Ken Cooper’s twenty-year softball career began in 1975 when he started playing for his father and Hall of Fame member, Dick Cooper, on the Meadows Baptist Church team. In 1977 the Meadows moved up to the Rolling Meadows Park District league. After that, he played for the Taggers, the Straycats, Cooper’s Sporting Goods and Splinter’s Sports Group; he ended his career playing for Lettuce Entertain You. Throughout his twenty-year career, he played on teams that won championships at all levels, including the Forest Park No Glove Nationals and tournament titles at Grant Park, Berwyn, Cicero, the Diet Coke W.L.S., tournament titles and the Cedar Rapids tournament. They won league championships at Forest Park, Clyde Park and at the Mt. Prospect Classic league. Additionally, they won U.S.S.S.A state titles and A.S.A. championships at the state and national level. Ken feels fortunate to have played for managers Mr. Coop, Frank Holan, Bob O’Malley, Ricky Burnett, Al MacFarlane, Scott Rossi, Art Mustari, Joel Zimberoff and Rich Melman. He also played with such great players as John O’Connor, Frank Mustari, Angelo Alesia, Paul Brezinski, Wally Filkins, Ken Flaws and Ricky Gancarz, to name just a few. Personally, Ken Cooper has been named to All-American and all-star teams in Mt. Prospect; he was a North All-Star and has earned All- American and All – World honors in national competition. He credits his success in softball to playing with the best teammates, having the best sponsors and coaches, and playing against the fiercest competitors in the Northwest suburbs during the ‘80s and early ‘90s. He lives in Elgin, Illinois with his wife, Jan, and their two children, Jim and Kelsi.
