2024 Associate: Jeff Brown
/
Jeff Brown of Machesney Park, Illinois truly grew up in the game of softball. When he was old enough to walk, he began tagging along to watch his Dad, Hall of Farner Paul Brown, umpire softball games all over Northern Illinois. Then, in his pre-teens, Hall of Farner Brenda Paulson noticed he was always hanging around at her tournaments and put him to work keeping score. During high school, Hall of Farner Ken Franzen put him to work on the grounds crew at Forest Hills Diamonds. When Jeff wasn't mowing outfields, chalking foul lines or burning hot dogs, Ken occasionally let him and his co-worker, Kevin Croft, head to the press box and serve as the announcers for some of the major tournaments and all-star games that happened at Forest Hills Diamonds.
During college and law school, Jeff's primary involvement with softball was as an avid player in Chicago and Rockford. However, in 1993, a chain of events came to pass that changed Jeff's involvement with USSSA softball forever. Forest Hills Diamonds was chosen as the host facility for the 1993 USSSA Women's Sia-Pitch World Series and Jeff and Kevin took to the press box to serve as the announcers for a weekend that featured the top women's softball players in the country. The USSSA Executive Director, Mr. Al Ramsey took a liking to "the two boys from Illinois". Al was so impressed with them and how they were using a computer program to have the updated stats for the All-World Team in a few minutes after the last out was called. Al had to have these guys and invited then to serve as the stadium announcers for the 1994 USSSA Men's Major World Series in Florida. It was a perfect fit and now, 31 years later, Jeff has served as the stadium announcer for every Men's Major World Series since 1994. At the 2004 World Series, Jeff and Kevin called their 1,000th career Men's Major World Series game. Things have come full circle, as Jeff resumed announcing the Women's Major World Series a few years ago.
Jeff has also served as the Master of Ceremonies for the USSSA National Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for the last 15 years. He first learned how to be a MC by serving as a co-host of the inaugural Illinois Softball Hall of Fame ceremony in 1996 with his friend, Hall of Farner Chuck Fischer from Louisville, Ky. Jeff then served as the Master of Ceremonies for a number of Illinois Hall Fame induction banquets. When Chuck was inducted into the USSSA National Hall of Fame in 2008, Jeff took over serving as the MC of the annual National Hall of Fame induction ceremony from Chuck and has continued to do so ever since.
In reflecting on his USSSA experience, Jeff noted, "I have had a front row seat to watch more than three generations of the finest softball athletes in the world compete at the USSSA Major World Series. The honor of describing the fantastic play of those incredible athletes has been an amazing part of my life. I have had the privilege to announce every World Series that many USSSA National Hall of Famers have played in and then been able to shake their hand on stage upon their induction into the National Hall of Fame. I have watched the game of softball and the USSSA organization go through many transitions and achieve incredible growth, and it has been an honor to be a small part of that."
"The long days and late nights in press boxes - ranging from Daytona Beach to Fredericksburg to 20 years at the Disney Wide World of Sports in Orlando to the incredible new USSSA facility in Viera, Florida - are some of my most cherished memories. From players to coaches to fans to USSSA staff, the countless number of friends I have made in softball have made my life a lot richer - and the fact that I have been able to share the ride with my family and dearest friends has made it even more special."
Outside of the press box, Jeff is the father of three children, Alex, Riley and Zoey, and has been married to his wife, Dr. Tracy Cole (a former scorekeeper and concession stand worker at Forest Hills Diamonds), for 33 years. Jeff has also had a successful career as a corporate attorney. He graduated with degrees in Industrial Engineering and Economics from Northwestern University and received his J.D. from the Law School at the University of Chicago. After starting his legal practice at Winston & Strawn, a multinational law firm in Chicago, he joined the corporate law department at Motorola, where he handled corporate governance and securities law for over a decade. In 2010, he became the Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of Activision Blizzard, which was the largest independent video game company in the world until Microsoft acquired the company for $75 billion in 2023.
Thanks, Jeff, for all you've have done for the Illinois USSSA and the National USSSA for over 40 years and continue as" the voice" of the National Hall of Fame and the Major World Series.
Paul brown, jeff brown, kevin croft & Ken franzen
Forest hills ground crew @ 1984, kevin croft, jeff brown, todd wyatt and scott markley
