Sixth Annual ASA Hall of Fame

At The Decatur Hotel Conference Center In Decatur On March 15th

-----------Top Row (L-R) Fran Prochaska, Barry Pepper, Richard Tillitt and David Scott --------Bottom row (L-R) Leo Sassatelli and Tony Romolo

DECATUR: The Sixth Annual Illinois A.S.A. Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony took place on Saturday March 15th at the Decatur Hotel Conference Center in Decatur with more than 200 people in attendance to honor the evening's inductee's. Ken Hancock gave the Invocation before every enjoyed a buffet dinner. The evening festivities opened with Dan Highland from Normal serving as the master of ceremonies and keeping things moving all evening at a good pace. In his opening remarks Highland said, "We have had some wonderful banquets before. The Hall of Fame ceremony has been both touching and reminiscing for everybody. A great opportunity to get together with your old teammates umpire and friends and remember those great days that we all look back on in a game America loves so much, softball."
Don Brewer Illinois ASA State Commissioner took the podium next and he spoke his thoughts about the evenings ceremony and went on the recognize all of the Illinois ASA Hall of Fame members that were in attendance, his ASA staff members plus a few special dignitaries that were also in the evening crowd.
Brewer went on to tell everyone about before they had the Illinois ASA Hall of Fame induction dinner six years ago those who were inducted were normally recognized between games of a double header. With this in mind he started a new tradition by introducing each of the Illinois ASA Hall of Fame pitchers who were in attendance one by one to this evenings crowd and promising to introduce a different group each year at the Hall of Fame Induction Dinner.
Highland pointed out that in 2007 the Illinois ASA registered over 6000 teams and 600 umpires while produce the third highest revenue for the ASA National organization.
Jim Nichol Illinois ASA Hall of Fame Chairman read from a plaque that was to be presented to this years inductees so that everyone would know what each plaque said, "Illinois Hall of Fame Amateur Softball Association Of American In Recognition Of An Outstanding Career In Softball the Highest Honor Attainable In The Illinois ASA."
The evening's first inductee was Fran Prochaska from Rock Island as a coach and sponsor. He has sponsored teams since 1984 and in his twenty-two years of participation in the Illinois ASA his teams have finished in fourth place at the state tournament eleven times, finishing in third place twice, second place twice and his team s also has won an Illinois ASA state title. His team also participated in the senior division of softball where they have collect three more second place finishes at the Illinois ASA State tournaments.
Introducing Prochaska was his good friend Greg Behne who said, "He and his family have been to Africa, China, Ecuador, Antarctica, Alaska, Spain, Morocco, Portugal New Zealand and Holland. We believe that he is out there looking for a better team but he hasn't found it yet." Behne went on to say, "We don't have a lot of turnover on our team we are very loyal to Fran and Fran is very loyal to us."
Accepting his place in the Hall of Fame Prochaska said, "My coaching staff & I have always tried to put together a team that could complete and give 100 percent. A team that will give the best that it has and if they get beat, they will walk of the field and say 'Oh' lets have another beer and the sun will shine tomorrow. Half the fun is winning the other half is having fun."

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