Geo-Karis' bloop through the glass ceiling

Editor's note: The Daily Herald and United Press International once shared a bureau at the Capitol. This 1973 story on Adeline Geo-Karis was among the old, yellowed printouts left behind when UPI closed up its Springfield operation.

SPRINGFIELD -- Had it not been for the women, this year's House-Senate softball game would have been a tired old retread. The story would have said the House beat the Senate in the game they play to benefit boy's baseball, this time by a score of 18-11.

But this year for the first time in anyone's memory, there was a different twist. Three women played in the game and they all reached base. One of them even scored.

House women struck the blow for equality in the top of the fifth - much to the embarrassment of Senate pitcher Richard M. Daley, whose brief stint on the hill did little to enhance the Daley name.

Young Richard, son of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, was hurling in relief of Sen. John B. Roe of Rochelle, whose shaky mound work had given the House a 16-5 lead after four innings.

The first batter young Daley faced was rookie Adeline Geo-Karis, fondly dubbed "The Kind of Swat" by her teammates. Adeline looped a Daley delivery into short left, out of everyone's reach, and scampered down to first.

Daley then gave up a double to Harry Leinenweber of Joliet, who might have stretched his smash into a three-bagger or round-tripper if he hadn't been forced to slow down waiting for Adeline to get to third.

Then, Susan Catania, another rookie from Chicago, smashed an infield hit that filled the bases. But luckily for Daley, the next two hitters were men who he retired easily to get out of the jam.

Then in the last of the seventh with two out and her team trailing 18-9, Sen. Dawn Clark Netsch stepped in. After one vicious cut, several foul balls and a switch from batting lefty to right-handed, she drew a walk.

Sen. Thomas Hynes of Chicago kept the Senate's hopes alive with a two-run single to left that scored Netsch, brining the tally to 18-11 and to bat the luckless Daley. It was left for him to end the game with a fly to left.