50 years ago Phil Coronado the organizer of the first Harrison Park Tournament would not have guessed it would last 5 decades, the park would boast turf fields, and the park being the epicenter of the growth of the 16 inch game for Latino community. In the Pilsen neighborhood is Harrison Park consisting of all […]
Mark will go down as one best power hitters in 16 inch softball history. He started his career in 1997 at Bulger Park with friends. The next 2 years playing with the Penguins and Flash and then 3 years with the Bats. In 2002 he played for the 45s until 2009 and then he played
Spring early 1980’s…Russell Grande gets together a group of his High School buddies from Steinmetz to play 16” Softball, a Chicago specialty, this is when the High Lites began. The inspiration to play came when Russell and Geno Grande as teenagers would hangout at their brother-in laws games in the dugout and around the field
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Sylvester “Sly” Hoey started playing with The Family in 1989. He was considered one of best defensive 2nd baseman in the game. He was also an outstanding clutch hitter and base runner. That combination landed him 7 MVP’s and 8 All-American awards in different leagues and tournaments over his 26-year career. He played for excellent
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Rich is the perfect example of a Holan Award winner due to his passion for the game as a player, organizer, manager, umpire, sponsor, HOF committee member, and ambassador of the sport since 1977. He even was one of the painters on Wally Filkins’s crew that painted the interior of the HOF Museum. He has
In the spring of 1982, Joe Umana Jr., the son of the late Joseph I. Umana (2004 HOF) organized a 16” softball team consisting of his wife Rose and a group of her Forest View High School and work friends. Being a longtime resident of the Mt. Prospect Park District, they joined the Mt. Prospect
Steve Heinol has been playing big ball since the 1970’s. He played the game before he could drive and needed a ride from his dad Dennis to get to his games. He was known to play hard and loves the game with all his heart. Even a heart attack on the field never stopped him
Like many other great players, Tim’s career started with playing ball in his Northwest side neighborhood with the Owls. During his 12 years in the majors, “House” played on some of the best teams in the 70s, contributing to numerous titles. Tim worked hard to be a team player on teams he represented, including the
While the members of the Hangovers didn’t grow-up exclusively playing 16 – inch softball (they played t-ball for two years starting when they were six), they did play it for twenty- six plus years. They started at Lawler Park in the 70’s in the Pigtail, Ponytail and then Junior Miss leagues. From there they went
Sixteen-inch softball has been an institution at the Hodgkins Park District since the 1970s. It started with church leagues playing on an old baseball field and quickly evolved into one of the finest homes for “A”, Major, and Pro League softball teams. With its legendary twenty-foot high and two hundred-fifty foot fence and its perfectly
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