Tribute to Marcus Wilby aka Luckyman - please join in

[gbrookes]

One of the things that I really like about this online game and message board community is....just that - it is a community.

I have made good friendships - in some cases really good friendships - with many of you over the past 3 years since I first discovered the online version of strat-o-matic. In many cases, the friendships have extended beyond our discussions about baseball and strat-o-matic.

The weird thing about it is that in almost all cases, our real life identities remain unknown. And of course, that is one of the unwritten - but clear - rules about online games and chat rooms.

And so it is that the person who I regard as the most gentlemanly and helpful person of the online community has simply disappeared from the message boards. I accept that I will likely never know what happened to him. We know that he chose to tell us that he was having to go into the hospital for a somewhat extended time, about this time last year. Since that time, I have not heard from him, despite what I regard as my well-meaning attempts to get a message (and a gift) to him.

So, without knowing what his twitter status is - so to speak - I would like to invite everyone to pay tribute to Marcus Wilby aka Luckyman. Even if he has simply decided not to post anymore on these boards, I feel that the tribute is warranted and appropriate.

Personally, I know I feel the need to express my gratitude to him. He did indeed become a friend of mine. I am moved to tears as I write this.

There is a remnant in this world of the archtypal "renaissance man". Despite not knowing him well, I regard him as such. He is a true gentleman, with never an unkind or unthoughtful word. He was as knowledgable as any person I have ever "met" regarding the great game of baseball. He was a font of knowledge and experience regarding baseball strategies, especially as they were replicated in the amazing strat-o-matic baseball game. He was a packrat with linear regression analysis of baseball run production data. He surely commented on every board in this online community (until he withdrew from such postings). He probably commented on 1 out of every 4 threads, other than purely league maintenance threads.

When anyone joined the boards and games for the first time, he was always among the first to provide advice to the newbie, and provide links to the prodigious tracts of great advice that exist on these boards - many that were written by Marcus himself. I myself benefited many times from his wise and friendly advice.

A year ago I bought him a gift. I contacted him to attempt to send it to him in some manner without violating his privacy. (My private business might have facilitated that). But, to no avail. He did respond, gentleman that he is, by saying "I am greatly touched by your gift", but declined to provide any means for me to send it to him.

He had revealed (to many that were in a strat league with him) that he was a lifelong Montreal Canadiens hockey team fan - the NY Yankees of hockey. He revealed that he lived in Montreal. That spring, the Montreal Canadiens had advanced deep into the hockey playoffs, but did not get to the finals.

I bought him a book about the history of hockey, and had hoped to send it to him.

In tears, I now ask that you all raise a toast to Marcus Wilby, aka Luckyman, and drink to his good nature and his gifts of himself. May he prosper in whatever realm he now roams, with baseball glove and hockey stick.

In truth, it is we who were lucky. We will miss him.

Till we meet again, Luckyman!
Geoff Brookes, Winnipeg Manitoba Canada

[fredpaii]

It's always nice to witness kindness.

[theClaw]

The 2nd league I was in I played him in the semifinals of a 2001 league. His team was a juggernaut, my good but flawed team beat his...the last time I ever beat him in a series. I remember talking about the cards with him, in particular Vic Santos and how under priced he was. It was apparent at that time that he surpassed me in knowledge about baseball and this game, even though I played it throughout the seventies.
I want to add that if he recovered from his ailment he could be back. I did not play between 2003 and 2006. I have come back and so may he.

Either way God Bless you Luckyman!

[Jerlins]

Wow, simply a wonderful post.

I had never played SOM in any form before discovering SOM online, knowing nothing more than the game of baseball itself. It's fair to say, Luckyman's knowledge and guidance through the years helped me understand what SOM was all about. He was a tireless teacher on the forums and an integral force in helping this community grow by sharing his knowledge and insight. I still recall referring other "newbies" in my early leagues to his numerous posts he shared with us.

He is indeed missed. Thank you Luckyman.

[exwallman]

Luckyman was certainly the anti-Favre....great, but willing to share his vast and well constructed knowledge.

[The Biomechanical Man]

Let me join in on our man-crush orgy.

As a guy who played a lot of Strat-O-Matic card game as a kid (with Fox and Wockenfuss back in high school), knew a good amount about baseball, and knew a lot about the science of baseball (i.e. my career), I was excited to start playing Strat online back in 2002. I came in with a decent knowledge of what to do and had moderate success, but my enjoyment of the game took leaps and bounds forward as a disciple of Luckyman. Just as importantly, he was a genuine super guy to interact with on the forums.

I have an old email address for him at his university. I am going to send him a message and see if he responds.

[Detroit-Tigers]

+1 Luckyman rocks.

[qksilver69]

Luckyman was definitely the cream of the crop in terms of contributions to my understanding of the game, and our early battles in various league were part of what got me hooked. Miss his presence here greatly.

[the splinter]

now there is a name you don't see often around here anymore

[qksilver69]

Who, moi? :D

I'm around Splinter, playing mostly keeper leagues so not on the boards here as much,also doing a few non-TSN netplay leagues.

Had to chime in on this post though, Luckyman a huge influence on me & this community.