2007 Male Player: Bernie Carroll

Bernie Carroll

Certain players leave you in awe when you consider all of their personal and team accomplishments. To think one person could play at a high level for an extended period of time and earn that many rewards is truly amazing. The talented Bernie Carroll is one of those such players.

In over 30 years of softball, 21 in the USSSA, Elmhurst’s Bernie Carroll has played on some of the top teams in the state, gathering personal and team accolades along the way.

Carroll played on some powerful teams including One Hour Cleaners, Ken Adams Softball, Bank of Westmont, Mid America Concrete, Tron Piping and Ken’s Beverage before retiring in 2004. He mainly played as a pitcher and catcher, but he also spent time in the outfield, first base and as a designated hitter. A lifetime .575 hitter, Carroll had power to all fields as his 1,200 career home runs can attest.

Bernie was named Most Valuable Player in three tournaments over his career. The first was at the 1987 14-inch State Tournament held in Aurora, next in the 1985 Class B Qualifier in Downers Grove and finally at the 2000 Class B NIT in Joliet. Carroll was also selected seven times to a State All-Tournament Team, the last being in the 2000 45 & Over State Tournament. He was also an All-World Team selection in the 1995 35 & Over World Tournament and the 1998 40 & Over World Tournament. He played on 16 State Championship teams and three World Championship clubs.

In 1996 and 1997, his team captured the 35 & Over Major World Championships, and in 2002, with Ken’s Beverage, they won the 40 & Over World Title. He lists the 1996 championship as one of his greatest thrills while competing in USSSA play to go along with the Bank of Westmont State Title in 1989. He also played in a class A or B at State and World Tournaments from 1982 to 2003.

“I lived for softball in the 70s, 80s and 90s,” said Carroll. “I know for a lot of the people I played with and who ran the program, it was a lot more than recreation. It has been a huge part of our lives.”

There is no doubt that Carroll did live for the game of softball and the USSSA is where he made his mark. For over two decades, he used his skills to achieve personal goals as well as helping his teams reach their ultimate goals. Therefore, we honor Bernie Carroll, who typifies what the Illinois USSSA Hall of Fame is all about.