By Dominic Scianna

The Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) held its 45th Annual Hall of Fame Awards Dinner at the Westin Hotel at Yorktown Center in Lombard, Illinois on January 20. Two Chicago Public League baseball coaches and a senior baseball athletics administrator were honored for their athletics accomplishments in serving the Illinois high school baseball community during their distinguished careers.

The event also honored Illinois Coaches and Players of the Year in addition to recognizing individuals with special awards for their stellar accomplishments during the 2023 season.

Chicago Public League (CPL) coaches Chris Cassidy (30 years at Whitney Young High School), and Ernest Radcliffe (25 years combined at Hyde Park and Morgan Park High Schools), were enshrined into this year’s IHSBCA Hall of Fame, while Chicago Public School (CPS) senior athletics program administrator Eddie Curry received the Mike Herbert Distinguished Service Award for his 30-plus years in setting a standard of baseball excellence all throughout the CPL and its CPS district high schools. 

The IHSBCA gives this award in honor of Mike Herbert who coached at CPS’ Taft High School and was a baseball scout for the Detroit Tigers and New York Mets. He went on to become a Chicago Police Detective before dying of lung cancer. A fund set up in Herbert’s honor donated to Rush University Hospital in Chicago has raised $35,000 to date for lung cancer since its inception in 2016. A check for monies raised this year will be donated in the name of Eddie Curry.

“This is a blessed night for me, coaches (Chris) Cassidy and (Ernest) Radcliffe, and the entire CPS family,” said Curry. “I’ll be 70 this coming year and this honor personally means so much to me. This (Mike Herbert Distinguished Service Award) honor gives me hope and a drive to continue doing what we are doing at CPS.”

Curry attended Englewood High School and Jackson State University on a baseball scholarship. He was drafted in the 12th round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the Houston Astros for his pitching prowess. He currently is responsible for guiding the three CPS programs (baseball, girls softball, and boys 16-inch softball) as Athletics Program Administrator.

In addition, Curry manages the seven CPS-owned athletics facilities throughout the Chicagoland area and has shaped the model of success for these programs and the upgrading of facilities for CPS and the City of Chicago during his service of more than 30 years. 

Cassidy enters the IHSBCA Hall of Fame as one of six inductees this year. He is still an active coach entering his 30th year at Whitney Young High School recording 504 wins while capturing three Chicago Public League City Championships in six finals appearances.

“I love baseball and I love doing what I do,” said Cassidy. “This night is a great representation of what we’ve (CPS coaches and administrators) accomplished and gone through, adversity wise, in order to get here. It’s nice to see that other people are recognizing us in this way. There have been so many legendary coaches in Illinois High School Baseball and CPS that have come before me, many of whom I’ve looked up to during my career, and now being a part of that is something very special.”

Cassidy has also won two IHSA regional championships and one sectional title, making him the first CPL coach to accomplish that feat in advancing to the Class 4A supersectional round in 2007. In addition, he has served as the Athletic Director at Whitney Young for the past 20 years guiding all of the Dolphins sports teams to unprecedented success.

Radcliffe is another example of a journeyman who had endured and had great success on the baseball diamond since 1998, now enshrined in the IHSBCA Hall of Fame. He has split his 25-year career at two Chicago area high schools, Hyde Park (from 1998-2007) and Morgan Park (2008 to present).

“I never would have thought I’d be standing here tonight to receive this great honor of induction into the (IHSBCA) Hall of Fame. I got involved with the game to help young people and keep their hopes and dreams alive,” said Radcliffe. “We have a lot of fine coaches in CPS Baseball and I’m so proud to be a part of our league. This coming year (2024) is going to be fantastic for us, and there may be some MLB draft picks coming out as well as a bunch of players going on to outstanding colleges.”

Upon graduation from high school, Radcliffe earned a baseball scholarship to Alcorn State and also played at Central State University before being drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1986. His career in major league baseball was spent with the Cardinals, Virginia Generals, Kansas City Royals, and Atlanta Braves.

National recognition has also come Radcliffe’s way by being a part of the USA Baseball coaching fraternity, and he takes great pride in having mentored several thousands of young people many of whom have come from communities ravaged by violence.

The event also marked a feather in the cap of the Chicago Public League’s emergence as a force in Illinois High School baseball circles. It was the first time three CPL honorees were lauded for their accomplishments by the IHSBCA on the same night. 

“David Rosengard (Executive Director of CPS’ office of sports administration) has brought us to a whole new level along with Mickey Pruitt (CPS director of sports administration) and we’re all buying in to produce great things for CPS (sports),” added Curry. “This is a culmination of all the hard work that we have put in together and will continue to achieve in the future.”

One final note, a special award was also given to Earnest Horton, Hyde Park Career Academy baseball and CPS alumnus, who coincidentally played for Radcliffe during his high school career. Horton was given the Media Relations Person of the Year Award for his work with social media, and is co-founder of Black Baseball Media.

Photo captions:

Eddie Curry receives his Mike Herbert Distinguished Service Award from presenter Steve Breen.

Class of 2023 IHSBCA Hall of Fame Inductees: Kevin Marsh (Deerfield), Ed Radcliffe (Morgan Park), Frank DiFoggio (Shepard), Chris Cassidy (Whitney Young), and Todd Genke (St. Charles North). Not pictured – Matt Simpson (Rockton Hononegah).