164:(.518, 27 HRS, 115 RBIs), Tommy Spahn (.527, 15 HRs, 97 RBIs), Curt Dusek (.413 BA), Willie Simpson (.506, 23 doubles, 13 triples) and Jake Jakobi (.520 BA). Olesiak, Dusek, Simpson, Spahn represented Chicago at the mid-season All-Star game and Zolna managed the West team. The NASL lasted one season before combining with the APSPL to form a new league, the United Professional Softball League (UPSL). That league disbanded in 1982, bringing an end to the professional era of men's softball in the US. Many players returned to the competitive leagues in the Chicago area, especially the 16-inch game in the region.
116:
and Ron
Olesiak (.509, 20 HRs, 47 RBIs) again performed well in support. The team suffered with poor attendance and financial instability led to the league taking over the Storm in 1978. The team would be without a home and played home games on the road by the end of the season, and the team disbanded at the end of the year.
115:
with series MVP Bert Smith hitting 15-16 (.940). Ron Ford of
Detroit was the league MVP. Benny Holt (.526, 50 HRs, 130 RBIs) was again outstanding for the Storm and was the team's sole representative on the all-pro team. Tommy Spahn (.539, 34 HRs, 101 RBIs), Mike Krolicki (.511, 13 HRs, 59 RBIs)
62:
leagues were formed in the United States to build on the growth and talent in the booming men's amateur game during this period. The
American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) was the first such league, launching in an era of experimentation in professional sports leagues. The APSPL was formed
163:
5-12 behind the hitting of Ken Parker (.586, 16 RBIs) in the series. Former
Chicago Storm star Benny Holt was now with Cleveland, but Ron Olesiak (.555, 34 HRs, 124 RBIs) of Chicago won the league MVP trophy, and Chicago added all-pro seasons from Mike Krolicki (27-6 pitching record), Buddy Haines
151:
served as team president and played first-base. Pepitone would get a suspension during the year for "conduct detrimental to professional softball" when NASL Commissioner Robert Brown suspended him for 6 games and then was lost to the season in August with a thigh injury. The team was managed by
102:
with Mike Nye of
Detroit honored as the series MVP. But Benny Holt (.690 BA, 89 HRs, 187 RBIs, 144 runs scored, 25 walks) of Chicago was the talk of the league in winning the triple crown and the league MVP trophy. Holt and Buddy Haines (.605, 42 HRs, 100 RBIs, 101 runs scored) made the all-pro
103:
team for 1977. Storm players Ron
Olesiak (.581, 55 HRs, 112 RBIs), Tom Spahn (.541, 49 HRs, 129 RBIs), Mike Krolicki (.511, 22 HRs, 75 RBIs) and Dave Shortz (.506, 33 HRs, 56 RBIs) had stellar seasons for Chicago. Former Cub
110:
1978 was no more kind to the Storm as they ended the season with an abysmal 11-53 (.172) record, 4th in the division and 38 games behind
Detroit. Detroit would repeat again as APSPL champions, defeating the
87:
The
Chicago Storm began play in the inaugural APSPL season in 1977, finishing with a record of 22-34 (.393), in 4th place in the Midwestern Division, 20 games behind division-winners
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It was an excellent regular season for CNA as
Chicago finished 43-19 (.694), 2nd in the Western Division to the
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during the 1977 and 1978 seasons. They played their home games at the Windy City
Softball Complex in
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Professional softball returned briefly to Chicago in 1980 when a rival league, the
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During the late 1970s and early 1980s, several men's professional slow-pitch
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The Chicago Nationwide Advertising team featured two members of the
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in 1977 and then at two different parks in 1978 - Lions Park in
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Hall of Fame - manager Eddie Zolna and catcher Willie Simpson.
852:. January 23, 2015. pp. 2–7 – via newspapers.com.
330:. February 22, 1978. p. 47 – via newspapers.com.
414:. September 3, 1978. p. 8 – via newspapers.com.
834:. August 11, 1980. p. 56 – via newspapers.com.
744:. August 14, 1978. p. 27 – via newspapers.com.
938:. 31 May 2019. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019
669:. April 22, 1977. p. 25 – via newspapers.com.
