‘Elvin Tappe Lane’ at Q.U. Stadium Needs to Happen

In January of 2013 the Quincy Park District announced that their new park on Bonansinga Drive would be known as Lincoln Park. The Park District had asked the public to submit names to be considered and you can’t go wrong with the name of Lincoln. I had submitted the name of Elvin Tappe. So Elvin lost out to Lincoln, but so did Steven Douglas.

I am not one to give up on an idea to easily, so today I would like to recommend that the City of Quincy either rename Sycamore Street, alongside of Q.U. Stadium, Elvin Tappe Lane, or at least make that stretch of Sycamore outside the stadium an Honorary Elvin Tappe Lane. I intend to take my suggestion to the City Council.

Could there be any better person than the late Elvin “El” Tappe? The Tappe name is a long standing name in the Quincy area and Elvin’s name is known locally, and all over the country, thanks to his managing and playing days with the Chicago Cubs.

Elvin was a catcher by trade but really became known in 1961 by becoming one of three coaches who rotated being manager that year. Elvin managed a bulk of the games, 95 to be precise that year. He played for the Cubs from 1954 to 1962. After that he became a coach and a scout for the organization.

His twin brother Melvin, who has a baseball field named for him at the YMCA, also pitched in the minor leagues and the two of them broadcast sporting events on WTAD Radio for years before giving it up in 1978 which, believe it or not, opened the door for another broadcaster to walk through. That play-by-play broadcaster’s name is Jeff Dorsey.

How ironic. Had Mel and El not decided to give up the play by play job at WTAD, I would most likely never have had the opportunity to move to this wonderful city. I quickly became friends with both of them until they passed away.

The Tappe’s continued in the sporting world opening a sporting goods store in Quincy after their playing days ended. The Tappe family has been instrumental in sporting events in the Quincy area for years. If it had to do with sports and recreation, the Tappe’s were involved in some way, shape or form.

I can think of no one more deserving than Elvin Tappe to have a street outside Quincy’s historic ballpark named in his honor. Elvin Tappe Lane… It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?