Gary began playing softball with his when he was seventeen in his hometown of Brookfield, Illinois. He quickly developed a love for the competitiveness of the game and was picked to play on many teams throughout Chicago and the suburbs. He played first and third base for the Lords and the Squires in leagues throughout the Western suburbs and had the pleasure of playing with at least ten current Hall of Fame members. He credits Jim Donato and Bob Fejt as the two coaches who taught him how to play at a competitive level. In 1972 as athletic director, he began organizing men’s and women’s softball leagues. In 1983, he was promoted to Executive Director of the Westchester Park District. For the past fifteen years, he has organized sixteen-inch and twelve-inch softball leagues and the Pro League for the Park District. During these years, Westchester has hosted many national qualifying tournaments for all levels of softball, including the Westchester Tournament of Champions, considered by many to be one of the premier sixteen-inch tournaments in the Chicago area. Gary and his wife, Linda, live in Darien, Illinois. They have four children: Erin, Christopher, Meghan, and Steven. 11
