Ronnie “Mouse” Maurer started playing 16-inch softball after concluding other notable sports accomplishments. In 1961, he won All-City baseball honors while playing for Amundsen High School on Chicago’s North side. Later, as the only sophomore on the starting line-up, he captained the University of Illinois baseball team to the Big Ten championship in 1963. He also played a few years in the Cape Cod Baseball League on the East Coast. Once he started playing 16-inch softball, however, he quickly established himself as one of the top players of his era. Ron started playing for the Shooters at Clarendon Park in 1968. They quickly established themselves as a top team by winning the championship two years in a row.Besides the Clarendon title, they also won titles at Terminal Park in Skokie, at James Parkin Evanston, and at Mather Park in Chicago. They also won several tournaments on the South side, at Niles, and at Blue Island during Ron’s time with the team. As a left-handed hitter with exceptional speed, he piled up extra base hits, including numerous “speed” homeruns when he hit to the gap between the outfielders. He carried a batting average well over .600 each season. His speed and sure hands made him a top defensive player in left field. His speed allowed him to get a jump on the ball, demoralizing runners who thought they had a clean hit to left field. Those runners who tried to stretch a single into an extra-base hit found that his strong and accurate arm quickly dashed their hopes. His teammates rarely recall him making an error. In 1972 he joined the Bobcats and helped them win numerous local tournaments and a national title in St. Louis. He received all-tournament honors for his efforts. He moved to Los Angeles in 1977 and, surprisingly, found a four-team 16-inch league made up primarily of transplanted Chicagoans. He also played 12-inch ball before retiring from playing in 1993. Ron and his wife, Vicki, live in Canoga Park, California. They have three children – Gilly (Carter), Nikki (Jason), and Paige (Ryan). They also have four grandsons – Satya, Mason, Campbell, and Taj, and one due in May. A great beginning to an all-star team.
