Randy Russ started his sixteen-inch softball career in the late 1980s playing neighborhood ball with the Levee and the Jackmen. Besides sixteen-inch softball, Randy also excelled at baseball. He played at Lewis University from 1987 – 1990. The team competed in the Division II College World Series from 1988 to 1990. They finished third in […]
Ray Linz Sr., owner of Ray’s Tavern in Calumet City, IL was the proud sponsor of RAY’S Women’s 16″ Softball Team from 1972-1980. The team was formed in 1972 from a recreational group of women’s power volleyball players. Although the members came from various teams, they shared a common bond — a competitive nature. Of
Alvin “The Doctor” Robinzine (“Doc”) was known for his white cap and unique pitching style which consisted of various fakes used to keep the batters off balance. Some say he threw a high pitch, but what he actually pitched is called the Hump. Doc was named “The Doctor” by his teammates who admired how he
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Co-Founder: Jim Dorgan Co-Founder: Emil Smicklas Managers Jim Dorgan (1968-1989) Emil Smicklas (1968- 1986) Paul Rowan (1982-1993) Tim Daniher (1989-1993) In the summer of 1968, after playing mostly pick-up games on the Southwest Side of Chicago at a local park, Graver Park, Jim Dorgan and Emil Smicklas decided to form a team and
There aren’t many sixteen-inch softball people who use the word passion to describe all aspects of the game, but John Reglein is one of those. John embodies the role of team sponsor, manager, player, friend, and successful business owner. His softball successes have come mainly from Iowa, but his business, The Graphic Edge is
In his twenty-five years playing sixteen-inch softball, Dave Ruehl played with some of the top teams of his time, including the Meister Brau Taggers, Whips, Lettuce, Red Dog, and Licorice. As a shortstop, Dave was selected as an All-Time Team shortstop in the Mt. Prospect League. He was the 1990 Forest Park No Glove
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It was approximately the summer of 1973 when Louis “Butch” Whiters and Richard “Bro” Mason were sitting on a porch near 58th and Ada discussing how the neighborhood kids had nothing constructive to do because there were no health centers of recreational facilities available. So they decided to help the neighborhood kids by forming
In 1981, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) established the Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Sports Program, a community-based adaptive sports program for youth and adults with physical disabilities. Thirty years later, it has become one of the longest running adaptive sports programs in the country offering a wide range of competitive and recreational sports opportunities
The Rizza Rockers, a team made up of public service employees from North Riverside and Riverside – Brookfield High School graduates, started playing in 1986 in the North Riverside Fall Ball Rec. League. The next year they struck gold when they won the North Riverside Summer League. With confidence firmly in hand, they started playing
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The Rebels emerged as one of the most competitive women’s teams of the late 1970s and early ’80s, playing in park district leagues as well as countless tournaments on Chicago’s North and South Sides. One of the most memorable moments in team history occurred in the Women’s National Softball Tournament in 1977. When the tournament
