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 […]
“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
Ray Warren played for the Safari Tigers from 1974 to 1993. In 1984 and 1985, they finished second in the ASA Major Tournament. In 1993, they won the Illinois title in Blue Island. He coached the B Athletes when they won the ASA title for Illinois. They placed fifth in the ASA Major Nationals in
Paul Wukach has been involved in sixteen-inch softball for forty-five years as a player (having pitched four official and documented no-hitters) and as a manager, and organizer. He started playing softball because of the influence of his uncle Wally “Stormy” Dazur. “Unc” organized “pickup” games at Palmer Square in the Logan Square neighborhood. The kids
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Tony Ward’s obsession with sixteen-inch softball began at the age of eighteen when he started playing for the Kings in the Black Olympians League at Madden and Ellis Parks on Chicago’s South Side. They won that league and that lit the fire for Tony to play softball every summer. The Kings later became the Budweiser
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Little did Jimmy Lang Sr. know that the team he formed in 1976 would go on to win seven ASA National Championships, five USSSA World Championships and four Forest Park No Glove Nationals and would lay claim to being one of the best teams in softball history. In 1976 they started playing in leagues throughout
Phillip Williams, Jr. was born and raised on the South side of Chicago. His father (and namesake) played softball at Ogden Park in the 1940s, so Phillip spent a lot of time as a seven and eight year old watching his dad play. He started playing softball on the street corners of his Englewood residence
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A lifelong softball player, Austin “Spider” Ware began playing with Hall of Fame inductee Billy “Bumstead” Johnson in 1961 at Parkman Elementary School. He co-founded and played second base with his first team, the Invaders, in 1963. They dominated play until 1967 when they merged with the Van Dykes, managed by the great Floyd Neal.
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One of 16” softballs most devoted fans; Sy Warchol was born in 1929 in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. He attended St. Adalbert Grammar School and Harrison High School. He played softball at Cooper School and Harrison Park until he left to serve with the 25th Infantry Division in Korea. Warchol quit playing softball in 1969 to
Rich Wagner played 16-inch softball with Sim’s Bowl during the 1970s. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious knee injury while playing that forced him to switch to managing softball instead of playing it. He managed the Turtles from 1982 to 1990 before rejoining them for the ’92 through the ’95 seasons. During his time with the
