Posted by chicagomedia.org on January 22, 2009 at 12:10:15:
Softball Hall to induct Kashul, North
By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
January 22, 2009
He traveled with Michael Jordan during the championship years and covered Jack Nicklaus on the Senior PGA Tour.
In his 24 years of broadcasting, Steve Kashul has experienced more than his share of unforgettable highlights.
But the 1978 Maine South graduate said the most fun he ever had in his career was doing the play-by-play for some of the finest 16-inch softball games ever to hit the airwaves.
"When you think about it, they were the most talented players in the world," recalled Kashul, now the voice of the Chicago Bulls' pre- and post-game shows on ESPN Radio 1000.
Along with Chicago radio and TV icon Mike North, the color man on the broadcasts, Kashul brought the city's challenging gloveless game to SportsChannel for five summers in the mid-90s.
The Park Ridge products worked together on the call for 3-5 games every Thursday night and the contests were broadcast on Sundays. They also covered championship games at Grant Park, including the annual Old Style Classic blockbuster.
On at least one occasion, action from the games showed up on SportsCenter's plays of the week on ESPN. The weekly showdowns were such a hit that even Mike Ditka would tell the guys he'd regularly check in and watch on Sunday nights.
"It was so professionally done," Kashul said. "The same producers and camera people who did the Bulls and Cubs games were doing these games. And you can't go wrong with Mike North. I've always said he's the greatest media success story in the history of Chicago."
On Saturday, Kashul and North will be part of this year's class of inductees into the Chicago 16-inch Softball Hall of Fame at 7 p.m. at the Hawthorne Park Race Track in Cicero.
"It was amazing to hear from the committee that we were being inducted," said Kashul, who now resides in Naperville with his wife Cindy and sons Cory and Troy. "It's a tremendous honor."
Well-known Chicago restaurateur Rich Melman, who played a substantial role in getting softball on TV, and the Broadview Stooges, one of the top neighborhood teams from 1981-1995, will also receive induction.
Melman guided Lettuce to three national championships and holds the top managerial record in the history of the competitive Mount Prospect league.
Members of the 1977 state champion Proviso East baseball team helped the Stooges reach several national events and tournament titles.
"The history of it all deserves a Hall of Fame," Kashul added, "and it's really great to be a part of it. It's something that my family and I will always cherish."
(Park Ridge Herald Advocate)