Managers

Jim Phelps - Seattle Pilots

THE ANATOMY OF A MIKE LEFKOW
(CONCORD GRAPE)
PRE-SEASON G.U.S.S.O.M.O.  DRAFT

Mike Lefkow - Concord Grape

Residence:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

None

1 dog, 1 cat

Assistant sports editor, Contra Costa Times/Oakland Tribune/San Jose Mercury News before I stupidly agreed to become an Editor.  I spent many years as a Reporter, covering Stanford Football (4 years), Cal Football (1 year), S.F. Giants (6 years), Oakland A's (7 years) and the S.F. 49er's (1 year)..

Jeff Fleischman - Piney Creek Palookas

Family:

Married for 21 years to Robyn... who "let's me" play Strat-O-Matic
We have an 20 year old daughter, Sydney who graduated from Smokey Hill High School in Aurora, CO.  She is beginning her 3rd year (Junior) of College...  lives off Campus and is attending CSU (Colorado State University) in Fort Collins, CO majoring in Theatre Arts Performance and Business (recently performed as the "lead" part in the Spring Musical - Little Shop of Horrors, worked part-time (during her breaks from School at Godiva Chocolate, a Classroom Teaching Assistant and in the Kappa Delta Fraternity.  Her new job is as a Counselor for KDIA at Colorado State University Center for the Arts.    I also have two Sons (Joel - 37 years old), works in a Government Administration job in Sacramento, CA and Richard (33 years old).  Richard works as a Senior IT Project Manager for PayPal and lives in San Jose, CA.

Larry D. Steinberg - Chicago Mob

I have a more aggressive managerial style than the previous manager.  I expect my players to give 100% all the time or it's aquarium cleaning duties.  I welcome the challenge of managing and expect to be in the post season every year.  2014 was exciting but also disappointing.  The team worked hard to get into the world series but ran into an unexpected buzz saw in Busters' A.J. Griffin.  Earning manager of the year was nice, thank you.  And now, on to the GM.

GM Larry Steinberg -- Member since 1971

Birth Date 12/28/1953.  You can do the math    (62)
                                                                           Shhhhh...

Residence:  Algonquin, Illinois, about 45 miles NW of downtown Chicago.

Occupation:  Medical Laboratoy Technologist, specializing in Immunohematology (Blood Bank).  Have worked at Swedish Covenant Hospital for 26 years.  Birth place of Harrison Ford (Are you reading, Jason??).  

Favorite Teams:  Basically a Chicago fan.  White Sox are #1 with me. And Baseball.  I follow the Bulls, Black Hawks and Bears when they are doing well but generally am not as big a fan of the sport as Baseball.  I'll watch MLB post season, not so much the other sports.  Not a Cubs fan but was OK with them doing well in 2015 and will hope for the same in the future, but come Cub/Sox series, I'll root for the Sox every time.  No exception.

Favorite Players:  Can't say I have a favorite at this point in my life.  Can say the last one was Frank Thomas.  My favorite player as a child and first becoming baseball aware was Willie Mays.  I loved the way he crushed the Cubs every time the Giants came to town.  My favorite player of all time is Walter Payton.

Hobbies:  Sad to say Strat is the only real hobby I have.  Used to do lot's of other stuff.  Have been going to a lot of concerts of late in many genre's.  Just saw Carl Palmer of ELP.  Have seen Greg Lake solo.  Keith??  Also just saw Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, with Martin Short.  Next up, Black Sabbath on 1/22/16.  Only 3 TV shows I watch regularly.  Walking Dead (believe it or not), Dr. Who (Unbelievably creative and challenging) and Top Gear (Now off the air due to their star going off on a staffer last year.  May return on Netflix or some other on line entity).

Strat Backround:  Saw an add for Strat-O-Matic in a 1967 X-Men comic book.  I disobeyed my mother and sent away for it anyway.  Odd that it was an X-Men comic that I had, because I was exclusively a DC comics reader (Superman, Batman, etc.).  Fate.  Introduced it to my neighborhood friends and we wasted many hours playing.  Joined GUSSOMO in 1971, left in 1977 and rejoined in 1980.  I play baseball exclusively.  Dabbled with the other games but gave up on football in the late 70's.  Besides this league, I'm in the Charles O. Finley league, owning the Red Sox and after losing in the world series twice, my 1982 team finally won it all in 2014.  Also a recent member of Clay Grant's MATSA league with the Fox Valley Zephyrs.  Was going to call the team the Terrapins but Fred would have none of it.  I have been invited to other leagues but 3 is pushing it for me.  Can't see how so many guys are in so many leagues and still have a life.  

