St. Christina Fields is located at 111th & Central Park in
Chicago’s Mt. Greenwood neighborhood , but the address
falls under the St. Christina parish ofce address of 11005 S.
Homan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois.
The elds housed St. Christina School from 1938 until
1979, when the school was torn down and the property would
continue to be used as an athletic and special event complex.
The new school would be located at 11005 S. Homan.
All softball mentioned in this bio is 16 inch softball.
From 1978 – 1992 the leagues played on two existing diamonds.
The eldhouse was located in the middle of the complex. In
1991 the eldhouse was torn down and a new eldhouse with
a concession stand was built closer to Central Park avenue on
the east edge of the complex. Trees and gravel were removed
from the southeast side of the complex to build a new parking
lot. Then in 1993 more trees were removed from the southwest
corner to add a third diamond.
In 1978, parishioner Charlie Knock founded the
Southwest Parishes Holy Name Softball League consisting of
one team each an original 6 of St. Christina, St. Thomas More,
Christ the King, St. Gerald, Queen of Martyrs, and Most Holy
Redeemer. The league played on Sundays using the two existing
diamonds on the property. The league continues to play on the
three existing diamonds and now has teams from 14 parishes
playing.
In 1979 Charlie Knock founded the St. Christina Holy
Name Wednesday Softball League. The Athletic Director
overseeing the league would be Frank McHugh Sr. The
league started with 4 teams and is still in existence today with
12 teams and a never-ending waiting list.
Frank McHugh Sr passed away in August 2011 and
Charlie Knock passed away in January 2012. A month later in
February 2012 longtime St. Christina Fields volunteer Roland
Burke passed away. In 2012 the East diamond was named
Charlie Knock Field and the west diamond was named Frank
J. McHugh Field. A garden was built near the south diamond
and named the Roland Burke Garden.
In 1987 parishioner Kathy O’Shea founded the St.
Christina Women’s Sodality Tuesday League which continues
to be very popular with the parish ladies today, raising money
for various charities. In June, 2022 the south diamond was
named Kathy O’Shea Field.
Since 1991 the elds, eldhouse, concession
stand, and equipment have been maintained by long-time
parishioner, volunteer, and softball player Jack Ullrich, along
with help from his friend and groundskeeper, the late Ricky
‘ the sodfather ‘ O’Rourke. After a night of heavy rain Ricky
would work his magic and somehow have the elds dried up
and ready for softball. Many tournaments would not have happened without Ricky’s work.
Jack also handles schedules for events at the elds.
Jack retired from the Chicago Police Department in 2007 and
thus devoted even more of his time to the elds. Jack played
softball at St. Christina until 2019 hanging up his spikes at
age 72. Yet to this day he continues to maintain the complex.
In 2013, in a tting tribute, the St. Christina Fieldhouse was
renamed the Jack Ullrich Fieldhouse with pastor Fr Larry
Sullivan offering his blessings. The Jack Ullrich Fieldhouse
features it’s own softball museum with several photos and
trophies hanging on the walls of championship teams, special
events, and memorial plaques honoring the many that have
played, umpired, or volunteered at the St. Christina Fields over
the years. St. Christina football and soccer continue to use the
elds as their home base as well.
Softball Leagues that currently still play at the St. Christina
Fields
• Southwest Parishes Holy Name Sunday League 1978 –
present
• St. Christina Holy Name Wednesday League 1979 – present
• St. Christina Women’s Sodality Tuesday League 1987 –
present
• St. Christina Youth Ministry Friday League 1995 – present
• Chicago Police Thursday League 2015 – present
• Leagues that once played at the St. Christina Fields
• St. Christina Teen Club 1985 – 1994
• St. John Fisher Holy Name League
• Southside Catholic Conference Little League Baseball
The St. Christina Fields has held numerous raf¡es on
their regular softball nights and sponsored a hole for the Team
Kevin Courageous Heart Fund in honor of Kevin Renderman,
who passed away from a brain tumor in 2015. Kevin was loved
by all, a St. Christina Parishioner and Holy Name member who
played softball at the Fields. The fund gives scholarships and
donates to organizations that provide services to those with
cancerous and traumatic brain disorders.
