W

Cecilia Redditt Washington

Cecilia was born on the west side of Chicago, IL in 1965. Her parents were Robert and Mattie Redditt. Cecilia started her 40- year career in 1979 at Franklin Park with a team called The Lady Strokes whose coach was Mattie Smith. She played with Lady Strokes from the years 1979-1984. She later played with …

Cecilia Redditt Washington Read More »

Rick Wostratzky

Rick began his 16-inch umpiring career in college at Southern Illinois University in the spring of 1967. He graduated in 1971 and has worked for over 15 of the suburban leagues from 1971 until today. Rick has also umpired many tournaments including: the Westchester Classic-5 times, the Life Newspaper Classic-10 times, and the Chicagoland Classic …

Rick Wostratzky Read More »

ED WALZ

Ed was born in 1942 to Jim and Louise Walz on the Southside of Chicago in Bridgeport. He started his softball career at seven years old. He first played with the older boys in the neighborhood at Healy schoolyard across the street from his house. He would continue to play softball with a few of …

ED WALZ Read More »

TIM WALKER

It did not take long for Tim to fall in love with the game when he started playing 16-inch softball in the Marshalltown, Iowa area with many of his high school friends. He played his first major National Tournament in 1987 with the Des Moines Merchants in Mt. Prospect. In order to compete at a …

TIM WALKER Read More »

John Westermayer

John Westermayer was raised in Des Plaines next to Tomahawk Park, a park that influenced his desire to play softball and baseball because he would listen to the sounds of baseball being played during the summer months. Additionally, the local 16-inch softball “Metros” were played over countless summers in his youth at Tomahawk. There was …

John Westermayer Read More »

Westchester Park District

Mayfair Park in Westchester has been the host site for sixteen-inch softball leagues and tournaments for over fifty years. The Suburban Life Classic was was one of the first tournaments to be played on them. Recently Westchester hosted baseball tournaments, state police softball tournaments, IHSA twelve-inch state tournaments, ASA sixteen-inch and twelve-inch ASA qualifying tournaments, …

Westchester Park District Read More »

Washington Park

Located on Chicago’s South Side, Washington Park was named for President George Washington and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Du Sable Museum of African-American History, the Lorado Taft Sculpture, the Fountain of Time, and The architecturally significant Richard L. Jones National Guard armory are all located inside the park’s boundaries. …

Washington Park Read More »

Craig “Duck” Wente

Craig “Duck” Wente played, managed, and sponsored sixteen-inch softball teams for forty-two years. He started playing at eighteen with Durty Nellies and Runyon’s. He was an excellent second baseman and always betted over .500. As he matured, he became one of the top defensive pitchers in the game. He managed and sponsored Wente Trucking, later …

Craig “Duck” Wente Read More »

Bill Wadington

Bill Wadington grew up in the Jefferson Park neighborhood on the Northwest side of Chicago at a time when you went outside and played sports – pinners on the front step until your dad told you to cut it out, running bases, hockey on the North Branch of the Chicago River (when it still froze …

Bill Wadington Read More »

Jimmy Walsh

“If I got asked, I played. Anytime. Anywhere.”   This simple approach to playing the game of softball defined Jimmy Walsh’s 25-year career. Walsh was known throughout Chicagoland as one of the top utility players of his era because he could contribute not only with his bad but with his ability to play every position …

Jimmy Walsh Read More »