Other:  Married to Elaine Cheney 10/23/83 (again, you can do the math).  Two boys.  Evan you know, and Sam (many of you know).  Fairly active in our synagogue.  Recently retired from the board of directors as treasurer for 4 years.  Have learned how to read Torah and do so 2 or 3 times a year.  Currently have 4 cats as well as Fred Turtle.  Politically a lefty, to the point of being obnoxious about it at one point but toned it down (no more letters to the editor).  I bite my tongue now but living in tea party land makes it tough.  That's it for now.  Submitted 12/3/2015.

Donald Trump.   Seriously?????

             FRED TURTLE AND SOME MOB "HARDWARE"

              THE REAL "BOSS" BEHIND THE CHICAGO MOB!






        

Kevin Martin - Richmond Banshees

Bob Galvin- Northwest Ohio Franconians

Family Info:             

John Polumbo - Mississippi Big Orange

Strat Background: Began playing Strat as a young lad in mid-1980's with Old Timers sets. "Asst. Mgr" For Dad at age 12. Joined Gussomo in 1995 as league's 1st "2nd generation" manager.

Will Polumbo - Toronto Titans

I joined the League in 1998, in my Junior year of High School, and promptly got fleeced in first trade, dealing away slugger Ray Lankford for Troy Percival.

Since joining the League, I've gone to College (go Blue!), married my wife Adrienne, gone through several jobs - I'm now a marketing manger at Atlas Copco, and industrial power tool manufacturer - and had two future GUSSOMO managers with my wife.  Max is three and getting ready for pre-school, and Ian is our latest addition, four months old, and I think he's getting up to speed on my line-ups already.

In GUSSOMO, my team has had four World Series appearances, and we finally broke through and won one in 2010.
dssd

My All-Time Team:

C - Ramon Hernandez
1B - Justin Morneau
2B - Chase Utley
SS - Jimmy Rollins
3B - Aramis Ramirez
LF - Manny Ramirez
CF - Vernon Wells
RF - Shinn-Soo Choo
SP - Bartolo Colon
RP - Jonathan Pabelbon
 

Joe Hamrahi - Suffolk Swashbucklers

Began playing at the age of 12. Joined my first PBM league at 16 and have been playing ever since. Ran a few leagues over the years myself. 

I'm a long time Strat vet (35+ years and numerous leagues). I also ran my own baseball web site and was the president of Baseball Prospectus for 3 years (was there for 6 years 2008-2014). I was a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) and went to scout school with the Kansas City Royals. I was an associate scout for the Royals in 2008-2009 and am currently an associate scout for the St. Louis Cardinals. For 2 of the past 3 years I was a co-host of MLB Roundtrip with Perfect Game on SiriusXM radio on Sunday nights with Daron Sutton. I'm happy to join GUSSOMO this year for my first season (2018). I have large rebuilding project ahead of me, but I'm hoping my baseball experience will help me turn around the franchise in short order.

Family Info: Married for 22 years and have 3 kids - ages 20, 18, and 15

Don  Sprague  -  Wrigley Raiders

I enjoy baseball because of all the stats that are associated with the game.  I see about 50 Cub games a year (Home and Road).  I   am a season ticket holder with 4 seats about 20 rows behind home plate and love day games during Monday - Friday.  I have a dislike for the St. Louis Team and that other Chicago Team... but love their fans and the passion they show for their team!!

            Don Sprague (Alias "Captain Morgan" – ESPN Contest winner)

Don Sprague (Alias "Captain Morgan" – ESPN Contest winner)

Andy Rosenberg - Buster's Battalions

My first experience with Strat-O-Matic was in the mid-60's, and I recall having to choose between Willie Mays and his 52 dingers (virtually unheard of back then) and Sandy Koufax, who I think had a walk at 5-4 and 5-5 buried amongst the K's. Say Hey, guess who I took? A few years later, sleep-away college, and hippiedom beckoned, and the game got shelved. Years later, while visiting a friend at his brother's house(prior to going to the Vet to see the Phils lose to the Cubbies), I noticed the familiar red box sitting on his kitchen table. "Boy, I used to love that game", I blurted out, and my spirits rose when he replied, "We have a league, and an opening if you're interested". Now, I spend much too much time pouring over the morning boxscores, getting pissed off when the shutout my pitcher hurled was an 8-hitter with 4 walks. In "real life", I am 49 years old, quite fond of my dog, and have initiated my nephews (ages 17 & 14) into the game. When I am not taking my dog out,enjoying Bob Dylan or thinking about baseball, I sell Bakery equipment. I look forward to being a member of G.U.S.S.O.M.O., and hope to become an "Old-Timer" in the league. If you're ever in or around Philadelphia, please come by.

