Rick Gancarz’s journey into sixteen-inch softball began when he learned the game from his father, Richard Gancarz, while playing for the Troppists at Portage, Indian Road, and Riis Parks on the Northwest Side of Chicago. He was in high school and was competing against players significantly older and more experienced than he was. This mismatch …
The “Gashouse” was a group of Peoples Gas employees who primarily played at Grant Park in the Plaza League from the early 1960s until the early 2000s. They were a diverse mixture of young and old players who played with passion and had a lot of fun doing it. Although the bulk of players came …
Gary Goldberg grew up on the North Side of Chicago. He has played sixteen-inch softball since he was six years old. He attended Sullivan High School where he lettered in baseball, basketball, and bowling. After high school and college, he started a softball career that continues to this day. He combined his softball skills with …
Grant Park has been the host site for sixteen-inch softball in Chicago since the 1920’s and grew popular in the 1933…when the World’s Fair showcased the game. The game fosters camaraderie amongst downtown co-workers in leagues from lawyers to media people and the site for tourneys on weekends. Including the largest in the history of …
Duke Gregerson’s sixteen-inch softball career started at fifteen when the game captured his heart. He has played more than five thousand games during his forty-four year career. He played with thirty-five different teams. The High Flyers, Coach’s Corner, Slammers, Brentano’s, Wallace Softball, Doctors, Warhawks, Hooligans, and Goons are all teams he played on that won …
Matt Gillen graduated from Oaklawn Community High School in 1971. He then attended St. Francis University where he played baseball and basketball. After leaving St. Francis, he had tryouts with the Baltimore Orioles, the Cincinnati Reds, and the Kansas City Royals. He started playing sixteen-inch softball after college when he played in a game with …
Jim Giblin attended St. Mel High School where he played both football and basketball. In 1960, his family moved to Oak Park, so Jim attended Oak Park and River Forest High School. He later attended Wright Junior College in Chicago. He started playing sixteen-inch softball in the late ‘60s with the Rascals in Oak Park …
Grant Park has been the host site for sixteen – inch softball in Chicago for over eight decades. The game fosters camaraderie amongst co-workers; it’s an outlet from work and competition and has driven the players of all ages and professions to step on the field to play the game they love. Chicago style softball …
Curtis Granderson was born in Tchula, Mississippi. He developed a love for baseball at a young age watching his older brothers play. He began playing the game once he was old enough to swing a bat. He graduated from Tchula Attendance Center High School where he played baseball and basketball. He then attended Coahoma Junior …
Floyd Glover’s softball career started with the Indians and fellow Hall of Famer Henry Currie. His playing days took a turn for the worse, however, when he suffered a back injury while in the Marine Corps. That injury put an end to his days of playing competitive softball. The injury didn’t put an end to …
