Rick Rostan’s passion for sixteen-inch softball began while watching his brother Steve and friends Bobby Grippo, Roger Ciska, The Donofrio Brothers (Ricky and Joey), Mike Tomasetti, Sal Oliver (HOF) and Charlie” Missy” Miceli (HOF) play at Amundsen Park and Kells Park as the Original Stompers. He started playing in leagues at thirteen for a grammar school CYO team out of Amundsen Park. They won the city championship. From there he played with his friends in leagues at Amundsen Park, Sayre Park and Riis Park. He joined the Six Pack shortly after, playing at Portage Park, LaFollette Park, and Melrose Park. They had a nice team with Larry, Joey, Steve, Kenny, Biggs, Z, Paulie, Danny, Charlie, Stevie and Birdie.
At seventeen, Sal Oliver (HOF) coach of the Stompers (a recognized HOF team and a top-ten team at the time), recruited Rick to play first base. At an early age, Rick was known as a tough defender and a pretty good hitter who could take the ball deep and hit to all fields. During his sixteen-year career with the Stompers, he played at Kelly Park, Clarendon Park, Blue Island and Mt Prospect. He played on the 1980 championship team that won the Forest Park Tournament. He played in six ASA Nationals and three USSA Nationals. They won the title in 1985 and Rick was named to the all-tournament team that year. He also played with the Bobcats in the ASA Nationals in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He played in all major tournaments in the Chicago Area during the late seventies and eighties. Rick had great teammates in Mike Oliver “Ollie”, Mike Romanelli, Chickie Vella, Greg Noscek, Johnny Z, Mike Krolicki (HOF), Jeff Hornacek, Paulie Sitkowski, Mike Tallo (HOF), Gary, Joe Moms, Frank Lentine (HOF), Frank Lamase, Ralphie Massuci, Jim Georgellis, Tommy Kelleher (HOF) and Roy Cotterman to name a few. The Stompers won the 1985 USSSA Nationals. They also combined teams a few times with the Bobcats and Sobies. They won the Racine, WI tournament with a combined team that include Bill Massuci (HOF), Bill Bereckis (HOF) and Mike Mareno (HOF). Rick stopped playing competitively in his mid-thirties, way too soon.
Rick graduated from Dana College in Blair Nebraska. He was a tight end and captain on the football team and also played first base on the baseball team. He earned all-conference and All-Lutheran honors in football his junior and senior years. He received letters from the Cincinnati Bengals during his junior and senior years. The Bengals tested him both years, but he was not invited to their camp. He was also an all conference player in baseball his junior and senior years. After college, while still playing softball, he played tight end for the Lincolnwood Chargers. He spent his weekends running from softball tournaments to football games.
The best thing about college is Rick met Peggy, his wife of thirty-six years. They have three great daughters, Amanda, Lindsey and Kathryn and two sons-in-laws Kurt and Alex with a third son-law, AJ, due to become a part of their family in May. Rick’s grandson Hudson is a sixteen-inch softball player in the making. Rick is currently the President of Geographies and Operations for Expeditors International of Washington.
He thanks his brother Steve and Sal Oliver for getting him involved in softball.