Major League Baseball Umpire Dan Iassogna has held
raf¡es at the St. Christina Fields, raising funds for the Team
Kevin Courageous Heart fund. Dan has also held raf¡es there
as well for the Bucks for Burn Camp Organization, beneting
children ages 8-16 to attend a one week camp each year for
burn victims. Bucks for Burn Camp was founded by Softball
Hall of Fame member Tom Taff.
In July, 2011 Softball Hall of Fame members Bob
Campbell and Willie Simpson held a hitting clinic at the Fields,
with Bob handing out his DVD ‘The Art of Hitting Slow-Pitch
Softball‘. Proceeds beneted Bob Campbell Enterprises,
which was Bob’s sports ministry, encouraging young people
to enjoy sports, especially softball.
Each August, the winners of the St. Christina Holy
Name Wednesday League and the St. John Fisher Holy Name
Thursday League play one game featuring each league’s
champion. The winner is awarded the Mike McComb Jr Cup.
Mike was active in both parishes, their softball leagues, and
died of cancer in September 2020.
Pop tabs are collected at the Fields on a regular basis
beneting Ronald McDonald charities.
Benets held at the St. Christina Fields
• Bags for Burke Tournament- in memory of Brendan Burke,
a cornhole tournament with proceeds going to Queen of
Martyrs school, Mt. Carmel High School, St. Xavier University,
and St. Jude Knights Hockey Club.
• Barzopalooza – in memory of parishioner and softball player
Dave Barzowski, beneting the Born-n-Razed Foundation
with scholarships to St. Christina School and Marist High
School.
Softball tournaments held at the St. Christina elds
• Best of Western
• Brandenburger Plumbing ‘Gone but not Forgotten’
Tournament – beneting US Veterans and the USO. 2020
– present
• Bring it Home for McComb Tournament – in memory of St.
Christina parishioner and softball player Mike McComb Jr.
Currently the St. Christina and St. John Fisher Holy Name
respective champs play for the Mike McComb JR Cup each
year. 2020 – present
• Building Trades Tournament-Beneting ‘ Bernard J. Spatz
Dollars against Diabetes ‘ raising funds for juvenile diabetes.
1991 – present
• Bucks for Burn Camp men’s and women’s Tournament –
benetting the IFSA Burn Camp for young burn victims. This
tournament awards 2 bids for the ASA Softball Nationals,
one each for the women’s division champion and the men’s
division champion. 2002 – present
• Chicago Fire Dept 5th District & 6th District Tournaments
– benets the Gold Badge Society as well as ill members.
2004 – present
• Christmas Softball Food Drive – Hosted by the St. Christina
Holy Name on the 2nd or 3rd Saturday in December each
year rain or snow benetting the food pantry for the needy
of St. Christina and it’s sister parish Our Lady of Guadalupe.
2004 – present
• Frank’s Team – In memory of parishioner and softball player
Frank Cusack. Beneting Greater Illinois chapter of National
Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Teddy Leopold fund.
• Fourth of July
• Ginger Rugai Y-Me women’s Tournament: Beneting the
American Cancer Society as well as the University of Chicago
breast cancer research. 1995 – present
• John Knight Memorial – In memory of parishioner, softball
player, and Chicago Police Ofcer John Knight, who died in
the Line of Duty January 9th, 1999. It benets the CPD
Memorial Foundation, 100 Club of Chicago, American
Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens, and St.
Christina.
• St. Baldrick’s Foundation – Hosted by the St. Christina Holy
Name on March 17th, 2012 on a beautiful 83 degree sunny
St. Patrick’s Day the St Christina Holy Name played softball
and 46 people had their heads shaved at the Fields raising
$9,600 for childhood cancer research.
• Sunny Smash co-ed Tournament for Garden Center Services,
beneting adults with developmental and intellectual
disabilities.
It is very apparent the St. Christina Fields have hosted
many great 16 inch softball leagues and tournaments, both
competitive and fun, for the last 45 years raising funds and
making a difference for numerous charities and benets.
