The Lords Softball Team were a group of neighborhood ball players that grew and became a dominate team in the western suburbs in the 1970’s to the 1990’s.The Lords played mostly in the leagues from Melrose Park, Broadview, Bellwood, Franklin Park, Westchester, Mount Prospect, Downers Grove, Westmont, Woodridge, and Lisle. The Lords won league championships …
Ken played with and against many members of the Hall. He started playing with the Chiefs in 1971. We played in Bensenville and Franklin Park, winning these leagues numerous times. We won the Forest Park no glove tournament in 1971 and later won a trip to Nationals after winning the Metro. We also played at …
John Littau (b 1937) has been happily married for 59 years, has 4 children and 8 grandchildren. He is a lifelong resident of the northside of Chicago, currently residing in St. Margaret Mary (SMM) Parish, less than 3 miles from his childhood neighborhood. He is also a lifelong White Sox fan! John has played softball …
Thornton Lee was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. He graduated from Chicago Vocational High School, served in the Army during the Vietnam Era, and attended Kennedy-King College and Chicago State University. He began paying organized sixteen-inch softball with the Challengers at Washington Park. He later played for the Bandits, Bad Company, …
Lisa Lovato was born and raised in Blue Island, Illinois along with her seven brothers and three sisters. She started playing organized softball as a shortstop for the Bandits when she was nine. She batted leadoff due to her speed and ability to get on base. In her second year of softball at age ten …
Growing up in Calumet Park made it very easy to be sports orientated. The town and schools were ahead of their time by offering several sports opportunities for girls. Attending Seven Holy Founders Grade School, Colleen competed in both softball and volleyball leagues. She graduated from Dwight D. Eisenhower High School in Blue Island …
We showed up; we played hard. We won our fair share; we had a good time.These words by Hall of Fame manager Rich Melman summarize Lettuce softball during the 1990s. Melman and Joel Zimberoff managed Lettuce to one USSSA title in 1994, three ASA runners-up finishes (‘91,’97,’99), and four ASA National titles (‘92,’93.’96,’98). They also …
The Lyon’s 45’s forged an impressive record that places them high in the annals of softball’s top teams. Beginning as a CYO team from St. Pascal’s Grade School, the 45’s competed under long time manager Roy Kindt in the early years at Kosciusko Park. In the late 60’s and early 70’s they moved into the …
Starting in grammar school, John C. Lee spent nearly half of his life playing his favorite sport: softball. By age fifteen, he was learning the art of six-teen softball by serving as a bat boy for teams in the Pro Windy City League. In 1949, he played for the Alcott Aces, and helped them win …
Three things come naturally to Jimbo Levato; 16″ softball, socializing and working. And few people have mixed in the things they value as well as Levato. Perhaps because of that, Levato, who turned 67 three days after his induction to the Hall of Fame, has the demeanor and physical movement of a much younger man. …
