June, 2021
25th Anniversary Inductee Reunion Day
Come to see old teammates and competitors to celebrate the game we love and the 25th Anniversary of the Chicago 16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame.

Save the Date.

Tentative schedule below:
 
Sunday July 18
11:30 Museum open house - Tent for seating/reception. Music, food and beverages served. 
1:30 -2:00 Thank you and Hall update speeches from a few key representatives of softball and Forest Park. 
2:00 Photo of group 
2:15 - 4:00 Legends Game
5:00 close

Please RSVP if coming so we can plan for the number attendees.
To al.maag@maagcommplus.com
"The Greatest Game on Dirt"
First Book on the History of 16 Inch Softball Set to Launch
The book, written by Al Maag, is now available for pre-order
(Tempe, AZ) Al Maag, co-founder of the Chicago 16 Inch Hall of Fame and historian of the game, has written the first book on the history of 16-inch softball. It was written in conjunction with celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Hall of Fame. “The Greatest Game on Dirt” is available for pre-order until July 1st and will be published in mid-July.

The book will cost $25 when preordered and $35 when purchased after July 1st, not including taxes or shipping. This coffee table style book will have 132 pages and will feature hundreds of photos and interviews since the inception of 16-inch softball. The book will be a 9 x 12-inch landscape design celebrating the impact of the game on the culture of Chicago. Some of the net proceeds will be donated to the Hall of Fame. Sponsors helping with the production costs include March Manufacturing, Vienna, Molex, and Lettuce Entertain You.

A great gift idea for those who love the sport. Purchase the book at this link:
SSA North South Champs
Congrats to Tito’s 45’s on beating Circus in the championship game to win the SSA North South Tournament!
Be a Sponsor and Be Noticed at the Reunion
Don’t miss the opportunity to be seen on our unique 25th Anniversary shirt. $200 logo or name. To be sold on July 18th at our reunion.

• Name/logo on the back of 200 silver t-shirts (50 max ads) which will be sold that day.
• The same imprint on the back of the t-shirts will be reproduced as full page in our collectable awards dinner books in November at Drury Lane.
• Receive one shirt
• Receive a 25th Anniversary key fob
* Shirt Sponsor $200

Note: We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
For our July 18th event, Payment and artwork MUST be received by June 28th
Send to: Art Lurie 1340 Old Skokie Road Highland Park, IL 60035 playballart@aol.com 847-831-9500
16-Inch Co-Ed Adult Softball Tournament
After a 10-year hiatus, the Chicago Park District is proud to re-introduce the annual 16” Co-Ed Adult Softball Tournament. For details & to register visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/ASCT

Sponsored in part by Wilson #intheparks
2021 Clincher Classic in Marshalltown Iowa
1st. Iron Horse Security

2nd. Chucks

3rd. Clout

Thanks to all the teams and fans that helped make it a great tournament.
2021 SSA Tom "Eggs" Czarnik Class "A" No Glove National Championship

The SSA would like like to congratulate the Shooters on winning the 2021 SSA Tom "Eggs" Czarnik Class "A" No Glove National Championship. They played great all weekend.
Rich Melman on WGN Radio June 9
The Bob Sirott Show
Congrats to one of the best organizers, managers and sponsors in softball history. Outstanding gentleman.
Roger Babilla Organizer Inductee
in 2015 Passes
Roger has been involved in sixteen-inch softball for forty years as a player, coach, and sponsor. He grew up in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago. Like many Chicagoans before him, he played softball first in the street and then moved to a more organized level at many parks, including Lincoln, Hamlin, Horner, River, Wells, and Grant to name a few. He attended Luther North High School and began playing organized softball for the Gents when he was eighteen. He played the game for twenty-five years, mostly at second base or catcher. In 1978, he began sponsoring teams at all skills levels. Ozzie and his business partner, John Wong, opened OJ’s at Clark and Diversey. They took the name from the O in Roger’s nickname and the J in John’s first name. In 1984, they opened Buffoon’s Saloon on Irving Park Road in Chicago. Roger currently owns Augie’s Booze and Schmooze at 1721 W. Wrightwood in Chicago. Hall of Fame inductee Rich Polfus called the men’s O.J.’s team that Roger sponsored a powerhouse that started out playing in “beer games” and blossomed into a competitive team that played in parks throughout Chicagoland. Every summer Roger sponsors ten to twenty teams and he pays the league fees for the S-3 Social Club. Without all of Roger’s sponsorships throughout the years, fewer teams would be playing softball. 

The O.J.’s women’s team will go down as one of the top women’s teams in sixteen-inch softball history and was honored by the Sixteen-inch Softball Hall of Fame in 2001. It began a ten-year run that dominated play in leagues and tournaments throughout Chicago and the suburbs. In 1985, many of the O.J. players continued playing for Ozzie and John when the O.J.s became the Buffoons. 

Besides sponsoring softball, Ozzie has supported the Misericordia Family and Fest for eighteen years. And has raised over $75,000 in donations. He has also supported the Make-a-Wish Foundation for six years through his Augie’s Golf Outing that has raised over $85,000 in donations. 

The Chicago Sun Times and Chicago Tribune have recognized his bar for having “one of the best best holiday decorations”. People who know him call Ozzie a loyal, hard-working friend of softball. Our condolences.