The Home Front

(above) John Nocita, Chicago Sun-Times Writer By Don DeBat     Old newspaper writers, editors, artists and photographers never die. They just etch their work into history, then quietly fade away.  One unforgettable talent was John Nocita, 83, a gifted newspaper artist and graphics specialist, who met his last deadline on December 30, 2025, after a stalwart battle with Alzheimer’s.     “John Nocita’s successful 45-year newspaper career started as a copy boy at the Chicago

1985 JETS- BOTTOM ROW: (kneeling L-R):  Dale Hopkins, Bradely Trychta, Bobby Glover, Clarence "Boots" Cass, Pat Carroll and Keith Dickens. TOP ROW: (standing L-R):  Ricky Lewis, Chris D'Agostino, Robert Placek, Kenny Dower, John Zullo, John Clausen, Joey Alvinito and Gene O'Keefe. By Don DeBat The Chicago 16-Inch Softball Hall of Fame will recognize the Class of 2025 Inductees and Honorees at its 29 th  annual dinner on October 25 th . The HOF includes more than 700 of the be

Chicago Joe's exterior (above) By Don DeBat Classic 16-inch Chicago-style softball teams are holding a memory-vigil and experiencing a mourning-moment this month for the future of a now-vacant site on the northeast corner of Oakley Ave. and Irving Park Rd. in the North Center neighborhood. A building permit has been issued by the City of Chicago allowing Landrosh Development to erect a 38-unit masonry apartment building at 4009 N. Oakley at a projected cost of $7.7 million. T

The Chicago Park District’s new master plan for Grant Park threatens to overlook the city’s rich 16-inch softball history, pushing the...

The evolution of 16-inch slow-pitch Chicago-style softball is filled with unique strategies, like the creative ‘shuffle’ technique and...