Last baseball season, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire combined to produce 136 homers. What they are producing this season is an influx of budding Sosas and McGwires of all ages, who are descending on indoor batting cages throughout the Chicago area to develop or perfect their home run swings. And as the Cubs and White Sox get ready to open the 1999 season, the cages are full.
“The baseball strike just about killed us, and Sosa and McGwire have brought us back,” said Richard Fibish, general manager of Grand Slam USA in Palatine. “When kids come in here, the Sosa-McGwire home run derby is still a topic of conversation. The kids want to learn how they did it, how they can achieve that kind of success.”
Anna Matson, co-owner of Stella’s Baseball Range in Lyons with her husband, Carey, has seen a similar surge in interest. “Our numbers are up this year, and Sosa and McGwire are two of the reasons why,” she said. “Those two players are all anyone talks about around here.”
“Baseball and softball players, from kids to adults, love coming in during the off-season and work on their hitting,” said Greg Sibigtroth, owner of Grand Slam USA in Algonquin. “That way they’re much more prepared come the spring. Kids can come in here and improve dramatically over the winter months.”
Irv Gerts, manager of At Bats in Downers Grove, has also seen more hitters climb into his cages this spring. “Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire have made a lot of people interested in being homer hitters,” he said.
A visit to an indoor batting cage is a cacophony of sounds, with rubber-covered balls flying around the various cages. For the hitters with wooden bats, it’s “thump, thump, thump.” For those with aluminum bats, it’s “tink, tink, tink.” Either way, there’s lots of hitting going on.
Here are a few tips for all the aspiring Sosas. If a batting cage rents cages in blocks of time, reservations are definitely recommended. And no matter where you go, it’s a good idea to bring your favorite bat.
Now, time to grab your favorite hunk of lumber or aluminum and head out for a hitting tour:
Grand Slam USA, 647 S. Consumers Ave., Palatine, 847-398-7526. Grand Slam Palatine has five cages for baseball and softball, six hitting tunnels and five pitchers mounds. Twelve pitches in the cage cost $1, and hitting leagues are held from November to February. Grand Slam Palatine also has 45 staff instructors, including ex-big leaguers such as former Cardinal Jim Lindemann, former Cub and Oriole Tim Stoddard and former Cub and Twin Bill “Soup” Campbell. Hours are 3 to 10 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends. “We’re one of the originals. We’ve been in business 15 years,” said Richard Fibish. “The thing we’re best known for is our coaching staff. People appreciate the baseball instruction they receive here.”
Grand Slam USA, 9210 Trinity Drive, Algonquin, 847-854-0022. Grand Slam Algonquin has five cages for baseball and softball, including a curveball cage. Sixteen pitches in the cage cost $1.25. On Friday nights, aspiring big leaguers can hit from 7 to 10 p.m. for $8, which includes a slice of pizza or a hot dog and a soda. Hours are noon to 10 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends.
Grand Slam USA, 4995 Varsity Drive, Lisle, 630-271-9999. Grand Slam Lisle has four cages for baseball and softball. Sixteen pitches in the cage cost $1.25. Grand Slam Lisle’s ATEC pitching machines range in speed from slow to very fast, and pitch levels can be raised or lowered depending on the height of the hitter. They also have a 15-person instructional staff, and hitting leagues are conducted during the winter. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. “We’re really family-oriented here,” said owner Dean Gritsonis. “We cater to young kids, and parents can drop their kids off and let them stay for a few hours to work on their hitting.”
C.F. Swingtown Baseball Academy, 10498 W. 163rd Pl., Orland Park, 708-403-4487. Swingtown has four baseball cages and one softball cage, along with two live cages for hitting and pitching and two drill areas. Cage rentals cost $10 for 15 minutes and $18 for a half-hour. Swingtown also has 12 instructors and hitting leagues. Hours are 2 to 10 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends. “We cater to the serious baseball and softball person,” said Swingtown director David Sinnes. “People come here to get better, to get on the road to baseball success.”
Stella’s Baseball Range, 3903 Joliet Ave., Lyons, 708-447-0406, www.batcages.com. Stella’s has nine cages for baseball and softball. Eighteen pitches cost $1. The batting range is indoor in the winter and open air in the summer, when they open the big garage doors. Stella’s also has three instructors and fall and winter hitting leagues. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. Why the name Stella’s? “We started as a fast-food restaurant, and my mom, Stella, was the best cook I ever knew,” said Anna Matson. “So when we opened the batting range, we decided to name the entire complex after her.”
At Bats, 2139 63rd St., Downers Grove, 630-663-9200. At Bats has three baseball cages and one softball cage with rocker arm pitching machines. Rentals are $8 for 15 minutes. “When you rent the cage, it’s yours and yours alone,” said Gerts. “When you go to a token cage, you get 15 pitches, then you go stand in line again. When you rent a cage, you can get yourself in a groove.” Five instructors are on staff, and hitting leagues are held from October to February. Hours are 2 to 10 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekends.
Whatever Sports, 731 Oakridge Drive, Romeoville, 815-886-1521. Whatever Sports has five cages, two baseball and three softball. Ten pitches cost 50 cents, and cages can be rented for $15 per half-hour. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday, noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends.
Eich’s Sports & Batting Cages, 23249 W. Lincoln Hwy., Plainfield, 815-436-3771. Eich’s has three cages for baseball and softball, available for rental for $8 per half hour or $15 per hour. Machines throw baseball and softballs at speeds ranging from 20 to 95 m.p.h., and the machines also toss Wiffle Balls. Private instruction is available, and hitting leagues are held in the winter. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. “We’re up about 20 percent this year,” said owner Chuck Eich. “Sosa and McGwire brought baseball back to the kids. They all want to hit home runs.”
Sluggers World Class Sports Bar Inc., 3540 N. Clark St., 773-472-9696. Located in the shade of Wrigley Field, Sluggers (part of the Sluggers World Class Sports Bar complex) has four batting cages. Tokens are $1 each (some special packages are available). Hours are 2 to 10 p.m. weekdays (excepts Wednesdays, when the facility is open until midnight), and 11 a.m. to midnight on weekends.
