Kenosha's Passion for the Game

It is May and that means it is softball time in Kenosha. With Survivor Tocantins coming to an end I have decided to start sharing some more of the softball memories that are crammed into my ample cranium. Softball was a major part of my life from the late 1970s up until the late 1990s. It has been a major part of Kenosha dating back to the early 1960s.

Earlier I wrote about the early years of slow-pitch softball in Kenosha. Detailed were the accomplishments of the Tirabassi Excavators. Their success, in the '60s, ignited Kenosha's love affair with the game of 12" slow-pitch softball. That passion would grow exponentially over the next 30-plus years.

Kenosha's passion for the game was at a fevered pitch (pun intended) during the '80s and '90s. This was evidenced by the ever-expanding list of softball fields in the area.

With the addition of the two Anderson diamonds on the Southside, slow-pitch players had nine parks for city league competition. Added into the equation was the growing number of private venues popping up.

Establishments such as Finney's West, The Bullpen, Hooker Lake Inn, Furlin's Dugout, Rawley's, The Waterhole and Extra Innings provided more places to get your "softball fix."

With all of these new opportunities presenting themselves, players were able to play every night of the week somewhere in the Kenosha area. It seemed like everyone was playing 12" slow-pitch.

Not only established teams like Tirabassi's and Finney's, but new teams as well. Many of these teams were formed by combining veterans from several different teams with a handful of newcomers eager to cut their teeth in the game.

One such team was Cenni's/George's Bar. This squad was a collection of players from Margetson's Construction, The Italian American, Finney's Lounge and The Gonzalez Brothers.

Manager Pat Conwell's roster was anchored with softball veterans Jimmy Nehls, Joe Gonzalez, Tito Gonzalez, Dennis Lura, Ken Pflugrad, Paul Cox and Pat Hegewald.

Conwell then mixed in a half dozen players new to slow-pitch, to create a team that was very successful in all of their endeavors. The "rookies", Tom Lux, Jeremy Kalbfell, Perry Hegewald, Mark Paszek, Ron Schuler and Scott Durkee, eventually became seasoned veterans, carrying the tradition forward.

Cenni's/George's Bar represented just what the game had become. A group of guys with diverse backgrounds that got together and took advantage of the expanding opportunity offered them. And were successful! This is just another example of what made this The Golden Age of Kenosha Slow-Pitch Softball. Until next time...from the booth.