[1] The Suds, Pittsburgh Hardhats, Milwaukee, and Kentucky Bourbons were the only franchises to play all 6 seasons of professional softball.
[2] The Suds began play in the 1977 American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) with home games at Trechter Stadium in Cincinnati.
[3][4] The team name was chosen to honor the business history of the region with soap-making at Procter & Gamble as well as several local breweries.
Mike Applin (.563, 41 HRs, 104 RBIs) and Ricky Linz (.587 BA) of the Suds made the all-pro team.
[37][38] Stepien owned many of the NASL teams, with only Milwaukee and the Fort Wayne Huggie Bears having non-Stepien ownership.
[39] The owner of the Pittsburgh Hardhats of the APSPL brought an unsuccessful challenge in federal court in an attempt to prevent splitting the young professional sport.
[44] The APSPL combined with the NASL in 1981 to form the United Professional Softball League (UPSL) and the Suds moved to Ross Field in St. Bernard, Ohio.
[45] The Suds dominated the new league during the regular season with league-best 43–15 (.741) record, receiving a bye in the first round of the playoffs,[46] only to be upset 3–2 (2–10, 6–7, 13–12, 4–3, 6–5) the Kentucky Bourbons in the semi-finals, losing the 5th game by a run, despite strong performances in the series by Brad Farrar (10–16, .625) and Hal Ward (9–15, .600).
"[47] The Bourbons responded by winning the next two, with Bourbon Dave Whitlock singling in the winning run in a 4–4 game in the bottom of the 7th of the 4th game in the series, only to have the post-game marred when Kentucky fans threw beer cans at Cincinnati players, leading Cincinnati manager Gerry Weidmann to declare, "I can't stand this place.
[52][53] The Suds performed well again in 1982 with a 34–28 (.548) record, again advancing to the UPSL playoffs, but were defeated 3–0 (11–4, 11–8, 13–4) in the first round by Milwaukee, who would go on to win the league title.
The UPSL and the Suds folded after the conclusion of the 1982 season, ending professional play and returning players to the amateur leagues.