Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
The Chicago 16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame in Forest Park recently honored two of the sports most dedicated local legends: Frank and Tom Lentine.
Among the artifacts on display at the Chicago 16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame in Forest Park is a photo of a local team called the Dr. Carlucci BobCats, taken just after they won the 1969 National Championship. To the right of the big trophy, the viewer can see BobCats star player Frank Lentine holding his then 3-year-old son, Tom.
The photo captures one of countless great moments Frank and Tom have shared through the sport of 16-inch softball.
The two men, now 85 and 59 years old, each received awards during the Hall of Fame Annual Awards Dinner in October. Frank, who was inducted into the hall career in 1999, was given the Presidential Service Award and Tom received the Frank C. Holan Award.
“It was a great evening,” Tom Lentine says of the award dinner. “And to share the stage with my dad, I mean, as a kid you can’t ask for anything better.”
Frank started playing competitive softball as a young man and was on the National Championship winning team five times from 1969 to 1973. He retired from competitive softball at age 77 but is still active as an umpire. Tom started playing majors-level softball in 1991 and hasn’t stopped. While he hasn’t won as many big trophies as his dad, he jokes that he intends to play until he’s at least 78, so he will have at least beat his dad at something.
Though both men have long, storied careers on the field, their awards acknowledge their contributions to the sport off the diamond. Since 1997, the Holan Award has been given out to someone who has demonstrated a passion and love for the game and who promotes it in ways that aren’t immediately apparent. Tom Lentine was nominated for the award by the Holan family.
“I played against Frank (Holan) and his sons for many years in Mount Prospect,” Tom says of the award. “So for that family to nominate me for that, I was truly honored and truly touched.”
The October ceremony marked only the fifth time the Presidential Service Award has been presented since 2013. In a statement, the Hall of Fame’s board of directors said Frank earned the award due to his generous spirit, unwavering commitment and tireless effort on behalf the Hall of Fame and the sport.
“Frank has helped elevate the Hall of Fame’s mission, ensuring the recognition of individuals who have made a lasting impact,” the statement reads. “His dedication stands as a shining example of leadership, humility and passion for honoring the past while shaping the future. He is indeed an HOF ambassador everyone looks up to.”
The 16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame on Harrison Street in Forest Park is open from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays, and most weeks you can find Frank and Tom there with other Hall of Fame inductees and honorees sharing stories with visitors about how the game has evolved over the decades.
It’s a treat to get to roam the aisles of the Hall of Fame building with the Lentines. After just a few steps in any direction you’ll encounter a plaque, display or artifact that Frank or Tom can tell a story about.
Many local Italian Americans have been elected to the hall. Along with Tom, five other Italian Americans have earned the prestigious Frank C. Holan Award: Rich Catizone, Mike “Rock” Consiglio, Jimbo Levato, Joe Mercadante and Jayne Zolna.
But the hall is also focused on the future of the game. One goal is to help make 16 Inch Softball an Illinois High School Association sport.
“Right now, I think there are like 50 teams playing and we need to get to at least 90. So if we can get over that number we’d like to host a state series,” Tom Lentine says. The site would be the Park District of Forest Park softball fields next to the Hall of Fame building. “Have them play the semifinals and finals here at Forest Park and then bring them all in here and let them see the (Hall of Fame) so that the next generation starts playing.”
The above article appears in the March 2026 issue of the print version of Fra Noi. Our gorgeous, monthly magazine contains a veritable feast of news and views, profiles and features, entertainment and culture.
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