Stretch Lee remembers traveling to Taylor and Fuller Parks to watch his older brother play 16″ softball. Little did he realize at the time that he would someday grow into one of the most feared long ball hitters of his era. Stretch’s softball career began in 1982 in local parks with Magnum’s. At eighteen he …
Jim Lang, Jr. played softball for twenty-one years, the majority of the time with the Whips. They played at Lou Boudreau Stadium in Harvey and at Kelly Park, Centennial Park (Blue Island), Bedford Park, and Komensky Park, to name just a few. Jim played right field and was an extra hitter. He had a career …
During Lou Lusignan’s thirty year softball career, he played on teams that amassed twenty plus league championships, six metro titles, three state titles, and a national championship with Dr. Carlucci’s Bobcats in 1969. He began his playing days in 1957 with Ryan’s Jungle, playing at Clarendon and Wells Parks. From 1959 to his retirement in …
With a softball career spanning 27 years, Frank Lentine has played for such legendary teams as Cherry Lounge, the Jokers, Rogues, and the Bobcats. Although he played all outfield positions, Frank’s favorite position was left field. With a .600 plus batting average, Frank was known as a contact single hitter with exceptional base running skills. …
During his fifty-year softball career, Dick Lubera wore a lot of hats: he was great player, a great manager, and a great organizer. He played and managed his teams to 590 wins and 100 losses. With a pitching record of 400 wins against only 89 losses, many softball experts of his time called him the …
When Bud Lucchetti began umpiring softball, he was a member of the Umpires Protective Association Bud Lucchetti started his umpiring career when he noticed the lack of good umpires for the league he formed at Calumet Park. In his early days, he was a member of the Umpires Protective Association (U.P.A.) He later formed and …
In 1947, as a junior player on a senior dominated basketball team, Jack Lyman helped Tilden win the Public League Christmas Tournament. By that time, Lyman already had a year of softball under his belt, having started his career with DeVries Lumber in 1946 after his junior year of high school. He played with DeVries …
Robert Lemons started playing 16″ softball at an early age in grammar school. He then progressed to playing in neighborhoods at every position on the field. In 1949 the Ironmen were reorganized–under the guidance of the great Stanley Sheley. Robert Lemons first played shortcenter Ironmen. He switched to short center and eventually moved to pitcher …
Bobbie is considered one of the best hitters to play the game and credited with developing the “dump hit” which is either tap or cut over infielder’s heads. This strategy has affecting games since as outfielders are faked out by crafty hitters who can go long or short. So difficult to stop he went 2 …
Like many young men growing up during the Depression, Casey LaRocco faced many hardships. After his parents died when he was fourteen, he joined a Civilian Conservation Corps Camp in Michigan and Wisconsin planting trees and building drainage systems. When a heart murmur kept him out of the service during World War II, he started …
