Sixteen-inch softball is more than a game to guys like Tony Reibel. It’s how they spent their childhoods, it’s what Chicago was like when they were kids, it’s where they met their best friends.
One learns, for example, that Bill “Eggs” Bromley was known for both clutch hitting and being “Mr. Chatterbox.” John “Wimpy” O’Connor was never a power hitter, but “his defensive skills spoke volumes during the 50s and 60s.” Ladislaus “Bingy” Boblak once halted a furious rally by a 12th Ward Democratic team that had scored six runs and had the bases loaded, pitching hitless the rest of the way and driving in two runs in the next inning to defeat the 12th Ward 8-6.
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The hall of fame’s organizers say the 16-inch game is an integral part of Chicago neighborhood cultural history–one that’s slowly dying as younger generations find other forms of entertainment. “When we were growing up, there were five channels on TV, no cable, no video games, no nothing,” says cofounder Al Maag, who’s 54. “Now kids play soccer, lacrosse, and, unfortunately, stay home playing video games.”
Sixteen-inch softball was, for decades, the ultimate “poor man’s game,” because all players needed was a bat and ball, says Thorsen, 53, who started playing at the age of eight in suburban Wood Dale. “The game came into being because of the neighborhoods and the closeness of people who lived in Chicago,” he says. “It didn’t cost you anything to play. And it became a neighborhood rivalry thing.”
The sport’s popularity dropped off in the 50s with the advent of television and other forms of entertainment, but it never lost favor among baby boomers, some of whom still play well into their 50s.
To memorialize the game, the organizers envision interactive exhibits that would include DVDs of star players, big games, and great plays. The hall also would contain displays on the game’s heritage, ballparks, equipment, teams, jerseys, sponsors, leagues, tournaments, and the participation of children, women, and African-Americans.
The organizers say they had a “positive” meeting with Jon Clay, general manager of Navy Pier, three years ago. They told him that while they were not necessarily offering to pay rent, their exhibits would generate foot traffic. Softball players might head up to the pier after a game at Grant Park, say, to see the exhibits and then have a beer at a nearby tavern. “It’s not that they’re giving us the space,” Thorsen says. “They’re bringing in revenue based on the fact that we’re there.” The hall’s annual dinner also could be held at the pier, he adds.
