By Stevo
In 1993 if you had told me that in 2020 we would not be playing ball hockey in September or October, at the Kapusta Kow Palace, I would have told you that it was probably because of this old Ukrainian guy named Myron. He was always against us scratching up the floor. One year I actually had to go to one of their meetings and I blew their minds wide open when I spoke Ukrainian in the meeting begging them to let us continue playing (I told them that we were mostly Ukrainian guys, mentioning to them actual Ukrainian guys like May Day, The Legend, Mr. Bundura, The Turk, and Hollywood, I then threw in The Rake and the Sea Lion. They had been given Ukrainian names for the Canada-Ukraine game, so I thought it would be fine). The board listened and we got to continue playing. We have never missed a day, let alone a month or two to five months. Krazzzy times now though!
What I miss the most…the first night when the guys arrive and its like a big family reunion. Everyone has big smiles and the outside world does not exist. Its Tomcats and that’s all there is. I also miss the first night when La Bamba arrives and my brother sings “la la la la la Bamba.” Snowpants going around and shaking everyones hand on the first night (I also love when I hug him at the end of the night and hold onto him just a bit longer to make him feel uncomfortable…unfortunately he has caught on and now just lets me hold him longer). I miss the first sip of beer on stage. I miss the laughter. I miss the re-counts of goals and passes. I miss limping down the fire escape stairs and seeing Sparky, Tonto, Doc and Kamikaze and the ride home where I still sweat for about 20 minutes. I miss the boys in general!
They say ‘everything happens for a reason…to miss seeing guys I love, what reason could there be for that?
I know I will miss my Christmas come February 27, 2021. I guess we can always do what they do in the real world and start the season a bit later and if things start to open up, we hold the tournament April 24, 2020, I don’t want to miss my Christmas.
I, Stevo, is one of the original players who started back in 1989 with May Day, Hurricane, Bulldog, Dewey, Zoomer, The Legend, Rex Brennen, Junior, soon to be joined by the Rake, Sea Lion, the Badger, and 90 more.
I also miss hearing the “Tomcats Forever” song.
Love you guys, stay beautiful.