Over the past 14 plus years, and nearing 775 narratives the Voice from the Bullpen has submitted to 15 W. Second St., in Jamestown, along with a dozen or so op-eds submitted to the Sports Department and Commentary pages, I have received many comments from people who have been very kind with their words of thanks, appreciation, nostalgia, and loyal readership for what has been a joy for me to do for so long, and hopefully for a long time to come.

Many of the comments have been expressions of enjoyment for some of the context of articles, of sharing some of the memories we have in common, some of agreement with points shared from my pen, and some complimentary towards my bride, my children, and my grandchildren, whom they have come to know in Section E of the Post Journal many weekends. I also know that not everyone has agreed with some of my thoughts and comments, and may be tired of hearing about my family and experiences, and that’s okay. I appreciate their reading this column and respect their opinions and feelings.

Many of the in-person comments, e mails, cards in the postal mail, conversations by phone, and texts received are very complimentary of the themes, content, topics, etc., of many of the articles, and they have been very kind and complimentary of what I have written, and I appreciate their comments, but I have to disagree with some of their messages sent, and felt, with regard to the true writer(s) of this weekly column.

Most, if not all, of the articles written and submitted may have been penned by me, but they were not written by me. The narratives came about by those people who did what they did, or said what they said, or played a part in my, and my family’s lives. They came about because of circumstances and/or events that have happened in my, and my family’s lives. The people involved with, or responsible for, or who had a hand in those events and/or circumstances were the true writers of pieces that have been submitted for publication.

People with whom I have met, through teaching, coaching, officiating, the Browns Backers, my former teachers, spiritual leaders, church family, mentors, colleagues, and friends, and those with whom we shared the Babe Ruth World Series, and more, have all been writers in this column.

The people in the places I’ve been are the writers of this column. People I’ve observed in many settings have been writers of articles in this forum. People whom I’ve met and gotten to know since COVID while frequenting certain establishments in our community have contributed articles to this column. Students and athletes and fellow sports coaches and officials, people with whom I’ve been privileged to work, people we’ve met in our travels, and throughout our journey of life, have been authors in this column. Places I’ve visited have written some of the articles. People who’ve had any influence on me, who’ve inspired me, who’ve critiqued me, who’ve been so important to any of the roles I have played in my life, have had a hand in writing some of the stories from the Bullpen.

Actors on stages, on television, or on the big screen, the writers of scripts in all of those media, singers, songwriters, even politicians, friends we’ve made at concerts, ball games, at our favorite watering holes, while volunteering in fundraisers, at church, friends with whom we’ve shared our kids’ activities and sports, have all been authors of articles here or there during the tenure of this column.

People who gave me second chances and first opportunities to do the many things I’ve been able to do, have been writers in this long run of the Bullpen.

Probably the most impactful group of writers of many of the articles that have been published in this column have been members of my family. My wife, Sally, my children, their spouses, my grandchildren, and great-grandson, my immediate family growing up, my parents, my brothers, and sisters, my aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, and all of their children, and our family’s closest friends growing up in the neighborhood (especially the Georges and O’Connors), have all been writers of articles in this publication.

I am lucky. I was blessed with a big mouth and a talent for talking. I didn’t use that gift well in my youth and young adulthood. I was, maybe still am, a blowhard, so I took my enjoyment of writing my feelings and opinions and my learning of writing, and started putting my thoughts/feelings into words, then poems, essays, stories, even a couple of books, but the credit goes to those who educated me, and inspired me, thus making them responsible for the pieces submitted each week.

As much as I appreciate the many compliments for what people have been able to relate to, and feel I wrote, I have to give credit where credit is due, and that credit for what’s been written in the hundreds of Voice from the Bullpen essays, goes to all those I have mentioned in this particular narrative. They did the actual writing, I just took notes and put their stories, influence, and involvement in my life into sentences and paragraphs.

I thank all of you for your compliments, and all of you who were/are the true writers of this column for the past 14 plus years. Your presence and influence in, and on, my life have allowed me to do something I have loved doing for so long.