Francisco is one of the most culture and community driven people in our sport’s history. He grew up in Chicago’s Little Village and started playing in Piotrowski Park in 1992, where he found a sense of belonging and camaraderie. In 1992, he joined Cook County Juvenile Probation, dedicating over 31 years to helping young people
Geo is one of the most significant game changers and media personalities in softball history. His innovative efforts in social media and streaming over 1,000 interviews, live league, tournament, and fundraiser games have changed how thousands have viewed and enjoyed our sport around Chicago-land, the USA, and globally. This unprecedented effort has encouraged others to
In 1987, Kathy who loved playing softball started a fun and networking women’s league St. Christina Fields. Soon enough there were 12 teams and 200 women playing every Tuesday night. Kathy organized it until 2004 and then passed the torch to Jolie Becker, who is still running the St. Christina Women’s Sodality Softball League today.
Better known as “P-Funk”, Kendall has commissioned over the Washing-ton Park Super Sunday League for 15 plus seasons. The league consists of over 30 teams playing games on 14 diamonds on Sundays from sunup to sunset. Under his leadership, several teams have been honored, in-cluding Steel Gold, Outcast, Young Guns, Pharaoh’s, Rack City, Dog-pound, Team
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Wally Dziewinski grew up in Brighton Park where he played 16” soft-ball with the Southwest Stags Social Athletic Club and Southwest Side out of Chicago. After an injury, he became manager of Jackson Mov-ers, later known as Bat N’ Brew. Bat N’ Brew won 11 championships in the BMSA and La Grange Park Leagues, before
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The start of Tom’s 40 plus years of playing, managing and organizing 16” softball in Chicago began in 1975 when he went to watch his older brothers play a softball game in the Mount Greenwood Park League. The team was short players and Tom was asked to play. The rest, as they say, is history.
James was born on August 23, 1936. He grew up on the South and West Sides of Chicago, attended Emerson Grade School, and graduated from Manley High School where he was an outstanding basketball and baseball player. He attended Crane Junior College until he was drafted into the U.S. Army. After his military service, he
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In his early twenties, Glen Groebili started the SundownersI a team named for the company Glenn worked for. They played two years (1963 64) in the Riis Park Industrial League. In 1965, they moved from the Industrial League to the Melrose Park Men’s League; they played there until 1973 and dominated the Monday and Wednesdays
Since starting her 16-inch softball career in 1958, Gloria Kolbusz has played, taught, coached, managed and organized for thirty-five years. She learned the game while playing in Chicago Park District tournaments for Antoinette Maffia at Clark and Ken-Wel Playgrounds. She and her Hiawatha Park teammates played in many leagues and tournaments on the Northwest Side
For over twenty – years, the Forest Park Review has published a special pull out section for the No-Gloves National 16 – Inch Softball Tournament. This pullout allows softball fans from the city, suburbs, and surrounding states to get information on the No-Glove Nationals. It also helps fans understand the excitement of 16 – inch
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