Hall of Fame

Mission

The Chicago 16″ Softball Hall of Fame has been formed to promote the great game that started in Chicago by honoring and recognizing the game’s best players, teams and supporters.

Board of Directors

Ronald Kubicki – President

Ray Topps – Vice President

Mark Frighetto – Secretary

Stan Patek– Treasurer

Rachel Entler– HOF Contact

Bill Wadington– Advisor

 

Al Maag

Paul Rowan

Art Lurie

Floyd Glover

Fritz Zimmerman

Mike Coleman

Pat McGuire

George Vournazos

Frank Lentine

Sherman Martin, Jr.

Curtis Granderson, Sr.

William Cavanaugh

Ron Zieman

 

Co-Founders
Al Maag
Tony Reibel

Committees

Nomination committee co-chairs:

• Pioneer Era – 1963:  Frank Lentine & Floyd Glover
• 1964 – 1979:  Frank Lentine & Floyd Glover
• 1980 – 1993:  Ray Topps & Ron Ziemann
• 1993 – 2005:  Sherman Martin, Jr. & George Vournazos
• African American:  Mike Coleman & Floyd Glover
• Women:  Mary Pat McGuire
• Umpires:  John Hie & Jim Acanfora
• Organizers & Managers:  Ronald Kubicki & Mark Frighetto

About the Hall of Fame

16-inch softball has been played by tens of thousands of players in the parks and schoolyards of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs for the past century. In order to recognize this this great sport and acknowledge its important history, the Chicago 16″ Softball Hall of Fame was founded in 1996 by Al Maag and Tony Reibel. It is a 501(c)3 dedicated to preserving and honoring the history of 16″ softball, and to fostering the growth of the game.

The location of the Hall of Fame is in Forest Park, IL..Inductee Park was unveiled in 2009 and now the museum will open in July 2014. Thanks to the park trustees, Mayor Calderone and the community of Forest Park. Since its inception, the HOF has inducted over 400 former and current softball players, umpires, managers and organizers at annual dinners averaging 600 attendees. In addition to its inductees, the HOF has also been proud to honor those who have contributed to the success of the game, including “friends of softball” and some of softball’s greatest teams.

In 2007, a web site (www.16inchsoftballhof.com) was created to serve as a virtual museum.

Currently, the organization’s management team consists of a president and Board of Directors, and all work is done by committed and non-paid volunteers. The HOF is supported pro bono by the Kellen Company, a professional association planning company.

The Museum is expected to open in the Summer of 2014

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can you nominate someone or a team to be inducted? Fill out the nomination form pages and submit with a photo to Donna Levy at our Hall of Fame address in Naperville, IL.

2. How is someone selected to HOF? Once a nomination form is received it is reviewed by the appropriate committee. The committee who is from that era select the people to be considered to be voted on. The public votes online or can mail in. Hall of Fame inductees vote separately and their input is considered more valuable than the public. Final approval is made by the HOF Board.

3. How is a team selected for the HOF? Nominations are made to the Hall of Fame and the Board selects the teams.

4. How can I volunteer to help? Contact Ron Kubicki or Donna Levy as to what you would like to do.

5. How long are people allowed on the ballot? if a person is not selected on over 2 years to be inducted they are removed from list, they can be added again.

6. Can you be nominated if still playing? Yes if you are at least 50 years old.

7. I have memorabilia for the museum, what do I do to offer it? Advise Donna Levy dlevy@kellencompany.com what you have first to determine if it will be considered. The museum is not big so we do not want items that will not be used. We do love to get jerseys of teams. We are looking for movies and photos too.

8. If I buy a brick, when will be placed in the park? All bricks are placed in ground the third week of July, in time for our inductee day program the Sunday before the Forest Park Invitational Tournament when the plaques of each inductee is unveiled. A ball game is played afterwards by the legends of the game.

9. Why was Forest Park selected? The HOF looked for over a dozen years at a variety of sites. In most cases the cost was too high. Forest Park director, Larry Piekarz offered this location and a small old building being used for kids painting classes. The park trustees loved the idea and offered the property for $1. The HOF has received tremendous support from FP Mayor Calderone and the community…an easy decision.

Submit questions to Ron Kubicki
Chicago 16 inch Softball Hall of Fame
7501 Harrison Street
Forest Park, IL 60130
Phone: 708-366-7500 cell 708-768-1668