Great traditions often start with a simple mission and passion. The Flamingos, a world famous African-American sixteen-inch softball team, believed this to be true when they sought out the best softball teams to play “anytime and anywhere.” Under the expert coaching and organizing of Percy Coleman, the Flamingos became such a force in softball on the South and West Sides of Chicago that they were barred from playing in many local leagues and tournaments, including the popular Southside Cocktail “Money” League.
During their thirty-year span, the Flamingos became the first black team to win three major national world series tournaments – the 1978 ASA Wisconsin World Series at Racine, Wisconsin, the 1979 ASA World Series Metro Championship at Lou Boudreau Stadium and the 1990 USSSA World Series at Orland Park. In the 1990 championship, the Flamingos played California Gold in the first-ever national championship that featured two black teams playing for the title.
Flamingo players have been named national tournament MVPs and have been named to numerous national all-tournament teams. Many have been inducted into the Sixteen-inch Softball Hall of Fame.
Row1: Alvin “Doc” Robinzine, Ike Stratton, Lionel “Fish” Tally, John Hodges, Drake Jones, Sam Taylor, Angelo Mooring
Row2: Dwayne “Sonny Simms” Spivey, Larry “Lala” Washington (HOF), Al Scroupa, Willis Miles (HOF), Percy “Bobo” Coleman, Rick “Monday” Ligon (HOF), Wayne Jaskwerski
Row3: Billy “Sweet” Johnson (HOF), Monroe Banks, Randy Webb, Mike Brown, Robert “Lefty” Thomson, Andrew “Chin” Page, Carlos Hilliard, Miss Henrietta, Chip Holmes
The Real Pioneers and the Flamingos Famous Alumni
Papa “Joe” Stratton, Willie “B” Brown, Andrew “Rookie” Brown, and John “Lil John” White
| * Willie “Sweet” Johnson | Andrew “Chin” Page, | Gene “Geno” Gerald | |||
| * Sam “Gilbo” Taylor | Carl “Carlos” Hilliard, | Roy Culter | |||
| * Drake “DJ” Jones | Vincent “Vince” Sterling, | Norman Gordon | |||
| * Larry “Lala” Washington | Robert “Bobby” Crosby, | Jimmy Weatherspoon | |||
| * Dennis “Punchy” Wallace | Cleophus “Big Juice” Davis, | Joe Jackson | |||
| * Steve Kirby | Mitch McCullough, | Danny Jackson | |||
| * Anthony “Tony” Ward | Randy Webb, | Angelo Mooring | |||
| * Vada “Buddha” Primous | Roland “Rock” Kemp, | Brian Bennet | |||
| * Jessie Mack | Robert “Lefty” Johnson, | Cody Jackson | |||
| * Willis Miles | Alphonso “Puncho” Davis, | Leory “Whitey” White | |||
| * Sylvester “Vesmo” McKinnon | Jonnie Hodges | Howard “Sco” Blakley | |||
| * Willie “Wicked” Poole | Dwayne “Sonny Simms” Spivey | Vernon Cade | |||
| * Tom Bonen – | Edward “Lil Juice” Douglas, | Richard Hopkins | |||
| * Ricardo “Rick Monday” Ligon | Andrew “Rookie” Johnson | Wayne Jaskwerski – RIP | |||
| * Raymond Johnson | Papa “Joe” Stratton | Al Skorupa – RIP | |||
| * Donnie Gardner | John “Lil John” White | Chip Holmes – RIP | |||
| Percy “Bobo” Coleman | Mike Brown | Jerry Jones | |||
| Alvin “Doc” Robinzine | Michael “Dyke” Johnson | * Clayton Jones | |||
| Ralph “Dirty Harry” Love, | Ike “Pike Screw” Stratton | Jessie “Shady Jake” – Rip | |||
| Eddie “Tyke” Taylor, | James Earl, | Samuel “Bump” Woodson | |||
| Stanley “Stan” Brown, | Leonard “Lenny” Woodson | James “Crow” -Rip | |||
| Lionel “Fish” Tally, | James Earl | Ron “Dede” Pitts | |||
| Rod “Carew” Johnson, | Monroe “Cosack” Banks | Donald Woods – RIP | |||
| Alvin “Duke” Jones, | Michael “Dyke” Johnson | Robert “Blue Carter -RIP |
* Denotes a member of the Sixteen-inch Softball Hall of Fame