Milwaukee’s Sixteen Inch Society will host its 10 annual 16-inch softball game on Sunday, June 12, at LaFollette Park on South 92nd St.
This year’s proceeds will benefit The Jim Heidenreich Learning Center at the Repairers of the Breach, Milwaukee’s only day shelter for the homeless.
Check-in for the event will begin at noon, with the game starting around 1 p.m. Pre-registration is requested. Registration fees vary depending on the level of commitment, but can range from $25 to $1,000 or more. The entire registration fee is tax deductible. Martino’s will provide free Chicago-style hot dogs for attendees and the Regis Marketing Group will provide the commemorative t-shirt.
The Sixteen Inch Society was founded 10 years ago by Patrick Murphy, chairman of P.J. Murphy and Associates of Milwaukee. The Society was formed in honor of the Chicago past-time of playing 16-inch softball.
Each year, the group selects a Milwaukee area charity organization with a Chicago connection to be the recipient of the proceeds generated from the softball game.
“If you grew up in Chicago you probably played 16-inch softball every summer; that’s just what you did,” Murphy said.
According to Murphy, the game is unique to Chicago and originated back in the late 1800’s. Murphy founded Milwaukee’s Sixteen Inch Club after speaking with a number of other Chicago natives in the area who had the desire to play the game again.
Since its inception, The Society has raised more than $70,000 for Milwaukee charities. Anyone who contributes more than $100 for the cause has the opportunity to become voting members and can nominate organizations as beneficiaries for the following year, Murphy said.
Before he passed away in June 2010, Jim Heidenreich a Chicago native and namesake of the Repairers of the Breach Learning Center, was a big supporter of the Sixteen Inch Society and was also an advocate for services provided by Repairers of the Breach. Clem Maslowski, treasurer for Repairers of the Breach, is also a Chicago native.
“It’s a great event for a great cause,” Murphy said. “People can come out and enjoy the game as well. It’s meant to be a social event for charity, not everyone has to be a ball player.”
