Mike Zizzi started umpiring in 1982. Since then he has officiated over four thousand games, mainly in the North and Northwest sides of Chicago and suburbs. In 1998 he began umpiring ASA tournaments beyond the local level. He has officiated two Grant Park and Forest Park tournaments, five North / South competitions, eleven State and …
Joel Zimberoff played softball for six decades – from the 1940s through the 1990s. He started playing ball at overnight camp when he was just six years old. He attended this camp for nine years and was voted the best player and athlete from ten to fourteen years of age. He played for the Dwarfs …
Bob Eskew started playing 16-inch softball for the Calumet City Park District while in high school. After graduating, he went into the Army. Once he returned to civilian life, he enrolled at Chicago State University and quickly became friends with many of the members of the women’s softball team. After graduation, they asked him to …
Joe Hoffmann started umpiring in the late 1970s at Mt. Greenwood Park, but the lure of playing was too great, so he returned to playing softball. In 1984, however, he returned to umpiring for the A.S.A. During his seventeen-year career, he called balls and strikes for the Blue Island Major League for six years, the …
Rich Melman has been a baseball player all of his life and retired at the age of 55. He and Joel Zimberoff have managed Lettuce to two runners-up finishes and to three ASA National titles. Lettuce has won every major championship in the game and is considered by many to be the “Yankees” of sixteen-inch …
Bob Peterson grew up in Calumet Park and attended Eisenhower High School where he played baseball, and football. He also played football at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He played softball for the Hot Dogs at parks on Chicago’s Southwest side and in Oak Park. He began his umpiring career in 1983 when he attended …
Bob grew up in the Galewood neighborhood at North Avenue and Harlem. He attended Holy Cross High School where he earned varsity letters in football, baseball, and track. He is a member of the Holy Cross Hall of Fame for football and track. He also played hockey with the Oak Park Park District at Ridgewood …
Like most 16-inch softball players, Paul Frerking began his softball career playing in local park district games with his high school friends. He grew up in River Grove and attended East Leyden High School where he was named allconference in basketball and football. He moved into the major levels of softball when he played with …
Jim Acanfora was born and raised on Chicago’s West side where he attended Quigley North High School, graduating in 1966. He lettered in baseball, basketball, football, track, and wresting and was also involved in choir and debate. He then went on to Loyola University and in 1971 earned his degree in Public Accounting (CPA) with …
Ron Schabinger began organizing the Jackmen in the early ‘80s for league play that began in 1982 and continued into the late ‘90s. During that time they accumulated 878 wins and won nearly forty league championships and twenty tournament titles during their uninterrupted run in leagues throughout the city and suburbs. Although teams that stay …
