At 86, Alsip’s ‘Turkey Joe’ still hitting ‘smashes’ on the softball diamond in Orland Park

He loves his scotch and his cigars.

And Joe Jurkovich, of Alsip, isn’t about to give up playing softball anytime soon, either.

Jurkovich, 86, is on the Gray Wolves team in the Orland Park Senior Softball League, which caters to players over age 65.

With the exception of a few aches and pains here and there and a recent bout with vertigo, Jurkovich said he is in pretty good shape. He still works out at the gym three times a week.

As for the cigars and scotch? His doctor is not too fond of that.

“I smoke a couple of cigars a day and I like my scotch,” Jurkovich said. “I’m 86. I tell my doctors, ‘you want to take away what I have going for me?’’’

Actor/comedian George Burns, who lived to 100 once told Johnny Carson on the “Tonight Show” he smoked 15-20 cigars a day. Carson asked Burns what his doctor thought and Burns interrupted, “My doctor is dead.”

Told of that exchange, Jurkovich laughed and quipped, “My doctor is dead, too. I’m on my third doctor and he’s going pretty soon.”

So, Jurkovich will stick with his beloved cigars and scotch and keep playing softball for a while longer.

“I want to play for as long as I can get up and get out here,” he said before a recent game at Eagle Ridge Park II in Orland Park. “It’s a way to get out — it’s something to do. It keeps me busy. I’ve been retired 24 years.”

On a team in which guys have nicknames such as T-Bone, Candyman, Lil D, Shoes, BirdMan, Wolf, Mad Dog and Mustang, Jurkovich picked up the nickname “Turkey Joe” in recent years.

He said his brother, Tony, lives in New Orleans and taught him how to deep fry turkeys, and Joe used that skill to fry up turkeys for team dinners with the Gray Wolves and their families.

Jurkovich attended St. Rita High School for two years, Chicago Vocational School for two years and went into the Army.

That was after the Korean War, so he didn’t see any battle action but did have an assignment in Alaska with ski patrol rescue which had some adventure to it.

He came back to Chicago, married his wife, Jean, had a family and worked at a railroad. He said he played softball until he was 35 but gave it up to spend time watching his kids play sports. When he turned 65 he read an ad in the paper about a senior softball league and has been playing ever since.

“I used to play everything before,” he said. “I used to be a pitcher. But three years ago, I said ‘that’s it.’ I got hit too many times. I got hit three times in one game.

“My reflexes are too slow. So, I catch and once in a while go to second base.”

Gray Wolves manager William Johnson, who is 72 and also plays in the Chicagoland Roy Hobbs Baseball League for those 65-older, admires Jurkovich being able to play at 86.

“He’s doing pretty damn good,” Johnson said. “I figure I’m going to have one of those walking carts or something when I’m 80.”

Johnson said Jurkovich has been slowed in recent years, but can still hit.

“He loves being out with us,” Johnson said. “He’s a player. He’s content to play one inning at catcher and bat in the lineup. We usually have a courtesy runner for him.”

“He gets a lot of walks. His hits usually are smashes. Well, as much of a smash as he can hit. He’s just so happy to be here.”

Jurkovich was hitting .207 through the Wolves’ first 16 games but was among the team leader in walks.

Andrew High School tennis coach Mike Maratea was leading the team with three homers and had a .705 average. Roger Laurella led with an .840 average. Johnson led team with 28 RBI and Kevin Micks led with six triples.

Johnson is also the league commissioner and helped turn a four-team league in 2022 to a six-team league this season.

He is on the lookout for more players from the south suburbs and said interested players for the 2024 campaign should call him at 708-710-6823 or email him at bjmjtaz@icloud.com.

In the past couple of decades, Jurkovich has been a teammate or an opponent of a lot of players.

“A lot of guys have gone and new ones are coming in,” he said. “I’m still here staying old.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.