It is July in Kenosha, WI and that means many things. Peanut Butter and Jam has started, it is now full-blown festival season and of course, it is Rotary Tournament time. This year’s Rotary features teams from all over the area and also includes a co-ed tournament. Kudos to the directors for doing whatever is necessary to keep this Kenosha tradition happening. Watching the tournament on Friday night was an absolute All-Star team of past participants who simply still love the game they wish they still could play. Here is the 2018 Legacy All-Star Line-up that was in attendance supporting the game they love and at one time dominated.
2B Brad Breiling Still looks like he can turn a double play as fast as ever. Still looks like he could care less what you think of him. Still looks like he would piss you off if you happened to be on the other side.
1B John McQuestion He bats second because not many went to right as well as he did. A plus fielder that caught everything thrown his way, a plus teammate who was always having a good time and kept everyone loose.
LC Tito Gonzalez Early 5-tool player. Arm, speed, defense, hit for average and hit for big time power. A once and current physical specimen, this guy could hit in the middle of any line-up in any era.
C Chester Jeffery A former big-time athlete in Kenosha who played football at Kansas State and was a part of the Dallas Cowboys organization, this monster hit balls on accident further than most did intentionally.
SS Rich Salisbury Another multi-tool, multi-talented individual that played in the middle of the diamond and batted in the middle of the order of some of the greatest Tirabassi teams in city history.
RC Tom Jahne Long, fast, consistent and was one of the first guys in Kenosha that would “think double out of the box” and then dive head first into second without breaking stride. Cutting edge stuff in the early 70s.
3B Ron Clark Work all day in the trades, show up 30 seconds before game time, do 20 push-ups still in his jeans and work boots and end up going 4 for 4 and make multiple impossible plays at third.
LF Rick Smith Fitting he ends up out of position because even way late in his career this power hitter could and would play anywhere on the field and bat anywhere in the line-up.
RF Brad Dickow An under-the-radar player who had a very productive career. Also a great “right side hitter”, he would go weeks at a time making very few outs. Prototypical example of a great Kenosha softball player.
MF Rick Mogensen One of the many Mogensen brothers of the Bill’s Corner Club legacy. He played the game with the same passion at Lincoln Park as he played with during a neighborhood game at Newman Park.
P Rocky Tirabassi The man, the myth, the legend. With few exceptions, this is where the conversation starts and ends in terms of Kenosha area softball. Innovator, leader, champion, winner.