(click logo for original news story)
By Al Hamnik
Times Columnist
When fastpitch softball legend Ernie Blackburn rocked back and delivered, it was like staring into the face of an F-4 tornado. His heat had three speeds: mach 1, 2 and “Oh, my God. If he hits me, it’ll leave a hole!”
In my college days, I faced Blackburn a few times while playing in summer leagues. A foul tip was a moral victory, a deep fly reason to brag, and any kind of hit led to a souvenir ball with his autograph.
At 6 feet, 3 inches tall and 300 pounds, the 1949 Hammond grad was a frightening figure up on that hill, like Godzilla standing in Tokyo Harbor, so it was no surprise most opponents tried bunting on him.
Ernie passed away in April 20, 1997, due to complications from Parkinson’s Syndrome, and Region sports fans shed a tear that day. He was 67.
And now we have another fastpitch star in the spotlight, not far from the family tree.
Calumet City native Dave Blackburn, Ernie’s son, is heading to Israel for the 18th World Maccabiah Games featuring more than 8,000 athletes from 60 countries. This marks his sixth trip with the Macabbi USA Men’s Fastpitch Softball team, for whom he was the winning pitcher in the gold medal games of the 12th, 13th and 17th World Maccabiah fastpitch tournaments.
His six appearances are a record for American athletes.
Ernie would be very proud.
This international Jewish athletic event, similar to the Olympics, is held every four years. In softball, there is a Masters Division, in which Dave will compete, and an Open Division with no age restrictions.
“My dad was a tremendous influence,” he said. “I grew up traveling with him and the family, watching him play ball and getting a chance to be exposed to a high level of the sport. He never pushed me into it, but I really loved the game and just couldn’t get enough of it as a kid.”
He still can’t, at age 49, already having thrown 70 no-hitters and pitching nearly 1,700 games since making his debut at Hammond’s Riverside Park — alongside Ernie — in 1976.
The father-son duo played briefly together for Hammond-based Cataldi’s Restaurant/Bar in 1977 and Bob The Tarp Man in ’81.
In 1987, Ernie Blackburn was inducted into the Lake County Softball Hall of Fame. Two years later, the Hammond Sports Hall of Fame welcomed him in. Must’ve been his 99 no-hitters during a 42-year career and that 1973 state championship with Hammond’s Cobra Industries.
Old-timers still talk about the day he threw three no-hitters and one one-hitter in three different cities. America had The King and His Court. We were blessed with Ernie Blackburn, one-time Chicago Golden Gloves heavyweight champ.
“There was nothing like watching the attention and admiration my dad got when he pitched,” said Dave, whose 6-3, 275-pound frame reminds many of Ernie. “The (fastpitch) game solely evolves around the pitcher and that was another one of the hooks that drew me to pitching.”
Dave lives in Los Angeles now, where he works for a company that creates motion capture systems for Hollywood’s animation studios. He still finds times to pitch in night leagues around the Burbank and Los Angeles areas.
“I got no plans to quit in the future but I’m also a realist and know this won’t go on forever,” Dave said.
Not to put added pressure on him, but the United States got its butt kicked at the 17th World Maccabiah Games with a distant-second 71 gold medals to 227 for host Israel.
Time to bring it, like Ernie did.
This column solely represents the writer’s opinion. Reach him at al.hamnik@nwi.com.