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 […]
Tom Czarnik began his major softball career in 1976 playing second base and pitching with Murderers Row in the Clarendon and Kelly Park leagues and with the Nocturnes at Kelly Park. Except for a brief stint with Mike McGovern’s Amalamonsters, the early 1980’s found Tom Czarnik joining some high school friends to play with the
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Mike Caputo grew up in the Garfield Ridge area of Chicago’s Southwest side. A graduate of the John F. Kennedy High School (class of 1969), Mike spent a couple of years at UICC. He left to pursue a professional baseball career with the Philadelphia Phillies. Mike left hardball to begin a softball career that spanned
Zeke Crement played his first game as a seventeen year old at Clarendon Park. His first at bat was a home run, a shot that began a 29 year softball career with some of softball’s great teams, and started Zeke’s reputation as one of the longest ball hitters of his era. Zeke played with Active
Born in 1942, Al Cech starred as an All-Star shortstop for the Bobcats for many years. A right handed batter and thrower, Al Cech was three times named All-American in the ASA Nationals in 1976-1978. He played on seven ASA National Championships with the Bobcats, C & K Bobcats and Whips. Besides softball, Al Cech
A few years ago, the Chicago Public Schools made 16” softball a varsity high school sport. What many might not know, however, is that softball was a Catholic high school sport in 1955, and Mike Coyne played it. In his senior year at St. Gregory’s, Mike was the captain of his 16” softball team. That
Henry “Hawk” Currie, as he is affectionately called by friend and foe, began his softball career in the early 1950s at Madden Park, one of the most talent laden parks of that time. He won his first softball medal when the Aces took third place in the Chicago Park District Junior tournament. In 1961 he
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Thomas J. Curran was born and raised at 46th and Union in the Canaryville neighborhood of Chicago. He attended Tilden Technical High School where he was a member of the basketball team that captured the 1946 City championship. He got his start in 16″ softball playing with the Gaels Athletic Club, winning the 1944 and
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A 1939 graduate of De LaSalle High School where he played basketball and football, Tom Cramsie began his softball career at Horace Mann School at 80th and Jeffrey Avenue on Chicago’s Southeast Side. Like many neighborhood teams, they kept the same nucleus as they battled other Southeast and South Side teams. Sponsored by Aidner Paints,
Larry began his softball career as a young teenager playing with Durso’s at Green Briar Park on Chicago’s Northwest side, winning several championships including the prestigious Knights of Columbus City Championship. He then played for Hall of Fame member Doc Scavuzzo with Alderman Hoellen’s at Welles Park, Clarendon Park, and Thillens Stadium. His skills at
