Community Corner

In Palos Heights, Gregory is Known as Mr. Baseball

Tom Gregory has dedicated 11 years to the Palos Baseball Organization. He's in it for the love of the game and the kids he works with on the ball diamonds.

Tom Gregory is in the habit of rising early on Saturdays. He gets up at about 5 a.m., no, not to make the doughnuts, but, rather, to get the ballfields at Community Park in Palos Heights ready for play.

All three of his sons have played in the Palos Baseball Organization. Gregory is known as sort of a jack-of-all-trades around the backstop, but not for much longer.

His is in the midst of his last season, about to hang up his PBO hat. His youngest son, Adam, will be graduating from the PBO ranks to Shepard High School in August. His other sons, Paul and Tommy, also attend Shepard. Paul Gregory is on the Astros' varsity baseball team.

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"He's had every role someone could have here," PBO President Mike Lee said of Tom Gregory. "Our concession stand is like a small restaurant, and it's a lot of work."

Gregory now serves as a trustee for PBO. He earlier spent one term as the league president. During his 11 years with the organization, there have been several upgrades to the ballfields.

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"It wasn't just me," Gregory said. "When I came aboard, Todd Erickson was the president at the time. It was that group that started the improvements to the complex. None of the improvements could have been done without loans from Palos Bank. That gave us the money to turn it in to what it is now."

There is a family atmosphere at Community Park. The Garbie family of Palos Heights has two boys involved in PBO.

"It's convenient for us as parents, it's fun for the kids and we know everyone here," Shannon Garbie said.

Julie Ward, who was working the concession stand, has a son playing and her husband coaching.

"It makes for hectic and hot summers, but it's fun," she said. "There's nothing better than watching your son play baseball. It's like going to a family picnic on a daily basis. It's more than just the baseball. It's the kids, the socializing and it's fun."

By day, Gregory works as an estimator with an insulation company, but most of his summer evenings and weekends are spent volunteering with PBO.

"It's a labor of love for all of our trusteses," he said. "We work as a board, and everything is a vote. We all realize it's for the kids. That is what drives the program. The boys that have left come back and hang out here. They come back and watch. A lot of the kids are very appreciative of the program."

"Gregory is just a big bear who loves the kids," said his assistant, Mike Dombrowski. "He expects them to do well. He is the first one to tell them when they did well and also the first to help them out."

PBO has been around for at least 40 years, according to Gregory. Many members of the board of trustees played in the PBO. Nick Karas, a Palos-based attorney, and Rick Mundo, a Shepard teacher, are just two examples.

Gregory played high school soccer and played Little League ball in Oak Lawn. As a 12-year-old, his team advanced to the regional playoffs in the Little League World Series.

"My Dad loved to coach, and I just hope to pass that on," Gregory said.

As far as PBO alumni, Gregory wasn't sure how many have gone on to play collegiate baseball, but he did mention that there are a few currently in low-level minor league situations.

"We have Braden Looper, who has two World Series rings," Gregory said. "His son is in the Pinto division. We can draw from him for some advice about working with the kids."

Looper was a member of the 2003 Florida Marlins and the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals and tried to make a comeback with the Cubs in Spring Training in 2010, but since has retired from major league ball. He makes his home in Palos Heights.

Gregory makes his home away from home the ball diamonds.

"It's truly just a labor of love," he said. "We enjoy this. In the end, our goal is the kids. As long as that's kept in line, the program will stay and grow."

Next year, Gregory will spend a lot more time watching his sons play at Shepard, but he did say that a part of him will find his way back to watch the kids play baseball at PBO.

Until this year, Gregory's wife was in charge of the concession stand. His sons still help with field crew.

"From the beginning of April to the end of July, this is where our family is,"  Gregory said.

Correction, June 8: The original version of this article misspelled the names of Rick Mundo and Nick Karas. We regret the error.


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