Also, his cats can finally breathe easy.

Primarily a lurker, but John was always one of my favorite people to read, whether it was a simple comment on a blog (which usually got me smirking at least) or any of his interesting articles on Hardball Times. I never met John, didn't know anything of him outside of his posts.

My condolences to his friends and family; thank you for sharing John with us.

Best regards,
mike

He is giving nothing to Neyer, up in Portland, since he did not believe in Oregon donation.

Now that is a groan-worthy pun worthy of John Brattain.

HE WILL NOT BE MISSED. :^(

Hey Odie


Your HBT prediction for the Jays to have a winning season in 2009 killed me too!



Overall, you were one of the most decent guys in the internet baseball community, a community which takes up so much time for so many. From your time back on fastball, you were one of major forces in making what became such a large community. Everyone is richer for having known you. (Well, Wendy not so much.)



jonas

Was definitely not expecting this at all when I saw the title. Serious downer.

God, this is the most boring steroids thread ever.

Best Regards

James

BECAUSE MY FRIEND JOHN WOULD HAVE WANTED IT THIS WAY:


I'M SORRY, BUT WHAT HAS JOHN'S DEATH HAS TO DO WITH FRANK TANANA???




TOLAXOR IS GOING TO MISS YOU VERY MUCH, JOHN!!! VERY MUCH...

it's a (very sad) trap!

BDD article

I found out about this this afternoon when I went on Facebook because I thought that tmuchell sounded familiar. Joe mentioned John's passing in his status and I was stunned.

remember when left was right and up was down
and the north star
was in the southern
hemisphere

Best Regards John

(and whataboutthat post a couple years ago on our origins,the universe and all that stuff/ wow )

This is horrible news. My best to family and friends.

As I'm sitting here methodically emptying a half-box of Kleenex into a waste-basket, all I can think is how BTF is a poorer place tonight.

Best regards (which you always had anyway),

Gary

John B arrives in heaven.
He laments never having tried golf while on earth.
Jesus grants him a golf date immediately with the Messiah at Pebble Beach.
They come to a par 3, water all the way to the green.
Jesus, having won the previous hole, is up first. He pulls out a 5 iron.
John: I don't think you can reach it with a 5.
JC: I saw Tiger Woods play this one on T.V. He used a 5.
Jesus hits one long and high, but... SPLASH. It's short.
Not wishing to lose his ball, he parts the lake, retrieves it, and lines up another tee shot.
Again he chooses the 5.
John: Lord, you can't reach it with a 5 iron!
JC: I'm telling you, Tiger nails this with a 5.
John shrugs.
Jesus muscles up, swings.... SPLASH. Again, short.
Jesus still doesn't want to lose the ball, so he walks on the water to go get it.
A guy on the next fairway is going nuts.
He comes running over to John and screams "who does that guy think he is, Jesus Christ"?
John: No, he THINKS he's Tiger Woods!

This is so sad. My condolences to his family.

I always found his posts worth reading, and found conversing with him to be extremely pleasurable, he was so gentlemanly and funny.

Incidentally, John no doubt would have preferred if this had been the picture THT had used in his obit.

Reading the headline, I thought it was some MSM made up hyperbole. Damn, reality sucks.

So weird, you really don't get to know anyone on the internet, in forums, etc., but then, you know enough.

Best regards. And condolences to the family.

Jeez...I had no idea Steve Grant had passed.

We went out for dinner last year and talked baseball and his love of professional bridge or something.

A truly fine gent.

...........

Years ago...one of John's first e-mails to me stated that "when I grow up I want to be like you"

I am ####### beyond crushed over this.

I am ####### beyond crushed over this.

DITTO.

This is just terrible news.

RIP John, my immediate thoughts goes out to his family, if he was half as good as being a father as he was a writer his kids are in for a hard time.

He was easily in my top 5 favourite posters, I used to get a kick when he replied to a post of mine and was stoked when we became friends on facebook. Such a well mannered and funny guy.

I can't get over how upset I am.

I am ####### beyond crushed over this

Amen, brother. Amen.

Only knew John from email exchanges and reading his work.
He was a man with a baseball-shaped heart.
My deepest sympathies to his wife and family.
R,I.P, John

Best Regards

Bob Elliott

I just saw this and spent some time reading a couple hundred posts. Others have said anything that I could say and say it more eloquently. I just wish his family all the best and will miss John's writing. My wife and I often categorize famous people on whether we'd want to have a drink with them -- John, we would have loved to have a drink with you.

on the small chance that things to terribly awry I have made my wishes known that I want the surgeon to approach things “Mythbusters” style and do whatever it takes to blow me up. I’ve taken in a lot of nitro and don’t want it to go to waste.

