Mike Krolicki started playing 16-inch softball with the Vanguards at Kelly Park after he quit playing hardball when he was fifteen. After they disbanded, he joined the Marauders, and helped them win the Lawndale Park title twice. Because of their success, they played in the Chicago Park District City Tournament where they faced the Bobcats. […]
Bob Dinkelman started playing CYO ball for St. Pascal’s in the 1960s with the ’69ers. They played at North side, Shabbona, Dunham, Riis and Portage parks. In 1970, they combined with Active Screw to form the Lyon 45s, playing at Portage, Evanston and Clarendon parks, becoming one of the North side powers in the game.
Vito Maggerise once almost threw his arm out while trying to throw a ball onto the roof of Ryerson School on Chicago’s Westside, just a few blocks from Kells Park where he started playing softball with the Rogues when he was twenty years old. It’s fortunate that his arm recovered because Vito went on to
After a sixteen-inch softball career that spanned four decades, Jesse “Mesack” Mack retired from softball in 2001. He was one of the most respected and one of the most feared leadoff hitters and outfielders in the game. With the game on the line, he was unshakable. It would be hard to find a better player
Bill Bransfield started playing sixteen-inch softball in 1970 with the Corner, a neighborhood team. They won the league at Pottawatomie Park for two years before Bill moved on to the Vikings in 1972. They won both the Clarendon B-League and the league at Mather Park. In 1973 he played with the Dwarfs at James Park
Dennis Wallace’s softball career began when he was only four years old. His brother gave him a 16-inch softball and the rest is history. His natural talent was apparent early because whenever sides were picked, he was always one of the first players picked, even though he wasn’t always one of the bigger kids. He
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John Rossi’s voyage to playing major softball in Chicago took a few detours along the way. After graduating from Mendel Catholic High School in 1955 (where he played football), he attended and played football for Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, Citrus Junior College in Azusa, California, and Adams State in Alamosa, Colorado. He was then
Jim Mikuta started playing softball at 37th and Albany in the Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicago. Like thousands of kids before him, he and his friends played “sewer to sewer” until they were too big for the street corner and moved to the schoolyards or the neighborhood parks. In Jim’s case he moved to gravel
Paul Guenther began his twenty-six year softball career in the early ‘60s playing in the park leagues of Berwyn and Cicero. Although he spent most of his career playing second base, he could play any infield position with skill. When he moved to the Sobies, he was a great asset because he could also play
“Champ” Surma began his five decade softball career with Ray Topolski on the Chicago- Wolves, playing at Sherman Park in the late 40’s and early 50’s. He also played with the Crusaders, one of the top Southside teams and in many round – robin tournaments on Sunday afternoons. The Korean War interrupted Surma’s softball career
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