Chicago 16" Hall of Fame

Greg Burzynski - 1964- 1979 Era

Greg Burzynski grew up playing softball on the fields of Kosciusko Park. He attended St. Patrick High School and earned a degree in Physical Education from Lewis College. After being discharged from the Navy, he played right field for the Lyons 45s. They played league play at Portage, Clarendon, and James Parks and participated in all the major tournaments, including the Midwest, the Andy Frain, and James Park.
He won the batting title at the Mission Bell Classic at Santa Clara, California in 1972 and was named the MVP of the Racine Tournament in 1976. He was also selected to many all-star teams. Beside the 45s, he also played with the Second City for more than fifteen years at Oriole and Hiawatha Parks.
Once his softball days ended, he played in senior-level basketball in the Sweet Charlie Brown League at Washington Park. He now participates in the Senior Olympic games. In 1997 when he was fifty, he set a state district record in the 50 meter dash with a time of 6.8 seconds and a district meet record in the 100 meter dash at 11.3 seconds. He now runs in 5K races and occasional half-marathons and recently completed a 50 mile relay race.
Bliss said, "Our first inductee in the 1964 - 1979 era played right field for the Lyons 45s and the Second City. He won the batting title at the Mission Bell Classic and was named tournament MVP at Racine, Wisconsin in 1976. He also recently completed a 50-mile relay race. The Hall of Fame honors Greg Burzynski."
Accepting his place into the hall of fame Burzynski said, "This is a very humbling award to be up here tonight." He went on to thank a list of players that he had the privilege to play with along with the Chicago Sixteen Inch Hall of Fame and especially his family for their love & support for more than thirty years as he pursued the playing of the game of sixteen-inch softball. Burzynski closed his remarks by saying, "I was talking with Al Maag tonight before coming up here and he told me that more than ten million people have played the game of softball and to be one of the first four hundred up here to received this ward is very special. Thank you very much."

 

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