Kmart Softball

I played softball for a number of years. I had some high points and some low in my years of recreational fun. I never took it too seriously and tried to always have fun. I was on some really good teams and some that that were brutal. However, the most fun I had of any team I played on was the Bridgeview Kmart Team.

We were the equivalent of the Buffalo Bills. We would have great regular seasons and then the playoffs would come and we would lose our shit. I mostly played 2B for that team. I also pitched a little (which was a disaster) and eventually moved to the OF.

I remember my first game with that team like it was yesterday. We played the store on 71^st and Pulaski at Currie High School. We lost something like 21-3. (Yet, Jim and I were still able to turn two double plays. Can you imagine if we didn’t turn them what the score would be.) I remember thinking this is going to be a long season. Then all of the sudden we won the next week and we were got confident.

We stormed to an 9-3 record and got our revenge on 71^st when we played them later in the year at New Castle Park (our home field.) That team for the most part was, Rob at first, me at second, Jim Fields at short, Dan the sporting goods manager at third, Paul in left, Wally in left center, Terry White in right center, Chris in right, Bill Miller pitching and we had a number of catchers.

That team was so much fun to be on. Sure it sucked when the playoffs came and we lost to the 111^th and Cicero store. (A team we trounced twice during the regular season.) But, I had some good times drinking in the Kmart parking lot. After every game on Sunday night we would head up to the lot and knock back a couple of coca-colas and chow some White Castles. On top of that it made working there so much better as all the managers were on the team. So, it was almost like an insurance policy if you screwed up at work to be on the team.

All told I think I played five or six season on that team. The last year I was on that team we were a force. We were going to win the whole thing, we were that good. But, of course halfway in, the league was forced to cancel the season. It was an All Star team. I moved to the outfield for the first time in my softball life because I knew on that team if I wanted to play I better learn to play the outfield. For me personally I was having the best year I would ever have.

It probably had to do with the fact I was playing three nights a week. I was on the Kmart team on Sunday’s. I was on Is It Wrong on Wednesday’s and the Peace Frogs on Fridays. (Another legendary softball team I was on.) Playing that much got me in a groove. That team was Rob at first, Jim Fields at second, Vic (an amazing hitter) at short, Scott Woodrum at third, Kirk Boyme in left, Wally in left center, Paul in right center and me in right, Dan Murphy catching and Terry White pitching.

I batted second on that team. All I did that year was hit. I was in a zone that I was never in before or since. I would get on base in front of Vic, Jim and Wally (all guys who could hit the ball a country mile) and just circle the bases in front of them. It was like doing wind sprits. I led the world in runs scored that year. In each game we played not only did we win, we slaughter ruled the other team. It wasn’t even close. I never stepped on a softball field so confident in myself and the team I was on.

Sadly, because Kmart changed its Sunday night hours to compete with Wal Mart the league had to be folded. Thus that would be the last year that league exsisted. It was too bad because in all the years I played softball I never won it all. I came close with the Peace Frogs a couple of times but never got a trophy. Maybe now that I am approaching forty I can join a forty and over league and win one that way.