Thillens Stadium

Thillens Stadium is a two field baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois It has 2,200 seats and an average of 17,000 Chicago area children play there each year.

Location

Thillens is at the northwest corner of Devon and Kedzie in Chicago, Just 20 minutes from downtown.

History

Founded in 1938 by Mel Thillens, Sr., owner of Thillens Inc. check-cashing business. Thillens's idea was to have a baseball park that anyone can use, rent-free. It cost Thillens a total of $6 million to build the park. In 1940 the ballpark erected lights for night use. In the 40's, 50's and 60's both little league games, and men's 16-inch softball games were televised from the park, with Jack Brickhouse announcing.

In 1993, Mel Thillens Sr. died, but his family continued to operate it and a non-profit charitable foundation supported it. However, The foundation couldn't afford it and in March 2005, Thillens closed. The Chicago Cubs and Chicago Park District made plans to reopen Thillens in May 2005. They invested around $2 million in repairs. The stadium reopened its doors in June 2006.

Events

The Annual Chicago Celebrity Softball games are hosted at Thillens Stadium. Those games have featured Michael Jordan, Chris Chelios, Minnie Miñoso, Rich Melman, Fergie Jenkins, Randy Hundley, Billy Williams and Moose Skowron.

Links

[http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/parks.detail/object_id/cfcf98a5-c33f-4e34-afb8-25486b68baaa.cfm Chicago Park District]