Pioneers 1887-1949 Name: Gene "Moz" Mozdzierz Inducted: 2007 Bio: Gene Mozdzierz grew up in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago around Bloomingdale and Hermitage. He started his sixty-two year plus softball career when Father Jim Grzybowski from St. Mary’s of the Angels, who also played in the Windy City league, started teams for students in the seventh and eight grades. When is was time to go to high school, he took his baseball talents to Lane Tech where he played shortstop and helped Lane to a second place finish in the city high school league. He started playing competitive softball at Thillen’s Stadium with the Chi-Orioles club and the Northtown Vaults when he was just fifteen. In 1945 they took second place at Thillen’s and in 1946 the Chi-Orioles won the Harold-American title when they defeated the Southside Cardinals. He then went on to play against such legendary teams as Midland Motors, Kool Vent Awnings, Monica Orioles, Ma’s Tavern, Wrightwood Park and Martin Jewelers. He played periodically with teams sponsored by Congressman Dan Rostenkowski. The Chi-Orioles and the Rostenkowski teams captured twenty-five plus league titles. During his forty-four year playing career, teams he played on won 833 games against only 168 losses. He played shortstop for forty-four seasons (from 1945 to 1988) and was known for his speed and outstanding defensive skills. He batted leadoff for most of his teams for most of his career. Besides playing softball, Gene Mozdzierz also played semi-pro baseball. His baseball team, the Kolski-Boosters, won six league titles, a state title, and finished seventh in nationals during a twelve year span (1952 - 1963). Since 1989 to the present, he has managed, pitched, and played shortstop for the Chicago “Lite” Seniors, a 12-inch softball team. He is a semi-retired independent painter. He and his wife, Nana Lee, live in Addison, Illinois. They have four children (Gina, Joy, Donna, and Tom) and three grandchildren (William, Courtney, and Shayne). He thanks his sponsors for the Chi-Lite seniors, Terry and Kathy Mullarkey. P I O N E E R Gene “Moz” Mozdzierz 12