A graduate of Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Illinois, Bill Finnegan played basketball and baseball, earning all-conference honors in baseball his senior year. He began his softball career in 1978 with the Magicians, a Park Ridge team made up of a group of young high school friends. During the summer of 1980, after the Magicians had moved up divisions within their league, Bill was noticed by Hall of Famer Tom “Eggs” Czarnik and was asked to join the Runts who were playing in the Mt. Prospect Classic League. After getting the o.k. to play from his girlfriend and future wife, Barb, Bill joined the Runts and started a sixteen-year career in Major 16″ softball. After the 1980 season, he played for three years with the Meister Brau Taggers, under the direction of Frank Holan. He then moved to the J-Birds before playing for Meadows and Hall of Fame manager, Dick Cooper. He later played with Bud North, Automart and March Manufacturing, teams comprised of the same core of players, including Tom Czarnik, John O’Connor, Bud Doroskin and Curt Uidl. The Bud North teams of the late ‘80s were one of only two teams to win three consecutive Forest Park championships (1987, ‘88, ‘89). He started his career at shortstop but eventually moved to and finished his career playing third base. Because of his home run hitting power, he was a natural third and fourth place hitter. In fact, while playing with the Taggers, he won the home run hitting contest at the 1986 ASA Nationals at Mt. Prospect. During his sixteen year career playing major softball, Bill Finnegan was named to the North All-Star team every year during the North / South games and earned 1st and 2nd Team All- American honors in at ASA national competitions from the late ‘80s to the early ‘90s. He currently resides in Woodbury, Minnesota with his wife, Barb, and four sons, Ryan, Brent, Shane and Austin where he coaches youth hockey. He is responsible for all Minnesota operations for Information Builders, a software company. Although he doesn’t play softball anymore, he will always treasure the memories and friendships he formed over his twenty-five year career.
