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Ray Blumenthal

Ray Blumenthal graduated from De Paul Academy in 1948. While at De Paul, he was a four-year varisty basketball player, winning the North Section championship in 1948. As a teenager, Ray played with the Alderman Hoellen / Freeman teams.  The Korean War called him away from softball but he kept his skills sharp by playing …

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Bobbie Blackstone

Bobbie Blackstone is truly one of the great players of one of softballs great eras. A shortstop, he began his 30 year 16″ softball career in 1951 while still a student at Tilden High School. He joined a team that won the Sun Times Chicago City Softball Championship in the junior division. The team was …

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Al Brocious

Al Brocious started playing softball for the St Laurence fifth grade team. He started playing third base and stayed at that position throughout his career. They played at “Moochers” Field at 73rd and Kimbark and competed for a nickel a man and the ball. From there they branched out to Grand Crossing Park, Grant Park, …

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Floyd Berrien

Floyd Berrien grew up at 31st and Calumet. He attended Douglas Grammar School and Wendell Phillips High School, class of 1944. Floyd started playing softball in 1942 with two teams: the Pepsi Cola Aces at 33rd and Wentworth and at 62nd and Calumet and with the Gaylords at Madden Park. He also played with the …

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Jim Brennan

A graduate of St. Sabina Grace School and Leo High School, Jim Brennan was a member of the 1938 Leo Heavyweight Catholic champions. He continued playing basketball after graduation with the Sabina and Hamburg A.C. teams. Brennan’s softball career began in 1937 with Widen’s Bakery, the champions of the Pete Burke League, which played under …

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Marty “Doc” Bush

ike many of the top players of the 1900-1949 era and players of today, Marty played both with local teams and with teams in some of the top leagues in Chicago The local team, however, was the place here these players often felt the most comfortable and showed the most loyalty From 1934 to 1941 …

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Bill “Eggs” Bromley

A former Farragut football star, “Eggs” Bromley played first base for the Capital Dairy Softball team and with the Bill Parillo team. Known for his excellent defense at first base and clutch hitting, Bill Bromley and his teams qualified for many Herald – American Tournament elimination rounds. He was the leader of the top ranked …

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Ben “Nicky” Branman

Ben was one of the best power hitters in the game according to the Chicago American. One of the first of five inducted and one of only three living members of all the members selected by the Chicago American 16″ Hall of Fame, which dissolved when the paper folded. Nicky was a tremendous 1eft power …

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Paul “Legs” Bute

Born in 1916, Paul Bute is one of the original members of the Windy City League. He played for Al Horan Boosters, Farmer’s Field, and Wellington and Ashland, original teams of the Windy City League. Bute’s first team was the Miami Club, managed by Johnny Mancuso where he led the league in home runs and …

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Santo Bruno

Born in 1921, Santo “Sam” Bruno made his softball debut with the Mel-Oaks, a team from Melrose St. and Oakley Ave. On Sundays, the best players in the Bell School League would play marathon games for ten cents a man, with the bets doubling with each win. Some Sundays, Bruno and his teammates were joined …

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