George Sherman began playing softball in 1963 for Durty Nellies in Palatine. He was nineteen at the time and was playing football for Northern Illinois University, so he could not fully commit to the travel necessary to play full-time for Nellies. After college, he became the quarterback for the Lake County Semi-Professional Football Team, further […]
George “Sherm” Sherman Read More »
Don Martina began playing softball in the ’60s and continues playing today for a career spanning over forty years. While serving in the Army, he played softball and basketball overseas and along the East Coast. He returned to Chicago in 1968 and joined several local teams playing at Lawndale (now Piotrowski) Park on Chicago’s
Bob Hockenbrough started playing softball when he was boy growing up in Brookfield. Today, at seventy-four and two knee replacements later, he’s still playing softball in Berwyn. He played baseball at Lyons Township and played softball for the Bruins. He then joined the Army where he played baseball and basketball. After his discharge, he played
Starting in grammar school, John C. Lee spent nearly half of his life playing his favorite sport: softball. By age fifteen, he was learning the art of six-teen softball by serving as a bat boy for teams in the Pro Windy City League. In 1949, he played for the Alcott Aces, and helped them win
John started playing softball in 1960 at the age of eight at the Neighborhood Boys Club (NBC) on Chicagos North side. It was at the NBC that John fell in love with the game of 16” softball. His love of the sport continued through high school at St. Benedict’s and in college at DePaul University.
Rich DelGiudice’s softball career spans many memorable years as a player and later as a manager who was fortunate enough towards the end of his career to have managed three of his sons – George, Nick and Joe – as manager of the Flames. He started playing softball with the Hawks at Garfield Park and
Jerry Duchen’s baseball career started in 1949 at age seven when he joined a little league program. His fifty-three year softball career began two years later when he joined his first team at Humboldt Park. In 1953 he was selected to the JYC All Star Softball Team, but his big break occurred in 1957 when
As a young boy Jimmy Spidale often ventured to Kells Field to watch the greatest softball teams of the 50s and 60s duel it out in some classic matches. Little did he know that some day he would join the ranks of softball’s elite players and managers. He joined the Nocturnes in 1965 playing second
Odell Humphrey was an exceptional athlete who was also blessed with a gift that made him one of 16″ softball’s great first baseman; big soft hands. Odell started playing basketball in his native South with Dallas Cowboy great Ed “Too Tall” Jones. After high school, Odell moved to Chicago and started playing 16″ softball in
