They Made Balls and Strikes Their Business

From my book, More Kenosha Softball:

Over the years, Kenosha has had a multitude of teams competing against one another. Some teams were very good, playing at a high level. There were also teams that were playing merely to justify getting together with the guys for a couple of beers in the middle of the week. Some teams were able to accomplish both. But regardless if a team was playing in the Classic League at Finney’s West or in the Continental Division on Tuesday nights in the city, all of them had one similarity. There was a common denominator. All of these teams needed umpires.

That is why I felt the need for a set of umpires to adjudicate the games being played by the Most Popular Kenosha Softball Team I Ever Saw. Here are the results from the poll used to select that duo:

Ernie Pascucci – 28%

Dick Cairo – 21%

Jerry Herrick – 17%

George Pflueger – 6%

Ron Soulek – 5%

George Becker – 3%

Jim Steinhoff – 3%

Don Newport - 3% 

Imagine that, Ernie Pascucci and Dick Cairo garnering the most votes! Kind of fitting. Why you ask? Here is an excerpt from Some Kenosha Softball that will explain why:

The #1 duo was Dick Cairo and the distinguished and colorful Ernie Pascucci. When Pascucci decided to cut back on the amount of games he worked, Cairo had to choose a new partner. His choice was long time Kenosha schoolteacher George Becker. With Cairo’s many years of experience and Becker’s “George Hamilton-like” good looks, Finney’s West had a new top crew.

It should be noted that Cairo will join Pascucci, Soulek and George Chromcik in the Kenosha Softball Hall of Fame on July 12. Not bad company.

If you would like to read more about the Golden Age of Kenosha Softball, you should read my books. Both Some Kenosha Softball and More Kenosha Softball are available at the Kenosha History Center and RK News. Live outside the Kenosha area? More Kenosha Softball is available online at Amazon.com. If you would like a signed copy of either book, contact me at (262) 671-4251.

Until next time…from the booth.

What’s Next?

I know it’s been a while since I updated this blog site, and I apologize for that. The last Most Popular I Ever Saw Tournament was for outfielders. I have left the polls up so that you can see the results.

Your choices for the four outfielders completes the Most Popular Kenosha Team I Ever Saw. Here it is:

Rocky Tirabassi P

Craig Stewart C

Tom Beth 1B

Mike Higgins 2B

Bill Griffiths 3B

John Pitts SS

Steve Hess MF

Richie Baumgarten OF

Tom Klappa OF

Jack Zimmerman OF

Ron Benhoff OF

With the “fantasy” team being completed, I was at a loss for another poll or tournament. Perhaps that is why I have been so lackadaisical in posting something new.

Then it hit me! Since we have an entire team of players, why not choose the top two umpires? So, starting today, the Most Popular Kenosha Umpire I Ever Saw Tournament is officially kicking off.

Please vote carefully, as the top two vote getters will be assigned the privilege of officiating the Most Popular Team’s games. Oops. Who will they play? Hmm…

While I ponder their potential opponent, let the voting begin! As usual, he poll is located just to the right of the blog. Remember, if you are using a smartphone, make sure you scroll to the bottom and click on view web version to find the poll. The voting will end Sunday at noon.

Until next time…from the booth.

Kenosha Outfielders

The voters have decided that Craig Stewart is their Most Popular Kenosha Catcher. Here are the final results for catchers:

That makes for a battery of Rocky Tirabassi (P) and Stewart (C) for the Most Popular Kenosha Team I Ever Saw. The infield is made up of Tom Beth (1B), Mike Higgins (2B), Bill Griffiths (3B), John Pitts (SS) and Steve Hess (MF). Now, all that is needed is four outfielders.

Since there was no way I was going to break it down into Left, Left Center, Right Center and Right, the poll will determine the four Most Popular Kenosha Outfielders.

After much deliberation, I came up with the 52 outfielders that most stand out in my memories of the Golden Age of Kenosha Softball. I then divided them into four groups of 13. At the end of the voting, the winner of each group will be named to the mythical Most Popular Kenosha Team I Ever Saw.

Because there are four separate groups to vote on, the Most Popular Kenosha Outfielder I Ever Saw Tourney poll will be open until Saturday at noon.

As usual, he poll is located just to the right of the blog. Remember, if you are using a smartphone, make sure you scroll to the bottom and click on view web version to find the poll.

Until next time…from the booth.

Next: Kenosha Backstops

The polls have closed for the Most Popular Kenosha Midfielder I Ever Saw. Steve “Blade” Hess garnered a whopping 45% total number of the 135 votes that were cast. Hess now joins Rocky Tirabassi (P), Tom Beth (1B), Mike Higgins (2B), Bill Griffiths (3B) and John Pitts (SS) on the all tournament team. Here are the final results for Kenosha Midfielders:

Next up in the Most Popular I Ever Saw tournament is the Catchers. These are the guys who squatted behind home plate catching the offerings of the pitchers. It wasn’t glamorous, but let’s face it, these guys were in the lineup for their bats.

One last reminder, the Most Popular Kenosha Catcher I Ever Saw Tourney poll will be open until Sunday at noon. After that it will the outfielders. So, here we go, let the voting for Kenosha backstops begin!

By now you know that the poll is located just to the right of the blog. Remember, if you are using a smartphone, make sure you scroll to the bottom and click on view web version to find the poll.

Until next time…from the booth