Some Rotary Tourney History

This weekend the Rotary Club of Kenosha West is holding its 37th annual Softball Tournament. Over the last 36 years, the Rotary Tournament has become the "mark-your-calendar" event of the summer in Kenosha. Hot temperatures, ice cold beer and top-notch softball action draw large crowds to Lincoln Park on a regular basis. This year will be no exception.

In 1973, Explorer Post 416 and Parkview Tavern squared off in the inaugural tourney hosted by the Rotarians. Post 416's roster consisted of Keith Anthonson, Louie Chiappetta, Mario Covelli, Paul Covelli, Danny DeRose, Mark DiCello, Jeff DiCello, Bruce Edmark, Randy Ellis, John Goodwin, Dave Hapanowicz, Roger Hunt, Al Lawrence, Tom Lee, Dennis Lumley, Mark Montague, Ron Rossa, and manager Al McClure.

Six years later, Edmark, Montague, Rossa and Jeff DiCello would again play for the Rotary Tournament championship. This time they played for the renegade 400 Club team managed by yours truly. Other standouts for the “Club” were Danny Llanas, Bruce “Hollywood” Meyers, Jimmy Gentile and Glen Ekern.

Only the outcome mars my memory of that championship game. We lost a heartbreaker to Valerie Insurance 2, a young bunch of recently graduated Tremper athletes. I still occasionally have a nightmare that causes me to wake up in a cold sweat, but they are occurring less frequently.

Seriously, it would have been nice to have won that game back in 1979, but at least we got to the championship game. Here is a list of the teams that cannot only say they played in the game, but that they also won it and became Rotary Tournament Champions.

1973 – Explorer Post 416
1974 – Parkview Tavern
1975 – Second National
1976 – Josephon and Thomey
1977 – Armando’s Pizza
1978 – Pillizzi Towing
1979 – Valerie Insurance 2
1980 – Tirabassi
1981 – Oriental Inn
1982 – Sorensen Mfg.
1983 – Koos Inc.
1984 – Lakeshore Mechanical
1985 – Washington Park Tavern
1986 – Tirabassi
1987 – Tirabassi
1988 – Rumors Lounge
1989 – Rumors Lounge
1990 – Rumors Lounge
1991 – Coors Light
1992 – Sunnyside Club
1993 – Rumors Lounge
1994 – Budweiser
1995 – Tirabassi
1996 – Budweiser
1997 – Gehring Remodeling
1998 – Budweiser
1999 – Miller Genuine Draft
2000 – Tirabassi
2001 – DLB/Tirabassi
2002 – Budweiser/Hi-Liter
2003 – Tirabassi
2004 – JJ’s Doghouse
2005 – Miller Lite/Prime Industrial Contractors
2006 – Jay Bee Auto/Frankie D’s/Coins
2007 – Racine Screen/Scores
2008 – DLB
2009 - ???

I don’t know who will be crowned the 37th Kenosha Rotary Tournament champs, but I do know it won’t be my 400 Club squad. Oh, over the years we had our chances, and not only in 1979.

Perhaps I should tell you about the time Kenosha’s finest and their canine patrol were called to Lincoln Park following a controversial tournament game we had with Nehlsen’s Sporting Goods.

It was a hot, extremely humid Saturday night and well past 10:00 pm …naw, maybe next time. Until then…from the booth.