450:. March 29, 1977. p. 51 – via newspapers.com.
924:. June 13, 1980. p. 62 – via newspapers.com.
906:. June 13, 1980. p. 59 – via newspapers.com.
816:. July 20, 1980. p. 50 – via newspapers.com.
780:. June 29, 1978. p. 27 – via newspapers.com.
687:. June 23, 1978. p. 19 – via newspapers.com.
468:. June 30, 1977. p. 22 – via newspapers.com.
870:. July 8, 1980. p. 47 – via newspapers.com.
798:. May 14, 1980. p. 57 – via newspapers.com.
762:. May 18, 1980. p. 14 – via newspapers.com.
705:. June 6, 1977. p. 71 – via newspapers.com.
631:. June 1, 1977. p. 51 – via newspapers.com.
613:. June 1, 1977. p. 49 – via newspapers.com.
577:. June 6, 1977. p. 30 – via newspapers.com.
559:. May 18, 1977. p. 57 – via newspapers.com.
541:. July 6, 1977. p. 33 – via newspapers.com.
523:. July 6, 1977. p. 29 – via newspapers.com.
505:. May 29, 1977. p. 70 – via newspapers.com.
396:. May 25, 1977. p. 42 – via newspapers.com.
302:"American Professional Slo-Pitch League (1977-1980)"
372:"Ludington Daily News - Google News Archive Search"
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956:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
426:"Softball challenge - OOTP Developments Forums"
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36:American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL)
1030:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1978
1010:Sports clubs and teams established in 1977
643:"Professional Slow Pitch Softball History"
343:"Slow-Pitch Pros Fast Becoming Favorites"
340:
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571:"Clipped From Arlington Heights Herald"
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738:"Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer"
485:Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com
358:"Pro Slo-Pitch Softball Debuts Sunday"
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73:Women's Professional Basketball League
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126:North American Softball League (NASL)
91:. The Storm were managed by former
360:– via www.washingtonpost.com.
345:– via www.washingtonpost.com.
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152:local softball legend Eddie Zolna.
79:was the first league commissioner.
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1025:1979 disestablishments in Illinois
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408:"Clipped From The Courier-Journal"
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341:Feinstein, John (July 29, 1977).
681:"Clipped From The Capital Times"
535:"Clipped From The Baltimore Sun"
517:"Clipped From The Baltimore Sun"
462:"Clipped From Southend Reporter"
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846:"Clipped From Chicago Tribune"
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774:"Clipped From The Tampa Times"
720:"ASPSL – Softball History USA"
699:"Clipped From Chicago Tribune"
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175:Chicago year-by-year record
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886:www.softballhistoryusa.com
724:www.softballhistoryusa.com
390:"Clipped From Valley News"
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16:Professional softball team
481:"It's easy come, easy go"
575:Arlington Heights Herald
34:team that played in the
742:The Cincinnati Enquirer
263:Nationwide Advertising
46:and Community Park in
44:Mt. Prospect, Illinois
21:Chicago Storm (soccer)
980:Softball History Data
65:World Football League
985:Softball History USA
40:Bridgeview, Illinois
412:The Courier-Journal
304:. 24 September 2022
100:Baltimore Monuments
161:Detroit Auto Kings
113:Minnesota Norsemen
63:in 1977 by former
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466:Southend Reporter
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149:Joe Pepitone
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942:24 November
394:Valley News
308:24 November
278:Semi-Finals
146:Chicago Cub
144:and former
134:Ted Stepien
96:Milt Pappas
93:Chicago Cub
77:Whitey Ford
1004:Categories
288:References
105:Gene Hiser
69:Bill Byrne
67:executive
936:"Members"
648:Angelfire
185:Team Name
952:cite web
200:Playoffs
197:Division
60:softball
32:softball
275:Midwest
249:Midwest
223:Midwest
203:League
255:APSPL
229:APSPL
194:Finish
188:Record
132:owner
281:NASL
266:43-19
240:11-53
237:Storm
217:..393
214:22-34
211:Storm
958:link
944:2023
310:2023
269:.694
260:1980
243:.172
234:1978
208:1977
182:Year
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