Sunday, May 18, 2025

Cougars Ranked!

What are your favorite things? Have you ever sat down and tried to rank them? Seriously. Sure, it may not be normal but neither is writing a blog about recreational softball.

Most people go through life liking things but not putting much thought into developing a hierarchy.

I like lists. It creates order and it helps to know where things stand.

Let’s use my list of favorite fruits as an example.

Peach
Pineapple
Watermelon
Banana
Strawberry
Cantaloupe
Blueberry
Orange
Raspberry
Apple

Oh, you want more? How about local thoroughfares? Here are my top two.

Dan Ryan Expressway | Northbound

As you enter your racing lane on the Dan Ryan, you better have a heavy foot and your pedal to the metal because there is no way you are driving the speed limit in this speedy road course. The Red Line trains are like your own personal mechanical rabbits in a greyhound race. Be sure to keep one eye on the road and the other on the rear view mirror. Stop off at 35th Street for great food and lousy baseball.

Lake Shore Drive | Northbound

Be sure to start this one on South Shore drive and take it all the way to the North Shore. The view after the McCormick underpass is spectacular as the city rises from the street. The world-famous views continue past Lake Michigan, Buckingham Fountain, the Museum Campus, Navy Pier, Lincoln Park, Montrose Beach, and eventually lead to Sheridan Road for the homestretch.

Five favorite baseball players? Here you go.

Pete Rose
George Brett
Reggie Jackson
Chet Lemon
Rickey Henderson

Favorite baseball plays - note how they all involve the catcher. I was a catcher my whole youth and adult baseball life.

Play at the Plate

The drama, the tag, the risk — it's the most intense moment in baseball.

Strike 'Em Out, Throw 'Em Out Double Play

Pitcher and catcher in sync, shortstop or second baseman nails the tag. Beautiful coordination.

Catcher Throws Out Runner at 2B

Classic. Clean pop, strong throw, tag on the money. A thing of beauty.

Catcher Fielding a Bunt

Quick feet, clean grab, fast decision. Underrated difficulty.

Catcher's High Pop-Up in Foul Territory

The mask flies, the ball hangs, the moment teeters — it’s a test of balance, bravery, and instinct.

Okay, one last ranking…breezes. Wait, what?! You are going to rank breezes?

Why, yes, of course. A breeze is a gift from above, and the last breeze you felt is always the new number one breeze.

On a beautiful Tuesday night, UBAA didn’t just beat the Cougars, they breezed right through us like a fresh spring wind. You could smell our rank wafting all across Wilmette in a 21-6 loss.

Howard Park was drenched in lilac perfume but the Cougars brought their own cologne: Eau de Defeat.

It wasn’t all foul — somewhere in the funk, the Cougars managed a few fantastic flashes.

Our musty defense had a few plays that met the smell test of excellence.

CharleyRads snagged two lined lasers at 3B. He also made a sweet play by stopping a hard bouncer behind 3B and smoothly fired it all the way across the diamond to Li’l Rads.
Big Ball Jimmy raced in from center field to make a running catch with his fingertips.
Pekar caught a bullet at SS and also fielded a grounder and quickly shuffled it backhanded to 3B for a force.

Our offense was odoriferous, but there were a few scoring plays everyone should nose.

Pekar punched a single up the middle and Big Ball Jimmy followed with a poke through the infield for a RBI.
Spinner popped a perfectly placed ball to CF for a RBI.
Bobi crushed a hit to left center and Li’l Rads drove the ball down the third base line for a RBI.
CharleyRads hit a double to right and Big Ball Jimmy hit it the same way for a RBI.
Gieselman rocked a single down the third base line, Rads singled up the middle and CharleyRads plated two runs with a worm burner up the middle.

After the game, we walked to the postgame, where we did a little ranking of our own with what we had in front of us — beers.

Garage Beer: A mancave beverage
Darty Beer: Daytime + Party always wins
Airport Beer: 6:00AM? Doesn't matter.
Shower Beer: Bliss = Cold beer + hot shower

And the best beer?

Postgame Beer – The Cougars postgame beer is always a victory.

Go Cougars!

Game Video

Scorebook

Results

Schedule

Standings

Friday, May 9, 2025

Coming Into Season

Springtime at Howard Park

According to the Census Bureau, the number of adults aged 65 and older is expected to surpass the number of children under 18 for the first time in U.S. history.

The median age in the U.S. has been steadily rising—from 30 years in 1980 to 38.9 years in 2022—and is projected to reach nearly 48 by the year 2100.

In our 18th opener on Tuesday, the Cougars gave that statistic a head start. Our median age on the field was about 50, while Boogie Knights, reflecting a pre-2034 America, were closer to half that.

Youth outscored and outlasted experience on Tuesday. Boogie Knights took down the Cougars 8-5 in an extra inning matchup.

Let’s relive this generational battle:

1st Inning

The Knights opened with a lone single, but the old guard stood firm. A classic 6-3 Pekar to a long-stretching Li’l Rads showed our reflexes haven’t retired. Big Ball Jimmy made a seasoned snag in left, and Hanson handled a rocket at 3B like a man who’s seen it all.

Martini cracked a shot to right center, and Pekar knocked one through the middle—but we left them reminiscing on base.

Cougars 0 Boogie Knights 0

2nd Inning

BK notched a double, but defensive muscle memory kicked in—two more outs from the old reliable Pekar-to-Li’l Rads combo, and Martini tracked down a fly.

