July 26, 2021 A long tradition of playing 16-inch co-ed softball tournament in Chicago has faded, but city's park district hopes to resurrect it! SHOW TRANSCRIPT It’s been 10 years since a co-ed softball tournament was played in Chicago’s parks...at least this kind. Softball was invented in Chicago 134 years ago and has been a beloved pastime for tens of thousands through generations. But there’s a particular type of Chicago softball that fell by the wayside in recent years, until this weekend: The 16-inch circumference, no mitt, finger-bruising clincher softball. "It's very hard to adjust a little bit. It's a little bit bigger. So, you know, you've got to hit it a little bit harder and just a little bit more," says Nicole Zapotoczny, a softball participant.