In August of 1970, Jack Olson started the Scrappers. They played their first game in the Ed Kelly Fall Classic Tournament held at Clarendon Park. They beat three “A” teams from Clarendon’s League and then lost 9-7 to the Dwarfs of Clarendon’s “A” League. Because of their success, they were asked to play in the Clarendon “A” League the following year. They played there for twelve years and finished second or third each year. Besides playing at Clarendon, they usually finished second at Portage Park, always finished first in the Mather “A” League, and always took first in the Mt. Prospect Classic League and in the City tournament. One year they took second place at the state tournament at Rand Park in Des Plaines. That year they also beat the Sobies in the Andy Frain Tournament at Clarendon and in the Western Metro Tournament and they beat the Runts to make the semi-finals at Forest Park. In 1973 the Scrappers won the Northbrook Fall Tourney of Champions. Jack won the batting title for hitting .765 during the tournament. In 1974 he won the batting title with a .773 average for the Windy City Classic Tournament in Mt. Prospect. The Scrappers won three games during that tournament before losing to the Bobcats. In 1983 Jack was a USSSA Director and hosted a regional tournament in Mt. Prospect. The Scrappers qualified and played in the USSSA Nationals World Tournament. They ranked fourth in the final rankings after the tournament. In 1974 Jack started the Windy City Softball Magazine out of his offices. Jack Olson played first and third base during his playing career. But his primary value to his teams was his organization and his ability to get on base. Jack formed a women’s sixteen-inch team and his wife, Sandy, a tremendous athlete herself, pitched for the team. They finished fourth, third, and second in the ASA Women’s World Tournament in Harvey. Each year they lost to the Hall of Fame honored team, Rose and Crown. Jack and Sandy Olson live in Palatine. Illinois and spend half the year in Florida playing golf. They have three children – Jodi, Jake, and Kelly.
