal of old friendships formed on the diamond. The Pop Chote Trophy changed hands between Auckland and Wellington during these years.

In 1971, the Evergreens Association was officially formed during a jubilee tournament in Cambridge, with Bryan Furness as the National Secretary. The Evergreens aimed to keep past major players engaged in softball, promote the sport, and assist local associations. Tournaments were initially held in smaller centers to promote the game.

Over the years, the Evergreens Association expanded, and by 1988, there were 21 teams participating in national tournaments. The list includes various regions such as Wellington, Auckland, Hutt Valley, Waikato, Hawkes Bay, and more.

The association had national secretaries and presidents, with a tradition of passing on a "YELLOW JACKET" initiated in 1981. In 1988, it was decided to organize tournaments directly by respective association secretaries and presidents. The "YELLOW JACKET" has since become a symbolic tradition, passed on each year from one tournament organizer to the next.

POP CHOTE TROPHY - Winner

Cambridge 1971 | HUTT VALLEY 

Hawkes Bay 1972 | HAWKES BAY

N.Plymouth 1973 | Rained out

Nelson 1974 | AUCKLAND

Rotorua 1975 | HUTT VALLEY 

Manawatu 1976 | NELSON 

Christchurch 1977 | HUTT VALLEY 

Levin 1978 | HUTT VALLEY 

Masterton 1979 | Rained Out

Blenheim 1980 | MARLBOROUGH 

Hutt Valley 1981 | WELLINGTON 

Hamilton 1982 | MARLBOROUGH 

Nelson 1983 | HUTT VALLEY 

Auckland 1984 | AUCKLAND 

Hastings 1985 | CANTERBURY 

Christchurch 1986 | CANTERBURY

Levin 1987 | Rained Out

Whangarei 1988 | AUCKLAND 

Invercargill 1989 | CANTERBURY 

Wellington 1990 | WELLINGTON

Hawkes Bay 1991 | SOUTHLAND

Wanganui  1992 | SOUTHLAND 

Otago 1993 | OTAGO A 

Waikato 1994 | AUCKLAND

Nelson 1995 | COUNTIES 

Auckland 1996 | COUNTIES 

Whanganui 1997 | COUNTIES 

Canterbury 1998 | WELLINGTON 

Wairarapa 1999 | CANTERBURY 

Hutt Valley 2000 | WELLINGTON 

Southland 2001 | COUNTIES 

Tauranga 2002 | AUCKLAND 

North Harbour 2003 | NORTH HARBOUR      

Christchurch 2004 | CANTERBURY

Otago 2005 | WELLINGTON           

Hawkes Bay 2006 | HAWKES BAY     

Wellington  2007 | CANTERBURY      

Nelson 2008 | WELLINGTON 

Auckland 2009 | AUCKLAND      

Whanganui  2010 | CANTERBURY 

Invercargill  2011 | CANTERBURY  

Waikato 2012 | CANTERBURY 

North Harbour 2013 | WELLINGTON Combined Services

Otago 2014 | AUCKLAND  

Tauranga 2015 | WELLINGTON            

Wairarapa 2016 | AUCKLAND            

Canterbury 2017 | AUCKLAND           

Wellington 2018 | SOUTHLAND/WAIRARAPA (Joint Winners)

Hawkes Bay 2019 | SOUTHLAND      

Nelson 2020 | CANTERBURY          

Manawatū 2021 | Cancelled (Covid)

Manawatū 2022 | Cancelled (Covid)

Manawatū 2023 | CANTERBURY          

Auckland 2024 | 

CHEE CUP - Runner Up

North Harbour 2003 | WAIRARAPA  

Christchurch 2004 | WELLINGTON

Otago 2005 | NELSON      

Hawkes Bay 2006 | WAIRARAPA 

Wellington  2007 | WELLINGTON  

Nelson 2008 | HAWKES BAY

Auckland 2009 | ROTORUA      

Whanganui  2010 | HAWKES BAY

Invercargill  2011 | ROTORUA

Waikato 2012 | HUTT VALLEY

North Harbour 2013 | 

Otago 2014 | WAIRARAPA  

Tauranga 2015 | AUCKLAND         

Wairarapa 2016 | WELLINGTON         

Canterbury 2017 | ROTORUA           

Wellington 2018 | 

Hawkes Bay 2019 |WELLINGTON  

Nelson 2020 | WAIRARAPA

Manawatū 2021 | Cancelled (Covid)

Manawatū 2022 | Cancelled (Covid)

Manawatū 2023 | WELLINGTON     

Auckland 2024 | 

In addition to the Pop Chote Trophy and Chee Cup which are presented to the winners and runner up teams respectively, there are two other honoured trophies.


Kevin Wells Memorial Trophy

In 2003, our dear friend and fellow Evergreen, Kevin Wells passed away while playing the game he loved. Every year we remember him with the awarding of the Kevin Wells Memorial Trophy. The trophy is awarded by the holders to the Team they believe displays the best Evergreens spirit during the tournament.


​​​​​​​Paul Magan Memorial Trophy

Paul and his brother Peter started with Tauranga Softball in the mid 1970s. Their Coach at the time developed Paul's pitching talent and so it began. Paul won the local comp more than once, represented both Tauranga and the Bay Of Plenty before moving down to Hutt Valley. 

Paul played for New Zealand on a very strong national team. With his mate Steve Schultz they decided to play professional softball in the United States - living the ultimate softball dream. During this time, the pair were returning home from a hunting trip when they had a car accident and both passed at the scene, 10 October 1990. Paul was 31 years of age.

Since 1994, the Tauranga Evergreens Team play for the Paul Magan Memorial Trophy against the first team, on the first day, as a mark of respect to memory of Paul.