That just captures the essence of John.

The tears finally came. Not for John, nor even his family, who undoubtedly have so much of him in themselves that they'll never be at a loss for wonderful memories, but for all of us who so easily forget that our time is short and that every day we have is a good day to be alive. John obviously knew that truth.

Ultimately, death is our friend, reminding us of the preciousness of our lives and of the lives we come into contact with. I've lost a number of people close to me over the past two years, most recently a 55-year-old co-worker who was fine on Sunday and gone by Tuesday. Everyone that I have lost is still with me in spirit, reminding me to let the little things go, to treat others with kindness and compassion, to give my best every day, since I can't save it up and take it with me when I go.

Most importantly, find a reason to laugh every day, esp. at yourself.

Thanks, John. Please give us a nudge when we get to taking ourselves too seriously.

This is very sad news.


RIP, fellow Canucklehead.

"There can never be too many Expos fans"

Sadly, today there's one fewer.

I wish I was any good at making terrible jokes in the spirit of the master. I'll miss you John.

i never met john in real life

but he is one of the best friends i ever had. he encouraged me to write, helped me learn, helped polish my writing, talked to me about all kinds of stuff, wasn't never unkind or judgemental, was one of the best people i have ever known

he has said ( in one of his old blogs) that he had a serious accident in 1991, almost died, and has counted every minute he had after that as icing on the cake, and that he has at least got to see his daughters grow up and for that he is grateful. (oh yeah, and he also got to see the jays win 2 WS, but i digress)

he would very much want us to be telling jokes in his memory, not crying like i am doing. and really i shouldn't be crying because if there is one person who should be getting a welcome parade into heaven, it's him

so john,
here's to you boy, to the friendship, encouragement, advice and laughter you brought to my life for the 6 too short years i knew you - oh yeah, and our shared luuuvvvv of dogsssss

a joke 4 u...

This local business was looking for office help. They put a sign in the window, stating the following: "HELP WANTED. Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer."

A short time afterwards, a dog trotted up to the window, saw the sign and went inside. He looked at the receptionist and wagged his tail, then walked over to the sign, looked at it and whined.

Getting the idea, the receptionist got the office manager. The office manager looked at the dog and was surprised, to say the least. However, the dog looked determined, so he lead him into the office. Inside, the dog jumped up on the chair and stared at the manager. The manager said "I can't hire you. The sign says you have to be able to type."

so the dog jumped down, went to the typewriter and proceeded to type out a perfect letter. He took out the page and trotted over to the manager and gave it to him, then jumped back on the chair.

The manager was stunned, but then he told the dog "the sign says you have to
be good with a computer."

So the dog jumped down again and went to the computer. The dog proceeded to enter and execute a perfect program, that worked flawlessly the first time. By this time the manager was totally dumbfounded!

He looked at the dog and said "I realize that you are a very intelligent dog and have some interesting abilities. However, I still can't give you the job." The dog jumped down and went to a copy of the sign and put his paw on the sentences that told about being an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The manager said "well, um, yeah, but the sign also says that you have to be
bilingual".

The dog looked at the manager calmly and said "Meow".

Farewell John. And my prayers to your family in this difficult time.

That being stated........

Dear God:

You're an idiot.

This comment puzzles you? Well, it's something of a running self-effacing joke this community uses at various times to make a point. And in the past I wouldn't have felt compelled to explain such things to you taking into consideration the "all knowing" aspect of your being. But given your actions of late I am becoming concerned that you are a bit removed from the situation. Or accidentally struck yourself dumb.

I really hate to spoil the advent of the Northern Hemisphere advent of Spring, what with your alleged focus on things springing eternal and all, but have you been paying attention to this creation known as mankind? Just in case you were hanging out kibitzing with the Silver Surfer I want to take a moment and bring you back up to speed on the challenges faced by the locals. Not to be nuisance or anything but thanks to a combination of some serious sins (some might say "deadly") by a select few, a massive dose of the stupids and bad luck (which is really you isn't it?) the overall economic order is hovering somewhere between "Oh Sh*t" and "Bartertown, USA". Normally reliable nation-states like Mexico are teetering toward anarchy. Meanwhile, things continue to heat up, literally, as a somewhat poorer world thinks of ways to cope with having set the global thermal processor to "sauna". Toss in the age-old issue of folks who think differently working really hard to kill one another in ever grander fashion along with new-fangled nonsense like "Twitter" which is just really annoying. Talk about salt in the proverbial wounds.

