Por La Gente Softball is 30 years old. Who would have believed that the team would last that long! Por La Gente was born in August 1977. The team was formed in order to compete in the R&B Harley Davidson Softball tournament. With no formal sponsored, team members contributed monies from their own pockets to pay the entry fee. The team adopted the name Por La Gente which was coined by Herman Guzman in reference to the diversity of the roster and the team’s fans. Despite a postponement of the championship game due to a rainout, Por La Gente won the tournament and a cash prize of $300.

The following year, Por La Gente found its first sponsor in El Jardin Bar and Restaurant, owned by Lupe Ramos and Wally Villarreal. The team would play for three years and continue finding success on the field winning the Mestizo State Latino Tournament in 1978 and 1979.

Other sponsors that followed were Snickers Tavern, the Captain’s Quarters, Dearborn Station, the Shuffle Bear, and Get Real.

The Por La Gente team has always played at a high level of competition. From playing in the top league on Sunday nights during the early years to the top league on Thursdays.

Por La Gente has won many games, league championships and tournaments. One of the team highlights was winning Latino tournaments in Racine and Waukesha, and taking 2nd place in Madison in 1985. In 1997, Por La Gente took 3rd place in the annual City of Racine Softball Tournament.

For the past 30 years, the Por La Gente softball team has served a dual purpose. For the players, it served as a vehicle for working hard, self-discipline, and the importance of playing together toward a common goal. For the fans, it served as a means to promote orgullo or Latino pride, and that together as one, there is no limit to what can be achieved.