Chicago 16" Hall of Fame

Class of 2009

Joe Hoffmann - Umpire

Joe Hoffmann started umpiring in the late 1970s at Mt. Greenwood Park, but the lure of playing was too great, so he returned to playing softball. In 1984, however, he returned to umpiring for the A.S.A. During his seventeen-year career, he called balls and strikes for the Blue Island Major League for six years, the Mt. Prospect Classic League for two years, the Clyde Park Major League for four years, and the Super Pro League for one year. He also umpired and was tournament director (along with Bob Ancona) in the ASA National Qualifier tournaments for ten years.
His experience qualified him to umpire some of softball's high-pressure games. He officiated eight ASA National tournaments and was assigned to the championship game each time. As the umpire co-coordinator for six ASA tournaments, he rated and graded his fellow umpires as they worked every game of the Nationals. He was also tournament director for six Metro tournaments.

Hoffmann and his wife Joan, live in Tinley Park, Illinois. They have two children - Joe and Julie.

Hoffmann opened his remarks with a thank you to his family and to Jim Acanfora for nominating him but he quickly shifted gears to tease fellow inductee Frank Mioni by saying, "Frankie Mioni's first line tonight was that he was a man of few words. When has Frankie Mioni on a softball field been a man of few words?." He went on to regale the audience of a story about throwing Mioni out of a game over a called third strike. Hoffman closed his remarks by saying. I appreciate everything about the hall it is very impressive what you are doing here. My first time here was last year and I congratulate you. Thank you very much."

Return to the table of context: