The OJ’s , a team that will go down as one of the top women’s teams in 16” softball history, began its ten year run in 1973 when player/coach Linda “Boom Boom” Parker-Trapp and manager Joe Gerage combined their top teams from the Wells Park League. The team derived it’s name from the initials of Ozzie Babilla and John Wong, proprietors of OJ’s bar, located at Clark and Diversey in Chicago. The OJ’s went on to dominate tournaments at many Chicagoland parks, including River, Horner, Touhy, Paul Revere, Clarendon and Shabonna. They also dominated play in the Ed Kelly Tournament at Thillins’ Stadium, and at Hart Park in Blue Island. Many players continued playing with Ozzie and John when they gave up the OJ’s name in 1985, in favor of Buffoon’s Saloon. The OJ’s embodied all that was great in 16” softball; loyalty to a winning program, hard work at practice and during games, and lots of fun and friendship after the games. Unfortunately time has taken sponsor John Wong and superfans John “Duke” Schnagel and Bob Souski. But the roar of the summertime crowd can still be heard from the softball diamond at Lincoln and Montrose where the OJ’s racked up a winning percentage in the 900’s. Not bad for a team from Chicago’s North side. Coach; Joe Gerage Dodo Kaspar-Brait Erin McGuire Sandy Campofiore Kim McKeel Fran Diaz Mary Kay Monaghan Denise Kaspar-Dziedzic Anna Moraitis Sonya Fabiankovits-Krey Toni Paolini Karen Foley Pam Ransom Prissy Shepard Karen Reykjalin-Kraus Mary Kaspar Nancy Strohmeyer Chick Lillis Linda Trapp Tina Maglaya Debbie Whitfield
