2022 Chicago Central Northstars Win Another Championship in 60+ Division of Chicago Central MSBL
Chicago Central MSBL, 60+ Division
Chicago Northstars 7, Islanders 4 (Game two in best of three series sweep)
Submitted by Glenn Gaffney, Northstar’s manager
The Chicago Northstars originated in 2019 as a 60’s team in the Chicago Central MSBL and have also played in crossover games against the Roy Hobbs Oak Lawn and Chicago North MSBL leagues. Since 2019 the Northstars have won all four regular season Championships and two year-end Championships. The Northstars also travel to the MSBL World Series in Arizona and tournaments in Florida during February.
The Northstars outhit the Islanders in the deciding game and dropped a 4-spot on them in the top of the sixth to take the lead, 7-4, with a huge double to left center by Jerry Bornhoff. Bornhoff, Czarny, Buffa, and Jeff Davis each had two hits to lead the offense. Bob Buffa got his second championship win for the Northstars, going five innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, two K’s, and no walks.
Dan Kraiss was nearly lights out in the last two innings, yielding only one walk with two K’s. Great defense and timely hitting gave the Northstars their second Championship in four years. The Islanders were gracious in defeat with some of them joining us for Billy Burgers, Brews, and Sausages post-game!
Over four years, the Nortstars have won more games and have the best winning percentage of any other Chicago 60’s team and will continue the travel tradition this October at the Field of Dreams Tournament in Dyersville, Iowa, and the MSBL World Series. The Chicago Northstars not only play good baseball with solid hitting, speed, pitching, and defense, but we also “enjoy the day” with many post-game BBQ’s which makes the Northstars “Chicago’s Premier 60’s Team”.
This year we retained Northstar stalwarts like Tom Foote, Larry Burger, Steve DeFillipis, Wally Czarny, the Davis Brothers, Rich Williams, John Johnson, John Malisia, and Mark Sena, to name a few. We also welcomed significant newcomers Dan (the Bulldog) Krais, Jerry Bornhoff, Tom Koska, Billy Alvarez, and Vinnie Walczak.
The Northstars still must “tip the cap” to our friendly Chicago Central rivals, the Aurora Islanders and their skipper Dennis Rady, who have their own excellent tradition and beat us in the 2021 Championship Tournament.
