Mike Stout began his softball career in 1981 with Phil’s Kids, a local team from Melrose Park, playing in leagues in Bellwood, Broadview, and Franklin Park. A meeting with lifelong friend, Jimmy Donato, gave Mike his first taste of competitive softball when Jimmy asked Mike to Play for the Lords, forging an alliance that would …
Bud Doroskin began his softball career in 1976 with the Badgers, a local team from Rand Park in Des Plaines. In 1981, he got his first taste of national tournament competition with the Rat Pack, a select group of Rand Park players. In their first metro at Schaumburg, Buddy pitched the Rat Back to a …
Tim Decker started his softball career in 1967 playing in local leagues around the Bensenville, Wood Dale, and Franklin Park areas with his high school buddies and his brothers, Gary and Bob. When they moved out of state in the mid ‘70s, Tim made the move to some more notable teams beginning with the Pacers …
Mike Clifford grew up on the South Side of Chicago and graduated from Little Flower High School in 1972. He then went on to Illinois Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois where he played baseball. He began playing softball at the major level when he hooked up with Hall of Famer Sal Vasta and the Blues …
A graduate of Brother Rice where he played baseball (winning the Catholic League and earning MVP honors), Smokey then moved on to St. Xavier where he played outfield and earned a degree in criminal justice. He started playing softball in 1976 with the Right-On’s in Kelly Park’s major league. He then played for the J’s …
Most great softball players grew up playing the game in the parks and schoolyards of the Chicagoland area. Young players would begin playing the game as soon as they could pick up the ball, and they competed against the older guys in the neighborhood until they could one day beat them at their own game, …
Michael Lee began his 16” softball career in 1970 playing with the Robert Taylor Van Dykes at Washington Park and Blue Island. In 1973, he left the Van Dykes to join the Magicians where he played with his brothers, Wesley Lee and Hall of Famer “Stretch” Lee at Washington Park. In 1980 he jumped to …
Stan Bachusz began playing softball in the 8th grade at St. Angela School on Chicago’s West Side. In high school, friends from the local parish would play on Sundays against other parishes and neighborhoods in the area for bragging rights as to which group was better. Upon graduating from Chicago’s St. Patrick High School in …
Chicago resident Mike Flynn’s softball career began back at Sherman Park at 55th and Racine. Flynn went on to play with some of the best teams in Chicago, including the Gage Park Bulls, the Scramblers, the 49er’s, Vis-men, The Big Banjo Bruins, Silver Streaks, Strikers, and Touch. Most of his career, though, was spent with …
“Special thanks to my two greatest fans , Mom and Dad (Doris and Bob Ellerby).” Mike Ellerby started his softball career at 17 playing with his uncle, Joe Legner, and his Babe Ruth baseball coach, Fred Ballatine. After playing first base and making the league’s all-star team, Mike headed west to Carol Stream to play …
