Despite the geographical disparity of the group, we have through the years managed to create a bond throughout our league. Sharing experiences whether joyous or tragic. We have prayed for each other, encouraged each other and celebrated with each other through the opportunities afforded us through the online world. When one of us suffers the whole league is affected in a very real and heart felt way.
We have had to say an untimely goodbye to some of our members in the most disheartening way over the years. Or as we like to say it, some of our members have been "Called up to the Big Leagues" never to grace Hardball Heaven again. Each one represented themselves as great competitors, great online friends and just all around great people and are always missed.
We would like to remember them here.
Rick joined our league in 2005 and quickly established himself as a knowledgeable and competitive manager.
Rick solidified his legacy in the league by winning League Champion in 2007.
As you can see in this picture he had a beautiful family. He was active in his church and went on medical missionary trips while he was in our league. Despite his busy schedule and family life he always made time for his passion of fantasy sports, especially Hardball Heaven.
His commitment to the league was unwavering. This could not be more evident than when in 2009 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Occasionally he would need to call on a fellow league member to manage his team for a few days while he was receiving treatments but he always seemed eager to return as soon as possible. His faith and positive approach to his circumstances served as an inspiration to us all. After that 2009 season we were not sure that Rick would have the desire to return the next season.
In 2010 Rick did in fact return with renewed vigor. While still fighting his battle with cancer, he continued to be a extremely competitive manager. I truly believe that Hardball Heaven served as a welcomed distraction to his circumstances. As the season progressed Rick's condition did not. Despite his struggles he remained faith-filled and positive. No one would have blamed Rick for abandoning his team and focusing all his energy on himself, but he did not. He continued to manage his team even though there were more and more times he would have to take a few days off for treatments.
Rick's team did not do as well as normal that year but he was still able to pull it together and win the consolation bracket and earn a 7th place finish.
Before the end of the year we learned of Rick's passing. He got his call up to the Big Leagues. He had fought the good fight. He had played the cards that were dealt to him and remained faithful to the end. No doubt he was a winner in the end as he got to meet his Heavenly Father.
The inspiration Rick gave all of us was undeniable. In honor of his contribution and commitment to the league we decided to create the Rick Hill Award. The award is given each year to the winner of the consolation bracket, a team that has taken the cards they were dealt, fought the good fight and finished a winner. Just like Rick did in his last year of Hardball Heaven.
Kerm Yerman (2003 - 2014)
Kerm was one of the charter members of the league. A devout Syracuse fan, only the Orangemen could stir more emotion than Hardball Heaven. He enthusiastically helped in anyway he could to help assemble and organize the league from the beginning. He was always contributing in other ways throughout the years writing colorful posts that were a key part of the activities that set our league apart from others.
Kerm was the consummate competitor even though he was never able to win a league championship. He was always studying players and reading articles and proposing trades in his search for that "1 key move" to push his team over the top. This picture of him sitting at his computer with a zillion shortcuts on his desktop, scratching his chin with a look of "AHA ... I think I have found it" is just how I perceived him to be.
Despite being the "Elder Gentleman" of the league he always approached each season with a childlike enthusiasm. He liked to make posts to the message board with recaps or predictions of the weeks games. He was the "King of Roster Moves" as he was eternally "tweaking" his team in search of that "1 key move" to league dominance.
In the latter years his message board activity waned but he was constantly working his roster and being as competitive as he could. His general health began to deteriorate the last couple of seasons with heart issues and maybe even some diabetes related issues. The last game of the 2014 regular season Kerm did not seem to be working his lineups, missed minimum innings and as a result the Halfway Hardballers won big enough to put them in the championship bracket playoffs, a totally unexpected result. Efforts to contact Kerm about his lineup throughout the week went unanswered and in the ensuing days the reason why became evident. Kerm had been called up to the Big Leagues.
Anyone who had the pleasure of playing with Kerm would affirm that he could never be replaced in the league. To this day he remains the most colorful and unique manager the league has ever had.
Mike was one of the charter members of the league. An Atlanta Braves fan and Yankee hater. He often vowed to never have a Yankee on any of his teams though he may have fudged on that a time or two.
Mike was my neighbor and close friend of the family and as such I knew him extremely well. He was a good Christian man and active member of the Masonic Lodge. He always presented himself as a servant and did much to help me and my family, especially my Mother.
Mike truly looked forward to Hardball Heaven each season though from time to time he would feign leaving the league just for the shock value I believe. This picture of Mike was from a partial league meet up in St Louis and he absolutely cherished that trip and spoke of it often. The stoic look on Mike's face in this picture epitomizes his approach to almost everything. Don't look too happy, don't look too sad. Make em wonder how you feel.
Mike was relatively quiet in the league opting not to make a lot of posts or get into a lot of back and forth that occasionally rose up in the league. Seeing him almost everyday, I can assure you he had an opinion on every discussion that came up but in true Mike fashion he would just go with the flow and accept whatever happened. Despite his relative quietness he was very instrumental in shaping the league into what it is today. Who can ever for get this contribution that he made unselfishly and wanting absolutely no attention for doing it.
Mike could accurately be referred to as the Rodney Dangerfield of the league. Season after season the makeup of his team would get called into question when people would make projections on how teams would finish. In spite of the naysayers predictions he always represented himself well and finished in the championship playoff bracket 9 of the 15 complete seasons he played including 2 3rd place finishes and was runner up to the league champion 3 times.
In April of 2018 Mike was unexpectedly called up to the Big Leagues. The void he left both in the league and in real life may never be adequately filled. Mike was just as unconventional in his personal life as he was in Hardball Heaven.
Mike was never meant to be understood, just appreciated, for the wonderful individual he was,
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