Chatham man to be honored
Knox to be inducted into Springfield Sports Hall of Fame
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
A local umpiring legend is about to add another major honor in a couple of weeks.
Bob Knox, a Chatham resident since 1976, is set to be inducted into the Springfield Sports Hall
of Fame at a banquet to be held April 14 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield. Knox will be
inducted as a "Friend of Sport".
A total of nine individuals will be honored, along with the 1941 Springfield Feitshans boys
basketball team.
"This was a surprise," Knox stated. "I'm really excited about it, and it's nice to be recognized."
Knox, 74, has umpired baseball and softball games since 1958. Just this past December, he
was inducted as part of the inaugural class into the Illinois National Softball Association (NSA)
Hall of Fame as an Umpire and Umpire-in-Chief.
And Knox is still going strong, though he only does softball games now.
"I think I was born to be on the diamond, and my wife (Fran) says I'll probably die on the
diamond," he laughed.
Knox has lived in the Springfield and Chatham areas his entire life, graduating from Feitshans
in 1953. His 1952 Feitshans High football team was inducted into the Springfield Sports Hall of
Fame in 2006.
Knox, who played right halfback, was a key member of that team, and made the All-City,
All-Conference and Champaign All-State teams. He scored nine touchdowns that season, as
Feitshans finished undefeated, beating rival Springfield High 6-0. Knox recalls many
people who were at the Feitshans-Cathedral game that season that told him it was the best
game they ever saw.
Knox has been married to his wife, Fran, for over 53 years. The couple has three children -
Kathy, Bob and Pat, along with nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Since graduating from Feitshans, Knox has held a number of jobs, retiring in 1992. Still, he
currently holds a part-time job, running a parking lot in Springfield in the mornings, keeping his
afternoons and evenings open for the "other" job he has had for 50 years, which now involves
umpiring local high school and college softball games.
Knox served in the U.S. Army from 1956-1958, and played baseball and softball during that
time. In fact, while stationed in Italy, his team played other teams from Germany and Italy.
Knox is also an active bowler, and he has been with three teammates bowling in leagues for
over 50 years. He has been a member of the Greater Springfield Bowling Association since
1984, and has served as Director, Vice President and President for the United States Bowling
Congress, attending several National Conventions.
Knox has umpired on a number of levels in baseball, including the Springfield Recreation
Department, Connie Mack, Mickey Mantle and others, with some World Series and many
tournament games mixed in.
He fondly remembers Dick Schofield, jr. as "the best shortstop I ever saw as an umpire - I saw
him make plays nobody else ever made," along with many others, including Tim Hulett, Mick
Madison, Jerry Frey, Bob Babiak and Roger Erickson, to name a few.
Knox has umpired both slow pitch and fast pitch softball, estimating he has worked over 4,000
combined games for both NSA and ASA. He has worked several national tournaments and is a
member of the Capital Area Officials Association, IHSA, NSA and ASA Associations.
Two games in particular Knox remembered were a 24-inning regional baseball game at the
Riverton Athletic Club, and a 25-inning softball marathon in Loami between teams from
Nokomis and Bloomington, the latter game he worked from behind the plate.
Knox listed several mentors, including Rudy Favero, Charlie Kohlbecker and the late Merl
Hocking.
"I learned a lot from those guys starting out," he stated. "I played ball all my life, but I found out
it's a lot different than just going out there. You have to work a lot of games and get the
experience."
Knox has had a number of regular partners over the years, with Don Brinkley working with him
on a regular basis now.
Also being inducted into the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame on April 14 are: Linda Suhs
Cleveland, Helen Dulle, Tom Jensen, Ed Ransford and the late Jerry Slack, along with Friends
of Sport Jerry Owens, Joe Bascio and Don Post.
Knox to be inducted into Springfield Sports Hall of Fame
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
A local umpiring legend is about to add another major honor in a couple of weeks.
Bob Knox, a Chatham resident since 1976, is set to be inducted into the Springfield Sports Hall
of Fame at a banquet to be held April 14 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield. Knox will be
inducted as a "Friend of Sport".
A total of nine individuals will be honored, along with the 1941 Springfield Feitshans boys
basketball team.
"This was a surprise," Knox stated. "I'm really excited about it, and it's nice to be recognized."
Knox, 74, has umpired baseball and softball games since 1958. Just this past December, he
was inducted as part of the inaugural class into the Illinois National Softball Association (NSA)
Hall of Fame as an Umpire and Umpire-in-Chief.
And Knox is still going strong, though he only does softball games now.
"I think I was born to be on the diamond, and my wife (Fran) says I'll probably die on the
diamond," he laughed.
Knox has lived in the Springfield and Chatham areas his entire life, graduating from Feitshans
in 1953. His 1952 Feitshans High football team was inducted into the Springfield Sports Hall of
Fame in 2006.
Knox, who played right halfback, was a key member of that team, and made the All-City,
All-Conference and Champaign All-State teams. He scored nine touchdowns that season, as
Feitshans finished undefeated, beating rival Springfield High 6-0. Knox recalls many
people who were at the Feitshans-Cathedral game that season that told him it was the best
game they ever saw.
Knox has been married to his wife, Fran, for over 53 years. The couple has three children -
Kathy, Bob and Pat, along with nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Since graduating from Feitshans, Knox has held a number of jobs, retiring in 1992. Still, he
currently holds a part-time job, running a parking lot in Springfield in the mornings, keeping his
afternoons and evenings open for the "other" job he has had for 50 years, which now involves
umpiring local high school and college softball games.
Knox served in the U.S. Army from 1956-1958, and played baseball and softball during that
time. In fact, while stationed in Italy, his team played other teams from Germany and Italy.
Knox is also an active bowler, and he has been with three teammates bowling in leagues for
over 50 years. He has been a member of the Greater Springfield Bowling Association since
1984, and has served as Director, Vice President and President for the United States Bowling
Congress, attending several National Conventions.
Knox has umpired on a number of levels in baseball, including the Springfield Recreation
Department, Connie Mack, Mickey Mantle and others, with some World Series and many
tournament games mixed in.
He fondly remembers Dick Schofield, jr. as "the best shortstop I ever saw as an umpire - I saw
him make plays nobody else ever made," along with many others, including Tim Hulett, Mick
Madison, Jerry Frey, Bob Babiak and Roger Erickson, to name a few.
Knox has umpired both slow pitch and fast pitch softball, estimating he has worked over 4,000
combined games for both NSA and ASA. He has worked several national tournaments and is a
member of the Capital Area Officials Association, IHSA, NSA and ASA Associations.
Two games in particular Knox remembered were a 24-inning regional baseball game at the
Riverton Athletic Club, and a 25-inning softball marathon in Loami between teams from
Nokomis and Bloomington, the latter game he worked from behind the plate.
Knox listed several mentors, including Rudy Favero, Charlie Kohlbecker and the late Merl
Hocking.
"I learned a lot from those guys starting out," he stated. "I played ball all my life, but I found out
it's a lot different than just going out there. You have to work a lot of games and get the
experience."
Knox has had a number of regular partners over the years, with Don Brinkley working with him
on a regular basis now.
Also being inducted into the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame on April 14 are: Linda Suhs
Cleveland, Helen Dulle, Tom Jensen, Ed Ransford and the late Jerry Slack, along with Friends
of Sport Jerry Owens, Joe Bascio and Don Post.
Chatham Clarion
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Issue Date: March 27, 2008
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