Tom grew up a gym rat. Here is where his love of sports began. Tom attended De La Salle High School where he played baseball, basketball, and football. He earned a college scholarship to St Xavier University to play baseball.
Tom started playing for the Crush in 1978 when he and a few friends put a team together to play at McGuane Park. The Crush won the league in 1979 and 1980. They then went on to win the championships at Donovan Park, Mount Greenwood Park, Armour Park, and Boyce Park. They finished second in their first USSSA State Tournament, third in the ASA Nationals, and won the Blue Island Class A League with a 17-0 record. In 1987 the Sun Times ranked them number one for Class A teams and tenth in Major teams. That year they won six championships. Their greatest victory was winning the televised Budweiser Metro Park District championship at Grant Park. Crush finished first out of 116 teams by upsetting the Safari Tigers.
Tom played for the Jynx from 1988 to 1992. He joined Lettuce in 1993 where he helped them win three ASA National titles (1993, 1998, 1999), a USSSA National in 1994, and three Forest Park No-Glove Nationals (1993. 1994,1997). Tom played for Licorice and helped them win ASA titles in 2000 and 2002 and the Forest Park No-Glove Nationals in 2002.
Tom was a 1st Team All-American seven times and a 2nd Team All-American three times. He also played on teams that won multiple championships at Mt. Prospect, the Pro League, and Grant Park. At Grant Park, he won in the men’s leagues, co-ed, and corporate divisions.
Tom has played in twenty-four Nationals. He has been fortunate enough to have played with and against the best players in sixteen-inch softball.