We responded with the quiet dignity of a team who’s seen the ups and downs of many innings—three up, three down.

Cougars 0 Boogie Knights 0

3rd Inning

The Knights blinked—1-2-3 out with another Pekar to Li’l Rads forceout, a Li’l Rads unassisted out at 1B, and a Martini to Li’l Rads putout. On the last out, one of their Knights threw the bat and took out umpire Jim’s legs.

We followed suit—three up, three down. Scoreless synchronization.

Cougars 0 Boogie Knights 0

4th Inning

The kids got scrappy and scratched across two runs, aided by a couple of Cougar giveaways. On the bright side, our fielding featured a Martini to Li’l Rads groundout, a savvy third base forceout by Pekar after Hanson got toppled by the runner, and another Martini-to-Li’l Rads classic for the final out.

Pekar added a single to our memory book, but that was it.

Cougars 0 Boogie Knights 2

5th Inning

BK led off with a hit, Li’l Rads turned back time with an unassisted out at 1B, a batted ball battered a baserunner for an out, and Spinner made a highlight catch in right.

Our aged bats took a short nap.

Cougars 0 Boogie Knights 2

Note: It was at this point in the game a realization happened—a big giant lightbulb—I knew we were playing a team of young dudes but I truly forgot we are no longer the same age as our foe! My mind is young but my body is old.

6th Inning

The Knights of Boogie started with a single to left. Then Boom had a beautiful long catch in CF for the first out. The next batter spun a spinner towards Spinner in right field and he took a spin all the way around the bases to tally two. With a couple more hits and a gift, BK got one more. Their next batter smashed a ball right back to Martini and he fired it to Joker at the plate to tag the advancing runner. Joker was injured with a swollen hand on the play but he got the out! Li’l Rads got the last out unassisted.

Li’l Rads got on with a single, but was left stranded.

Cougars 0 Boogie Knights 5

7th Inning

We turned back the clock—three quick outs. Hanson to Li’l Rads. Martini to Li’l Rads. And then Pekar made a timeless one-handed snag and zipped it to Li’l Rads for a gem.

Bottom seven. Last bats. Five to tie and six to win. Pekar started the rally with a smash single to right center. Hanson followed with an infield single. Big Ball Jimmy brought the roar with a booming triple to plate two and finally give a full-throated Philthy a chance to cheer. Spinner added another RBI by thumping the ball up the middle. Rads, coming off the bench for an injured Joker, hit a tricky single to 2B. Li’l Rads brought home another with a fielder's choice. Pastor Ted was up next with a man on first. With the left fielder challenging Teddy by playing on the heels of the third baseman, Pastor hit a masterful line shot that grazed the top of the third baseman’s fingers and the ball landed at the toes of the left fielder! First and second two out. Boom brought the thunder up the middle to score a sliding Li’l Rads. Diamond Dave counted and colored five diamonds in the scorebook— all tied up! We could not punch the last run home so we went to extras.

Cougars 5 Boogie Knights 5

8th Inning

Boogie Knights found their groove and beat the ball to record three runs.

Cougars went down in order and that was the ballgame.

Cougars 5 Boogie Knights 8

When the game ended, we gathered at the postgame, swapped old stories, and relived the new ones we’d just written.

The census may show America aging, but at Howard Park the trend bends the other way. With each passing week, as our college players return, the roster grows greener with youth.

The world may be aging—but the Cougars are just coming into season.

Game Video

Scorebooks

Scores

Standings

Schedule

Saturday, May 3, 2025

State of the Cougars

Howard Park, Wilmette, Illinois

Opening Day, 18th Season

President Cougar

My fellow Cougars, family, friends, and faithful fans—

Two days from now the Cougars will walk through our field of green and climb the rise at Howard Park, reaching a place where the fields stretch wide and the spirit soars—our shining city of diamonds.

On Tuesday, the Cougars will start our 18th season.

In 2025, we Cougars are a combination of old and young. Your favorite team has players from both the old guard and the new generation together.

For a team, as for a nation, it is the meeting of wisdom and vigor that gives equilibrium and strength.

And make no mistake: the state of the Cougars is strong!

We are the longest-standing 16-inch softball team in Wilmette—standing firm, standing tall, standing proud.

Our active players and social members tell the story of America herself: a parade of generations.

Teens, twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, and seventies—all standing side by side on the sidelines.

On opening night, the Cougars will play with enthusiasm to defeat our opponent and play with gratitude for our time on the field.

After the last out, we will gather under twilight skies to break bread with high spirits.

Wins are sweeter together and losses sting less when we gather around the fire of fellowship that we have circled for years.

And so, on Tuesday, we lace ’em up once more because the game we play is not just a game.

It is a spirit—a working spirit, a Chicago spirit—where it doesn’t matter whether you’re manning a forklift or keyboard, whether you’re using screwdrivers or spreadsheets, or whether you lace up steel-toed boots or wingtips.

In Chicagoland, whether at work or at play, it’s not the tools of your trade that define you—it’s the heart in your chest, the grit in your soul, and the strength in your grip.

We are the City of Big Shoulders and broken fingers. And 16-inch softball is a proud part of that legacy.

On Tuesday, we will carry our youthful spirit up that green rise to our shining city on the hill to capture one more day of glory.

The American spirit is alive and well at Howard Park.

Thank you.

God bless the Cougars.

God bless 16-inch softball.

And God bless America.

Go Cougars!

Cougars

2008 - 2025