Chris Beddick - Latrobe Dawgs 

Residence: Latrobe, PA

Occupation: Agent for State Farm Insurance since 2001. Have been with SF for over 20 years in various other capacities.

Family Info: Married to Kristin since 2002. We have 2 sons, Will age 14 and Jack age 12

Favorite Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins, Pirates, Steelers

Favorite Players: All time: Mario Lemieux, Willie Stargell. Jack Lambert present day - Andrew McCutchen, Mike Trout, Sidney Crosby

Hobbies: Coaching Youth Baseball and Hockey. Pittsburgh Penguins season ticket holder. Playing Strat of course

Strat Background: Began playing in 1982 when I got strat baseball as Christmas present. Got back into after some time away in 2003. I  play baseball and hockey in online draft keeper leagues. I introduced my 12-year-old to strat cards and dice last season and he loves it. We play that often now. 

Jason Dube - Fenway Faithful

I was introduced to Strat-o-Matic by my Father,who I have been in numerous leagues with. It started in 1987 when my dad and I would replay the 86 season head to head. It took me 26 games to gain my first victory, and oh what a glorious victory it was. A ninth inning homerun by Johhnie Ray. It was a great moment until I was caught off guard by the biggest tirade I have ever seen an adult man have. I was shocked, what was a 12 year old boy to do, I had never heard so many "F words" come out of my Father's mouth. So I did what any 12 year old boy would do, I swore back at him telling him how much of a @$$hole he was being and that he was acting younger than me. That sadly to say was the last of our head to head games for several years. I was hooked though and immediatley started playing solitaire. Until I met a teammate on my highschool baseball team by the name of Jason Kip.(manager of the Sin City franchise) We have been in a number of different leagues together since, and have stayed best of friends til this day.

Last by not least the thing I dread most... WORK.  Just kidding.... I am a pit boss at a Las Vegas resort.  On an everyday basis, I get to watch peoples dreams go up in smoke, along with their saving and checking accounts.  It really is a great job, but it has its down sides, like seeing somebody come in and blow their mortgage payment on a Blackjack Table... then watching them act like the biggest (make that the second biggest) @$$hole I've seen since 1987.

Jason Kip - Kessel Run Smugglers
 

Jeff Wadkowski - Gotham City Batmen

Lars Nielsen - Greensboro Smoke

Dave Shuey - Stanford Robber Barons

A's, Colts (Andrew Luck), all Stanford, Rockies
 

Favorite Players:

Troy Tulowitzki, Huston Street, Buster Posey,Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Josh Gibson, Babe Ruth, Joe Rudi, 

Started as a 7 year old in 1973 with my friend Craig Zetterberg and been playing ever since. Been active in several Leagues since early 90's and plan to go out playing Strat and Drinking a Beer!

Mike Volberding - Kona Coast Coffee Growers

Original League Member of GUSSOMO, 1971.

 

Jamie Harner - Grand Rapids Micro Brewers

Evan Steinberg -
McHenry County Cybermen

Bob Morelli - Long Island Hounds

I have been with National Grid (formely Keyspan,Originally when I Started Lilco) the gas and electric company of Long Island for 21 years. I have been with the Collections Dept for the past 12 years

Married for 19 years

One Daughter - 10 years old, named Tess
.

Andrew Phelps - Washington Senators

30

Married - 4 years
Janelle and I welcomed our first child into our family this past August - Hunter Lell Phelps

Washington Nationals

Teams I hate - Boston Red Sox

Now entering my fourth season (2013) with a team that doesn't seems to improve. First cut my teeth under the tutelage of Seattle Pilots manager (and father), Jim Phelps. Optimistic that the move from North Carolina to Virginia will somehow improve the Catfish

.

Ray Ross - Airway Heights Spartans

I participate in several Leagues most notably the MMDA (www.mmdaonline.com) and co-run a Retro League that started with the '61 season and is currently in the '02 season.  I started playing Strat in High School with the '71 season and for the past 30 years I have been playing in current and Retro League. 

Ralph Polumbo - Albany Internationals

Was introduced to Strat-O-Matic in graduate school (1974) by former manager and good guy, Dave Hendricks. Still have the logs of old-timer replays with wife Alice who went above and beyond to satisfy my passion for the game. Have enjoyed growing old and older with many of the current managers. The newer and younger guys probably wouldn't believe that this aging bunch actually came together one year at a Detroit get together to beat a local softball team on its home turf!