Michael Lee began his 16” softball career in 1970 playing with the Robert Taylor Van Dykes at Washington Park and Blue Island. In 1973, he left the Van Dykes to join the Magicians where he played with his brothers, Wesley Lee and Hall of Famer “Stretch” Lee at Washington Park. In 1980 he jumped to …
Rick Ligon began his softball career with the Jugglers in the early ’70’s. Before he was through, his softball name, Rick Monday, would be known throughout the southside and in every Chicago area park where serious softball was played. In the mid-70’s, the outfielder/first baseman hooked up with the Senators. There, under the tutelage of …
Throughout his 23 year softball career, Richard Ladewig played for three of the top teams in the 1980’s; the Condors, the Bobcats and the Whips. As an outfielder he had a lifetime batting average over 600, and hit more than twenty home runs a year. Ladewig accumulated four A.S.A championships and six U.S.S.SA. championships with …
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 …
