First Pitch - January, 2007

By Irv Porter

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope 2007 is a nice improvement over 2006 for each and every one of my readers. The best of luck to you and to your team in this coming softball season.
The first item on my 2007 calendar is the Chicago Sixteen Inch Hall of Fame Induction Dinner to be held at Hawthorn Race Course in Cicero on January 20th. Tickets are $50.00 each and can be purchased from Mr. Gary Thorsen.
The 20th looks to be a long and late night for your truly because also on the 20th is the annual 16" Indoor tournament being held at the Ditka Dome in Bolingbrook. Illinois Softball Report will be stopping by after the Hall of Fame Dinner to take some photos later that evening.
An article on the Chicago Sixteen Inch Hall of Fame Induction Dinner should be posted later the following week with all the photos from that night available for your viewing on Sunday January 21st (before the Bears play) plus the photo's from the 2007 indoor 16" tournament played that same night in Bolingbrook.
2006 was a new record for hits to your softball web site with more than 323,000 total hits being recorded to this web site. The old record from 2005 was 282,000 plus hits. So the new record was an improvement of over 40,000 hits. I never imagined this web site become so large and popular. Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart I do appreciate your loyal support over the years.
A small amount of 2007 softball tournament dates are tricking in please check the Illinois Softball Report home page for an ongoing updated tournament list according to team classification are style of ball played. Update will be added as they become available.
If you or your team will be hosting a tournament sometime in 2007 please notify Illinois Softball Report and we will gladly (for free - no charge) add your event to our growing list of tournaments to be played in the state of Illinois in 2007.
The next 'First Pitch' should be viewable around the 10th of February. So until than I hope you are sticking to you 'off season' improvement program so that you and your team will reach its goals for the 2007 softball season. See you in February.

Your friend in softball,

Irv