Given the general kerfuffle what comes in handy is a calming influence. A steady hand. A sense of humor. A voice that resonates above the noise. An anchor point amidst the chaos.

What this world needs is more folks like John.

And you took him.

Now forgive me for saying so, but what kind of plan is THAT?

How, precisely, does removing a gentle soul from a world in desperate need for gentle souls push things forward?

Look, maybe after the whole seven days and then two by two your cosmic calculator took a powder but to freshen up the old math skills SUBTRACTING someone like John doesn't ADD to the betterment of the masses. John exiting stage left is a bad thing. For a whole lot of people.

Selfish? We are being selfish? Because we LIKED having someone who actually worked to make the world a more pleasant place? John took the politician's creed that all politics are local and turned it into all real change is local. By one interaction at a time, one article at a time, one post at a time John worked to improve things within his sphere of influence. You had a voice. You had it. In this world with 8,993 channels filled with bullsh*t and nonsense you had one that folks actually looked to find, to SET ASIDE THE TIME TO LISTEN, and you took it away. Cancelled. And when the following was still growing.

And now he's gone.

Great job. Just swell. First you stick us with Jennifer Love Hewitt as Audrey and now this. Way to go brainiac. Now I get how the platypus happened.

I am likely overstepping my bounds but given I have used my three score and ten I am past giving a tinker's d*mn. There is wrong and then there is WRONG. And this, Mr. O Suddenly Galatically Stupid One, is W-R-O-N-G.

Feel free to ignore me. That has been your modus operandi for some time now considering that a heartless, mean-spirited b*stard like myself still walks upright like caring, kind spirits like John are separated from loved ones.

But when you finally wake up from what obviously has to be some serious eons long bender and you walking around in "The Staff of Life" boxer shorts wondering how things are going "down there" don't be surprised if the viewscreen isn't showing what you had hoped.

Not when you keep taking the good ones.

Sincerely,

Harvey

Amen, Harvey. A-#######-men.

I'm sorry as all hell to hear about John's death. I don't post here with great frequency, but I've been a hard-core lurker for (can it really be?) almost ten years, and when I think about BTF, I hear John Brattain's voice coming through the hubbub the most clearly. Someone above mentioned how hard it can be for someone's personality to come through the internet, and I have to agree that he was one of the rare people who'd accomplished the feat. Relentlessly jocular, he was always boosting those around him, and he seemed like a fantastic person to know. I'm going to miss him even though I never met him.

What else can you say? Best Regards, John and the same to your family and friends.

I really want this to be some Andy Kaufman like thing where John shows up in a week with the last laugh. Alas, I'm afraid I'll just have to be comforted by the fact that I'll never have to go to Campbelford again. RIP my friend.

This thread is a tremendous testament to the man and all the lives he touched.

Indeed, there's not a person in this thread that John did not touch. I must say, just last week he touched me for 40 bucks.

Rest in peace John.

Best regards,

DB

I learned today just how much I loved a guy I never met in the flesh (John) and relearned just how much I respect, admire and crave to have a drink or three with: Harvey.


Why does it take death to learn such things?

Perhaps, Harvey, John was needed in heaven. We may not understand his plan now. But maybe (I like to believe) he is doing many good things as a member of a much better place than this. Perhaps John was just too good a person to be subjected to the world as it is today.
I dunno. I'm just a simple person who likes to think the best in times like these.
But, no matter what the case, I'm sure he will be watching out for those he loves.

I certainly can't say anything that hasn't been said already. I cry relatively frequently, but still, I cried.

Best regards,

Vaux

Indeed, there's not a person in this thread that John did not touch.

Thankfully, there are no children in this thread. Or they would have been taken away.

Just like how John has been taken away from us. See ya

Best Regards

Ultimately, death is our friend, reminding us of the preciousness of our lives and of the lives we come into contact with.

Are you saying you want to die? Let's just say that, if so...I know a guy.

