Like most 16-inch softball players, Paul Frerking began his softball career playing in local park district games with his high school friends. He grew up in River Grove and attended East Leyden High School where he was named allconference in basketball and football. He moved into the major levels of softball when he played with the Amalga Monsters, Bobcats, Budweiser Whips, Relatives, and Sportstation. He was a member of Sportstation when they won a national title, with the Whips when they won two nationals, and with the Bobcats for seven national titles. His favorite playing moment occurred when the Relatives beat the Bobcats at Forest Park. In 1985 he started a twenty-two year umpiring career that took him from calling balls and strikes at Forest Park, Grant Park, and at Mt. Prospect to a twenty-year career officiating at ASA National tournaments. Besides his career at the ASA Nationals, he umpired for twenty-one years in the Mount Prospect Classic League. He officiated ten times at ASA Major championship games and is the only umpire to have achieved both the National Indicator Award and have a plague in the ASA Hall of Fame. Besides umpiring, Paul has officiated in the Arena Football League and has coached high school baseball and football. He and his wife, Lura, live in Chicago with their children, Cody and Dakota. He is a teacher in the Norridge Elementary School District.
