Team Dog’s Bite

Joey Lucido John Leuth Jack Nakanishi Barry Seto Jerry Seto Joe Romano Rick Wike Pat O’Shea Tony DeLuca Jerry Aldape Rich Yokota Billy Vines Zaty Ortega Sam Partipillo Dave Love Ron Yoshida Jim Hurt Lenny Romano Dave Luna John Caplis Dennis Burns Jim Martin Chuck Samson Dan Abbamonte Howard Flowers Sam Losurdo Joe Strzelczyk Art Fitzgerald Mike Fitzner Jim Letourneau Eddie Letourneau Rich Zewe John Lindberg Ben Sakuma Billy Julian Tom Schneider Turk Mueller Joker Mueller Chris D’ Agostino Bobby Glover Frank Borkowski John Burke Steve Costello Michael Costello Brain Costello John Clausen Keith Dickens Charlie Seitz Jim Tracey Ed Cooney John Parypinski Artie McGrath Ernie Fuentes Dan O’Brien Dion O’Brien Brian Brown Robbie Plastik Roman Lupinski John Diaz Tony Alvarado Mark Alvarado Nick Lencioni Robert Moss Bob Moss, Sr Tim O’Neill T.J. O’Neill Tony Pignataro Mike Freewalt Terry Jayne Sal Ganir David Ganir Darren Ganir Smiley Herrera Paul Hansen Nick Himplman Pete Waterman Mark Conway Mark Neirman Jim Bowden George Prats Rich Thomas Mike Puican Eddie Miklasz Bill Richards Joe Angelo Don DeBat Bob Andrian Tony Tracey Steve Stone Tom Stone, Jr Brian Zewe Vince Cunningham Ken Carlyon Lee Robinson Johnny Robinson Dave Lohenry, Jr Ken Wachholder Kevin Carroll Jim Healy Vince Aluise Ron Stekne Jackie Nakanishi Joseph Nakanishi Mark Lucido Chris Thompson Chrissy D’Agostino Tony Kramp Mo O’Neill Charlie Brown Steve Kornatowski Matt Eberhart Mark Stritzel George Stavrakas Mattie Richard Louis Masini Don Assem Jack Mooney Rob Glasebrook Andrew Holzman Jeff Yokota Rommie Richard Hector Reyes Joe Hermann Tom Stone, Sr Sixteen-inch softball grew out of the street corners, schoolyards, and local parks of Chicago. It started as a bunch of friends playing endless pick-up games. Eventually, someone mentioned forming a team. So you thought-up a name, bought some t-shirts, and joined a local league. Some teams stayed local but some added players and started competing in more competitive leagues and tournaments.  Dog’s Bite fits the bill as a team that stayed local. They started playing in 1975 at Lake Shore Park in Chicago with Red Kelly’s as a sponsor. Someone suggested Niice as a team name, so for the first year they played as Niice. The next year they changed the team name to Dog’s Bite in honor of a local bar tradition. During the next thirty-five years, they changed bar sponsorships numerous times, played at parks across Chicago’s North and Northwest sides and racked up an impressive record of league titles. They won the Lake Shore Park championship in 1978. From 1980 to 1988, they won various league titles at Hamlin Park seven times. They won four league championships at Athletic Field and two titles at Wells Park from 1996 to 2001. In 2006 they won the Sunday League title at Brooks Park. During their thirty-five year history, more than 120 players have worn the Dog’s Bite shirt. Today, fathers play next to their sons and brothers play next to their brothers. And they all go to celebrate their efforts at the local sponsor after the game. All marks of a legendary local softball team.