As a young boy Jimmy Spidale often ventured to Kells Field to watch the greatest softball teams of the 50s and 60s duel it out in some classic matches. Little did he know that some day he would join the ranks of softball’s elite players and managers. He joined the Nocturnes in 1965 playing second base and short center for them and launching a thirteen-year partnership. During his tenure, the Nocturnes won numerous league and tournament titles. Many consider them to be one of the best teams of that era. In 1981 Spidale’s career took a twist when he became the manager of the Stooges, the neighborhood team that was consistently ranked among the top ten teams in Chocagoland 16” softball. During Jimmy Spidale’s sixteen-year association with the team, the Stooges won over fifty tournaments, captured the Broadview League championship for six years in a row, won the tough Clyde Park A League, clinched eight Metro championships as well as the Hawthorne Park championship and the Life Newspaper Tourney. With 1,000 plus wins against only 200 losses, the Stooges were always a threat in the Forest Park Tournament and in the Labor Day A.S.A. championship series. They were always known for their excellent defense, great team speed, consistent roster, and superb pitching. In fact, in August, 1993, the Chicago Sun Times called them “The neighborhood team that plays big time ball.” Jimmy Spidale is an attorney living in Broadview, Illinois. He and his wife, Mary, have two children, Mike, who plays centerfield for the Winston-Salem Warthogs, a White Sox minor league team and a daughter, Julie.