Wow. TFB hit it on the head - John's posts had a singular wit, charm, and voice that shone through whenever he posted. Thankfully for all of us, he posted frequently, and those of us who never had the opportunity to meet him in person had a chance to do so through his contributions here and at THT. He will be sorely missed.

Best regards,

Tom

As I'm sitting here methodically emptying a half-box of Kleenex into a waste-basket, all I can think is how BTF is a poorer place tonight.

It's worse than that: we're all going to be that much more productive at work.

Indeed, there's not a person in this thread that John did not touch. I must say, just last week he touched me for 40 bucks.

Goddamnit I'm sobbing now, because that was a joke he would have made. And he can't see it.

This is awful. I suppose John would get a chuckle out of the fact that I assumed the headline was some sort of early April fools joke at first.

Goodnight, funnyman. RIP.

Well, the tears threatened to come, and I was able to hold them off, until I read your post, Harveys.

Thank you. John will be terribly missed.

Best Regards,

Alex

Cutter:

I am working diligently to maintain my reserve since lashing out at this time is completely inappropriate.

But I most vehemently disagree.

THIS is the better place. Period.

Sincerely and with BEST REGARDS,

Harvey

Well, at least this settles the bet between John and me. God is a Catholic!

I join those saddened by this news and extending their good thoughts and prayers to his family. May they be confident that our expressions of concern for them and our fondness for John serve as evidence of his uncommon goodness.

RIP

Goddamnit I'm sobbing now, because that was a joke he would have made. And he can't see it.

And he would be the first to tell you, don't be so sure.

He and I are/were 180 degrees apart on matters metaphysical. I disagreed completely, but I admired him for the courage of his convictions.

And if I got to choose, let him be the one who was right.

I certainly can't say anything that hasn't been said already. I cry relatively frequently, but still, I cried.

I virtually never cry. I did today.

And if I got to choose, let him be the one who was right.

You do get to choose, Srul.

And he would be the first to tell you, don't be so sure.

He'd be the first to make a joke about not being able to see it because he blocked me months ago.

You do get to choose, Srul.

Let's not turn this thread into a religion/atheism debate.

Let's not turn this thread into a religion/atheism debate.

Yeah, John wouldn't want that.

He would if it was funny.

Thank you so much for that, both baseballchick and Harvey.

And please thank as well whomever somehow allowed us all to get both of your insights into the same online community at the same time.

Serendipity.

and in honor of john, time for a religion joke

A Presbyterian, a Methodist and a Baptist and their wives are enjoying a nice cruise when a tidal wave suddenly appears, sinks the ship and they all drown.

When they wake up they're standing before St. Peter.

He looks at the Presbyterian and shakes his head sadly. "I can't let you in. You loved money too much. You loved it so much, you even married a woman named Penny. There's the Down escaltor"

Next, he turns to the Methodist. "I'm sorry, I can't let you in either. You loved food too much. You loved it so much, you even married a woman named Candy. There's the Down escalator"

The Baptist turns to his wife and whispers nervously, "It doesn't look good, Fanny."

Best Regards John, and may the Lord hold and comfort his family.

In my guise as a writing program director, I contacted John (in '07) hoping that he was working on a book, so that I'd have the privilege to host an event for him in NYC. He kind of laughed it off saying he didn't think he had a full-length book in him. I really, really loved his writing, as writing, no matter what the specific topic was at hand.

Now we'll never know. Damn, damn, damn...

Best Regards,

Glenn

I'll bet John knows how EVERYTHING affects Frank Tanana now.

Best regards,

Robert Denby

very, very long time lurker and very infrequent poster also passes along my regrets....

Best regards,

Joe

You do get to choose, Srul.

Sayeth the Spanish Inquisition.

I bet, if he wanted to, John could affect Frank Tanana right now. Of course, Tanana would be terrified, but...

I saw this at work, and have been thinking about it all day. I'm surprised how affected I could be by the death of a man I never met in the flesh, and though I probably posted more in the pre-reg days, let me say how sick I am of folks like John Brattain and Albert Belle taking off before their careers should have ended.
Best regards,
A

And Mike Crudale.

in the spirit of ecumenicalism -- woody allen.

I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens.

The important thing, I think, is not to be bitter... if it turns about that there is a God, I don't think that he is evil. I think that the worst thing you could say is that he is, basically, an under-achiever.

