Montgomery in Kane County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Harvey Sterkel Field

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 24, 2025

1. Harvey Sterkel Field Marker

Inscription.
About Harvey Sterkel
Regarded as one of the greatest softball pitchers in the game's history, Harvey Sterkel brought worldwide acclaim to the Fox Valley during a legendary era of championship feats.

From 1956 to 1969, Harvey posted a remarkable 345-33 record (91%) that included 60 no-hitters and 15 perfect games. In 2,599 innings pitched, Harvey struck out 5,212 batters and posted an ERA of 0.34. During a three-year span from 1965-68, be won 52 consecutive games.

A member of the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Hall of Fame, Harvey led the Aurora Sealmasters to four ASA national fast pitch championships as MVP in 1956 and 1959 and earned All-America honors eight times. Nicknamed "The Horse," Harvey won eight straight games in the 1959 tournament - a national record-including 24 scoreless innings over three games.

Harvey also led Aurora to two International Softball Federation world championships, compiling a 7-0 record while striking out 74 batters in 45 innings pitched and garnering MVP honors in the 1966 tournament.

Harvey's outstanding accomplishments earned him enshrinement in the ASA, ISF and National

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Softball Halls of Fame. In all, he pitched for 31 memorable years, bringing fame and recognition to the sport of fast pitch — and the community he represented so admirably.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1956.

Location. 41° 44.153′ N, 88° 23.29′ W. Marker is in Montgomery, Illinois, in Kane County. It can be reached from Jericho Road (County Route 24) 0.7 miles west of Orchard Road, on the left when traveling west. The marker is on the storage shed behind the first base dugout of Field C at the Stuart Sports Complex. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Aurora IL 60506, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago.

It is also in the American Midwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 24, 2025

2. Harvey Sterkel Field Marker

The marker is on the storage shed behind the first base dugout of Field C at the Stuart Sports Complex.

are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Tom Healy Field (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Quarry Reclamation and Site History (approx. 0.4 miles away); Watch Us Grow (approx. half a mile away); Samuel Bedrosian, PhD (approx. 1.6 miles away); Settler's Cottage (approx. 2½ miles away); Remember Oklahoma City (approx. 2½ miles away); V.F.W. Montgomery Memorial Post 7452 (approx. 2½ miles away); Navy, Marine and Coast Guard Memorial (approx. 2½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Montgomery.

Also see . . .
1. Harvey Sterkel obituary. Sterkel died in 2019 at age 85.

Excerpt: “Harvey served his country with the U.S. Navy. He married his high school sweetheart, Gloria Krieger on April 12, 1953. In 1956, Harvey was recruited by the Aurora Sealmaster fastpitch softball team and along with Gloria and their young son Robert, moved to Aurora IL. Pitching for Aurora, he posted a 345-33 record with 60 no hitters and 15 perfect games. Between 1965 and 1968 he won 52 consecutive games and posted an ERA of 0.34. Considered among the game's greatest pitchers, Harvey went on to be
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 24, 2025

3. Harvey Sterkel Field
A sign on the rear of the scoreboard at Field C honors Harvey Sterkel.
inducted into the Denver Metro, Illinois, ASA National and the International Softball halls of fame.”

(Submitted on May 24, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

2. Aurora Fastpitch Softball Association Documentary Fund. The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley examines the history of men’s fast-pitch softball in the Aurora area.

Excerpt: “ Fastpitch softball has been part of Aurora since the 1930’s. The game gained popularity in the city during the 30’s and 40’s in two recreational men’s leagues, The Aurora Industrial League, and The Aurora Protestant Church League. The game took center stage in town in the late 1940’s, when industrial conveyor manufacturing company Stephens-Adamson decided to sponsor and get serious about one of the teams from the industrial league, The Aurora Sealmaster Bearings.”

(Submitted on July 20, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Harvey Sterkel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 24, 2025

4. Harvey Sterkel

Close-up of the photo from the marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 24, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 208 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 24, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.