John "Arky" Manis

John "Arky" Manis – Rockford, IL

Arky thanks Pete Armato, a father figure to him, for inviting him to play with the St. Ambrogio Club in 1970. At just 17, he was the youngest player on the team. This marked the beginning of his 34-year softball career.

In 1971, he went on to play with the Treasure Shop in the Classic 8 League, which consisted of the best eight teams in Rockford. The following year, he played with the Rockford Rams, also in the Classic 8. In 1974, Don Arndt managed Cypress Lounge and assembled a talented team that included fellow Hall of Famer Tiger Frisella and many other great teammates. Cypress Lounge introduced Arky to USSSA softball for the first time.

Arky went on to play in numerous state tournaments and a string of seven consecutive world tournaments, six of them with Cypress Lounge. They peaked with a fifth-place finish in the world. In the '70s and '80s, stat tracking wasn't as thorough as it is today, so it's difficult to pinpoint how many home runs Arky hit — but he hit a ton of them. The best estimate of his batting average is somewhere in the .600s.

In 1981, Jerry Fiordelisi invited Arky to play with Loves Park Town Hall. That year proved magical for Arky and his Town Hall teammates. They won the USSSA World B Division in Milwaukee. That same year, Arky's son, John A. Manis, was born — along with the children of two teammates: Mike Emerson's daughter and Mark Austin's daughter. Arky thanks all his teammates, including HOFers Mark Austin, Johnny Wood, and Mike "The Ax" Emerson. He also gives a special thank you to Town Hall sponsors Bob and Diane Parvin. Arky emphasizes that his Town Hall team wasn't just a group of softball players — they were athletes, excelling in multiple sports, and their athleticism helped carry them with the high level of defense they brought to the diamond.

Teammate Johnny Wood says, "Whether Arky was playing in a rec league or at a world tournament, he was giving 110% every single game." Wood shares an example when Arky tagged from third base on a shallow pop-up to the shortstop on the infield fringe — waiting to catch the shortstop sleeping as he caught the ball, then bolting home. "That play epitomized who Arky was as a ballplayer. Arky always put the team first and never hesitated to sacrifice himself for the betterment of his team."

On the field, Arky prided himself on letting his game do the talking. But teammate Mark Austin recalls, "After Arky homered, players learned to brace themselves — or back away — as his trademark high-fives would light your hand up!" That was classic Arky Manis: his South Rockford brand of ball.

Arky loves and thanks his wife of 48 years, Jean, for always supporting him. Arky's son, John A. Manis, recalls his favorite part of his dad's game: "When a fly ball was hit his way, and it was still in the air, you'd hear the other team yelling to their baserunners, 'He has a cannon!'" John adds: "Arky had a CANNON."

Arky extends a warm thank you to Great Lakes Director Brenda Paulson — under her leadership, USSSA brought much-needed structure and direction to the program — and to Kenny Franzen for the beautifully manicured local Forest Hills fields.