Veterans’ Association of the Chicago & North Western Railway
	Organized December 9, 1924
The C&NW 16-Inch Softball Team – 1925 to 1977
Here’s the 1925 team. Abe Saperstein (then 23) was its player/manager and he’s in the bottom row second from the left. Mr. Saperstein played shortstop and managed that team the year before he became the leader of the Harlem Globetrotters in 1926. Mr. Saperstein lived in the Ravenswood area, close to our offices, and at the time worked in the Divisions Department on the 4^th floor.
1969 Team Joe Umana (kneeling, second from right) poses with fellow members of the Chicago & North Western Railway’s 16-Inch softball team after capturing the championship in the city-wide Grant Park Industrial Tournament.
Top Row, left to right: Wally Friese, Cliff Edington, Tom May, Sal Pantano, Noel Jullian, Vince Flanagan, Mike Coyne (Hall of Fame 2004) & Don Napen. Bottom Row, left to right: Larry Thompson, Ted Lambrakis, Sy Berman, Joe Jurkisatis, Bud Allen, Joe Umana (Hall of Fame-2005) & Don Kalinsky.
1973 – Second Place		1977 – Third Place
1974 Team – Horner Park Industrial League Champions
Standing, left to right: Tony Handzel, Jim Hallgren, Wally Friese, Lee Bellman, Joe Hill, Gary Ogurek, Don Napen, Ed Lydiksen & Tom May.   Front row left to right: Sy Berman, Rich Ginger, Joe Umana (Hall of Fame-2004), Bob Franzen & Dennis Madison.
|Hall of Fame| |1980| |1983| |1984| |1990| |2005|

Posted: 11/19/09