George Schaaf grew up in the South Englewood neighborhood of Chicago and attended Chicago Christian High School where he played baseball. He started his thirty-five year playing and organizing career at a young age with the Englewood I Church team and the Calvin Church team. Both teams won their respective leagues most of the years that they competed. He then played for the Bobcats, Shoes, ERV, Moore’s, Alsterda – Ready Paving, Don’s World of Sports and the Calvin Church Reformed League at the top parks around Chicago and the suburbs. He spent the early days of his career at shortstop but moved to become a top defensive pitcher later in his playing days. As a power hitter, he normally hit third or fourth in the line-up. He was selected to numerous all-tournament teams and won many all-star awards. As an organizer, it didn’t take him long to have a positive effect on the game. He started and ran the Holland-American Church League from 1951 to 1957. In the mid-70s he built the Windy City Stadium in Bridgeview. After the stadium was closed, he donated the lights to Chicago Christian High School and donated the stadium seats to the Oak Lawn Park District. He also sponsored hundreds of park district and church teams through his family business, Schaaf Window Company, and coached many men’s and women’s softball teams. He is currently building a new gymnasium for Chicago Christian High School and an athletic complex for Trinity Christian College. George was known as a gracious winner and a good loser. Throughout his playing and organizing days, he taught the game by playing hard and always striving to be his best. As an example of this character, he missed playing in a lot of tournaments (and missed a lot of recognition) because he never played on Sundays due to his religious convictions, but these convictions strengthened his character on and off the field. George lives in Frankfort, Illinois. He has five children, George Jr., Donna, Barb, Linda, and Bob. His wife, June, passed away.
