Ben Reilly’s softball career began in 1948 when he was invited to join the Westfield Legion Post team for games at Murray Playground at 73rd and Wood Streets. He played mostly outfield positions but also spent some time playing infield. As a left-handed hitter who threw with his right-hand, he remembers many great moments of …
Jerry started playing softball in the seventh grade with Leo Priebe’s after school program. After transferring to St. Benedict’s in the eighth grade, he continued playing softball in school leagues around the North side of Chicago. He graduated form St. Gregory’s (where he played basketball and baseball) and joined the Flying Circus, a team comprised …
Bob Russ, Sr. started his softball career on the North side of Chicago at Hermosa, Mozart, and Blackhawk Parks with the Trolls and DE Rogues. He attended Lane Tech for two years and then transferred to Kelvyn Park. He was elected captain of the Kelvyn Park baseball team for the final two years and was …
John Rossi’s voyage to playing major softball in Chicago took a few detours along the way. After graduating from Mendel Catholic High School in 1955 (where he played football), he attended and played football for Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, Citrus Junior College in Azusa, California, and Adams State in Alamosa, Colorado. He was then …
Chris Rocco grew up in Chicago, on “The Island”(Austin Boulevard and Roosevelt Road), and was an active player during the Golden Age of Chicago Softball, having begun playing as a youngster in the West side Key Clark school yard with neighborhood boys and his younger brother, Peter Rocco, Jr. (HOF). Chris’s career began in the …
Born in 1937, Raymond Ray grew up on the South side of Chicago at 41st and Dearborn. He was blessed to have a two-parent household with three brothers and three sisters. The neighborhood boys always had a sports hero to look up to and because Raymond was a baseball fanatic, he chose Jackie Robinson. He …
Pete Rocco began his 34 year softball career in eighth grade playing on a local team at a school they nicknamed “The Island” around Roosevelt and Austin. He continued playing for local teams all through Austin High School where he also played baseball. He played for Triners Lounge in Cicero and Stickney in 1952 through …
According to fellow members of the Pioneer era, Anthony Ross was one of the best left fielders who ever played the game. He had two abilities that gave him one of the deadliest arms of his era, he would spin in the air as he made the catch so he was ready to throw when …
Imagine a time before television and video recorders, cellular telephones, videotaped replays, and widespread radio coverage of sporting events. Now add to that mix the popularity of local boxing matches, basketball games, and the emergence of 16-inch softball as a spectator sport that sometimes drew more fans than the Chicago Cubs. The task for the …
Veterans of the many softball wars on the Southside remember Claude Rhodes as a superb player who was also the youngest player on his neighborhood team in the early 1930s. Claude was a top notch short center, also known as the “roving center.” During World War II he remained the youngest player because everyone his …
