Birthdate:
Where
born:
Height: 5-11
Weight: 195
Eyes: Dark Brown
Hair: Dark Brown
Family:
Wife’s Name: Barbara Reynolds.
Years Married: 18.
Where you met: At work -- Barb was the receptionist; I was an advertising salesman. We’re both accomplished bowlers, and soon after starting work there, our boss asked us both to join his girlfriend to form a bowling team.
Kid’s Name(s) and ages: Zachary (16), Austin (14).
What are
they doing: Zach is a sophomore in high school, an A-student who plays
on the tennis team ….
Pets: None. (By wife’s demand; she’s basically a clean freak.)
What
types of vacations do you take: Barb and I
take an annual 17-day “second honeymoon” to
Career:
College
and Major:
Employer: Advance Newspapers, Inc.
Type of
Work: Sports Editor.
Delcal:
Origin of our team name: The nickname “36ers” provides me with a reminder to always maintain the maximum roster size, resisting the temptation to make a 2-for-1 trade (much more common back then), or trade-up via Roster Option.
Number of Years: Charter member in 1979 …. I joined the league after graduating from high school, largely as a diversion after being dumped by my girlfriend.
Remarkable Moment(s): Playing-buddy Roger Spriggs and I getting hot with the Delcal dice every time we’d put in one particular rock-and-roll mix tape (circa 1983-86) …. Bidding for the only no-hitter in my SOM history, spot-starter Sterling Hitchcock nearly tosses the no-no despite issuing 7 walks (circa 1996). (And me almost hoping he doesn’t get such a tainted no-hitter for my only one. But I’m still waiting.) …. Playing several Delcal games with the dice in the early-evening in my Vegas hotel room, then blitzing the crap table late at night, breaking a dry spell as though practice-makes-perfect with dice (circa 2000) …. Scoring a 10-run inning immediately after replacing the computer dice with my lucky dice (2004).
Early
memories: Awaking with a Saturday-morning
hangover by a series of phone calls inquiring about a trade -- including calls
from the late Dana Perlstein and Bill Jaquith – even before I opened my mail containing results
of the inaugural Delcal Draft …. Getting another call from Bill Jaquith a few weeks later, asking me to take over as
commissioner, when it became evident we had a strong core group of managers,
but a weak commish encumbered with his college
workload …. Trying to find a
secluded spot to play the Delcal games in a busy, co-ed college dorm.
Even my sports-minded roommates thought the hobby was a bit weird (remember,
this was long before the “fantasy sports” boom), so you can imagine what the
college girls thought of the hobby …. After suffering a knee injury playing
softball and having my mother play most of my Delcal home games with me one
summer …. Conducting those first few free-agent drafts in the
university library, with everyone’s draft lists spread over the table.
Things you like about it: Elite-caliber
competition …. Well-crafted Rulebook that is adhered to …. Lifetime retention
…. A competent commissioner who cares.
Needs improvement: One of my favorite facets of Delcal was being able to pick up free-agents, and “sign” them if they panned out. Voting that out last year depleted from my enjoyment …. In my 24-team NL/AL league, we don’t have to worry that a star player might jump to the National League. (Plus there are twice as many teams, making trading much easier.)
Typical DelCal playing setting: Middle of the night in my home-office, with kids and wife asleep, after I have worked late. (I work mainly from my home-office.) Typically, I play an entire series in one late-night session.
Strat-O and Baseball:
Your favorite single Strat-O Card: 1981 Otto Velez. Craig Ticalo of the Sudbury Scorpions released him and I picked up Velez with my last pick in the Delcal Draft (before the cards were released). Despite his pedestrian statistics, to my astonishment, Strat-o issued Velez a remarkable card vs. LHP, and he ended up hitting 27 HRs in just 218 ABs.
How long have you played Strat-O: At age 8 or 9, after reading an SOM brochure, my brother Dan and I created our own cards on an old Royal typewriter, for our “fantasy teams” (players whom we also emulated during our daily whiffleball games).
Do play
other Strat-O-Sports: Austin
and I joined an SOM basketball league together a couple years
ago, but now prefer PlayStation2 basketball over the Internet …. I ran a
face-to-face football league among friends several years ago …. We all play in
a family-oriented Fantasy League (basketball and football), which includes my
mother and father, brother, 2 sons, 3 nephews, and a few friends.
What is
your favorite MLB team: Detroit Tigers, NY Yankees.
Who is your favorite baseball player: Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, David Cone.
Who is the best player ever: Barry Bonds.
Best team: The early-1970s Baltimore Orioles is likely the most underrated great team.
Hobbies:
What other strat-o
or fantasy Leagues do you play: WTBL, a 24-team AL/NL Strat-o baseball league …. Family-oriented Fantasy
Basketball & Football League …. Media Baseball & Basketball League, a
fantasy league involving sportswriters and editors from the
What sports do you play: Basketball, Tennis, Bowling, Softball, Golf, Rollerblading.
What other hobbies and interests:
Play the Drums (Classic and/or Alternative Rock); Computers;
Favorite Movie: Memento; Pulp Fiction; Sixth Sense.
Most recent book read: Your Best Life Now (Joel Osteen); My Life (Bill Clinton).