There's an old joke... two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of 'em says, "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know; and such small portions." Well, that's essentially how I feel about life — full of loneliness, and misery, and suffering, and unhappiness — and it's all over much too quickly.


best regards,

david

Brattain actually talked about this once: he said we should all make a joke in his honor if he died and there was a thread here.

That sounds right. With sadness:

His stats may have been good, but he just didn't show the heart.

Best regards John.

"When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole"

I know John left, which one of us is the awful hole?

I'm a sporadic poster, but I hate to confess, I would occasionally bust John's balls over posts that I thought weren't particularly funny. And, astonishingly, he would continually respond with grace and a lightness of touch that I can't manage in the best of circumstances, let alone in the modest binds my snark would put him in (some stranger like myself floating in to take potshots at his goodhearted, sweetly humorous postings). It is sad, even from this distance, to see the loss of a clearly singular personality. It is also in a strange way life-affirming to also witness how John could, through language alone, touch the lives of such a disparate range of folks, and be the catalyst of the warmth and generosity this thread demonstrates. The human species is momentarily endearing, right now. And to risk stating the awkwardly personal, it is humbling to see the passing away of someone whose passing generates (immediate family and dear friends aside) much more raw emotion and grief than you know your own death will generate. It is actually inspiring to see how the sweetness of one individual can by manifold increase the capacity for warmth in so many others.

Best regards.

A guy is really down on his luck and desperate for cash. He hears from a couple of bums on the street that one of the local slumlords is looking for help and after getting directions tracks the guy down at one of his buildings.

The slumlord looks at the poor schmuck and asks him, "Are you really desperate for some cash?"

The guy nods and admits that yes, he would do just about anything for a few bucks.

The slumlord grins slightly and tells the guy, "Look, I have two problems. My mother and my mother's sh*tty dog. I hate that d*mn dog. He barks all the time. He sh*ts all over the apartment house. He's bitten several people. He's a nuisance. I want him dead."

Ok, says the poor guy, but what about the mother?

Here the slumlord REALLY grins and explains, "My mother is mean as h*ll because she hasn't been with a guy in decades since my old man died. I am sure if she got laid the dog being gone would be all but ignored. So that's the deal. Kill the dog and f*ck my mother. Do that and I will give you $500."

The guy thinks about it and after a lengthy pause responds, "I'll do it. But dog first."

The slumlord lets him into the apartment house and tells him the dog is down in the basement. The poor guy goes down the stairs and eventually the slumlord hears all kinds of barking, shouting and general clamor. Finally, nothing.

The poor guy comes back up the stairs covered in bite and scratch marks. He gets to the top of stairs and asks the slumlord, "Ok, where is the old lady I have to kill?"

The world is dimmer today. Much dimmer.

Can't Matt Wieters bring John back?

Best regards.

I find myself hoping this is just a set up for the lamest April Fool's joke ever.

And to risk stating the awkwardly personal, it is humbling to see the passing away of someone whose passing generates (immediate family and dear friends aside) much more raw emotion and grief than you know your own death will generate.

The solution - write into your will that people who express raw emotion and grief at your death receive some amount of money.

Also, what possessed Albert Belle to do something this terrible to John?

Best regards John.

This is very sad, indeed. The things I want to say have been said many times here but I would like to add another vote. John was a good guy who classed up the internets and helped me pass some time talking about baseball. It sounds like a small thing but it isn't so small to me and I don't think it was to him either. He will be missed.

Three factory workers had just gotten off shift and headed over to Comiskey. It was a rough shift and they were looking forward to really letting off a bit--throwing back a few and telling some off color stories.

They were just settling in when a group of nuns filed in and sat in the row behind them. As their behavior continued, they could feel dirty looks coming from the sisters.

Getting more and more frustrated, one of the men turned to the others and in a loud voice said, "I'm going to move to Montana, there's only a few hundred Catholics there!"

One of the friends joined in, "I'm going to move to Utah, there's only a dozen or so Catholics there!"

Before the third guy could chip in, one of the nuns said in a booming voice, "Why don't you go to hell, there's no Catholics there!?

A man who built great things--especially the relationships he built through sharing himself with others. A great human being. Big shoes to fill.

Hey, people, 124 more posts. We have to hit 500 for John, and frankly, most of the posts we have are, while heartfelt, not very funny.

I can't promise this will be funny, but it'll get us one closer to 500.

So, did you hear about the great Indian tea-drinking champion? He drank 76 cups of tea in one sitting.

Then what happened?

He drowned in his tee-pee.

