[6] The owner of the Pittsburgh Hardhats of the APSPL brought an unsuccessful challenge in federal court in an attempt to prevent splitting the young professional sport.
Pepitone would get a suspension during the year for "conduct detrimental to professional softball" when NASL Commissioner Robert Brown suspended him for 6 games[18] and then was lost to the season in August with a thigh injury.
[20] It was an excellent regular season for CNA as Chicago finished 43-19 (.694), 2nd in the Western Division, 5 games behind the Milwaukee Schlitz.
A late-season game between the team has gotten physical as CNA player Greg Linhart and Schlitz pitcher Tom Gorski tussled after Linhart felt he was being held down during a wild throw, leading CNA Manager Eddie Zolna to state "the only thing he did wrong was he didn't hit him.
Olesiak, Dusek, Simpson, Spahn represented Chicago at the mid-season All-Star game and Zolna managed the West team.
[1][25][26] Chicago Nationwide Advertising team featured two members of the American Softball Association Hall of Fame - manager Eddie Zolna and catcher Willie Simpson.