Best Regards,

Tom

Wow, I can't believe this. He's always been one of the most recognizable people on this site and always a personal favorite of mine (and pretty much everyone else here it seems).

Best regards, John. Condolances to his family.

I'd respond to 365, but I'm too busy laughing at Harvey's post.

And Lisa's joke.

Keep 'em coming.

not very funny.

You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a little messed up maybe, but I'm not funny how, I mean not funny like I'm not a clown, I don't amuse you? I don't make you laugh, I'm here to not amuse you? What do you mean not funny, not funny how? How am I not funny?

I didn't know him, but he was the best thing about this site, and, by extension, one of the best things about baseball.

I'm gonna miss him.

The jokes posted in this thread show how much John will be missed.

Nobody here is funny.

;-)

Sad news. Thanks for sharing your stories everyone. He will be missed. A lot.

Best Regards,

Jim

John wasn't supposed to go to Heaven, but his soul got past a diving Peter.

Best Regards

James

I now recall that I was the one who got John to join The Hardball Times. So I accomplished one worthwhile thing with my life.

Billy Beane never should've performed that operation.

John wasn't supposed to go to Heaven, but his soul got past a diving Peter.

Unless Chris Truby got him.

Best regards John

Harvey,
I think some posters here seek a joke-heavy thread in John's honor, which is appropriate to his tastes.

Not sure they mind the profound stuff, though...

Why didn't Superman save JFK, Jr?

Because he was paralyzed, you thoughtless bastard.

I really don't have much crass humour in me after this, but onward to 500:

Ha ha! You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: never go in for heart surgery when the season is just about to start!! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Ha ha ha!

I now recall that I was the one who got John to join The Hardball Times. So I accomplished one worthwhile thing with my life.

And then you stopped writing for THT. That's two worthwhile things (rimshot).

So, when did the Cubs say he'll be able to write again?

I haven't been this affected by the news of someone's death in a long, long time. John was a model, an exemplar, a hero. I mean it.

I guess now we know...if God called, John would listen.

This is the part of the thread where I kill it.

Best regards,

Doug

Rest in peace, John. You will be missed.

#### the grim reaper, john for angle of death

Harvey,
I think some posters here seek a joke-heavy thread in John's honor, which is appropriate to his tastes.

Not sure they mind the profound stuff, though...

No worries, Harvey's just channelling Tommy DeVito.

Link

#### the grim reaper, john for angle of death

I haven't read this whole thread, so hopefully I'm not duplicating a joke. If I am, I owe more than a coke, and I want to meet my new best friend.

--

A Texan is in Boston on business. After work, he decides to get some dinner. Being that it's his first time in the northeast, he decides that he wants some of the local seafood about which he'd heard so much.

He hails a cab and steps inside. "Where'll it be?" asks the cabbie.

"Take me to where I can get scrod," replies the Texan.

The cabbie stops and turns around. Looking the Texan square in the eyes, he says, "I've heard that request a hundred times, but I've never before heard it in the passive pluperfect."

--

So long, John.

I'm not particularly funny. I'm not particularly insightful. However, the one thing I think I have in common with John is that I really believe in what I write. I’ll never have the razor sharp wit, but maybe I’ll be able to change a small fraction of the minds he was able to change.

I still can't believe...a couple of months ago, a "sports ethicist" posted a column on THT with the basis of "Barry Bonds wasn't blackballed; Professional Baseball is too ethical to to allow such a person in". His argument was completely empty; he was shown time and again where he made factual errors. Still, he never backed down. John (who wrote an initial rebuttal column, then posted a few replies when the original author posted his even more hackneyed reply column) was always gentle and humorous with the guy; he showed a restraint that no one who knew the subject matter should have.

As we trudge our way towards our 500 post goal (which will be reached somehow or other), we should remember that. More than the jokes (which were funniest when we were our most juvenile), John never attacked. Instead of (like most people on every internet board) making others feel smaller than him, he tried to show them how to be bigger.

If there is to be a legacy around here to John Brattain, it should be a conscious effort towards civil discourse. With jokes.

I just want everyone to know that if *I* happen to die an untimely death, I'm signing up for a job as a Reaper and oming back for all the BBTF Mets fans.

Dial, Sam M., Russlan, et al...consider yourself warned.

Best regards, John. Your humor caused my computer screen to be splattered with numerous spit-takes from reading your posts. You will be missed.