NEWSLETTER (TOM)*

ME-LARRY-JACK L.-FRANK L.FRANK H.-CHIP HOPKINS-LORIS

GET TO KNOW :

TOM MENDILLO

PERSONAL INFO:

NAME: THOMAS J. MENDILLO

WWBA TEAM: Peninsula Tides

YEARS IN WWBA:  43rd

HOW OLD ARE YOU? 69

FAMILY MEMBERS: Better Half- Robin – Sons-Anthony, Matthew-Aaron-Bryan & 8 amazing grandchildren between the ages of 7 years & 10 months

LINE OF WORK: Owner of Vinton Industries (metal fabrication business) now a retired school teacher. In my 24th year of coaching baseball at Rockledge High School

HOBBIES: Coaching baseball…. And I do the Crossword Puzzle, Word Jumble & Cryptoquip in my Daily Newspaper every day.

FAVORITE BASEBALL TEAM & WHY:  New York Mets. Family were die-hard Brooklyn Dodger fans so when the Mets came into the National League in 1962 Dad decided to give them a try. Of course, I went along with his choice and suffered with him during a 40-120 inaugural season.

FAVORITE BASEBALL PLAYER & WHY: Gil Hodges. When I was young my Dad would throw wiffleballs to me and he would go through the Dodger lineup. When Gil Hodges came up to bat I always hit great. Then he plays for the Mets and ultimately manages them to the World Series Champs in 1969.

FAVORITE BASEBALL MEMORY: October 16, 1969. NY’s Jerry Koosman gets Davey Johnson of Baltimore to flyout to left-fielder Cleon Jones and the Mets are World Champions. After years of abuse from the many Yankee fans in Long Island I finally had the last laugh. Oh…and how did the Mets repay me for my years of dedication….they won the World Series on my 18th Birthday. “Best Birthday Present Ever.”

1ST MLB GAME YOU ATTENDED & WHEN: I went to a Yankee game with my Dad and Uncle in the mid 1950’s, not sure exactly, might have been about 5-6. The 1st game I truly remember was in 1962 at the Old Polo Grounds. I remember crying because the Mets lost to the Dodgers on a 9th inning homerun by Wally Moon.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE WWBA?  Sitting in a Grad-Class at Stony Brook University in L.I. Looked to my right and saw a guy writing on a pad with the title “1962 NY Met’s Opening Day Lineup” and he had written Jim Marshall as the 1bman. Well, being the Gil Hodges fan that I am, I told him at our break that Gil, not Marshall, was the opening day 1Bman for the Mets. We started talking baseball and he told me about the Strat-O-Matic, league he was in. I gave him my number and a few days later the N.L. Commissioner, Steve Grapstul, called me and now 43 years later…I’m still here. By the way, the guy in my Grad Class was the one and only Dennis Piaseczny. (I know most of the old timers will remember that name and the many insane stories associated with him.)

WHAT OTHER LEAGUES DO YOU PLAY IN: No other leagues but last year I started replays of the NY Met pennant winning years using the games “Inside Pitch Baseball” & “Replay Baseball”, using the actual lineups for all the games. Having a blast reliving my Met youth. Completed the 1969 and 1986 seasons with the Mets matching their World Championship results. Completed the 1973 season and sad to say that there was no division title / pennant for the Mets in this replay. Currently half way through the 2015 season but not doing very well.

WHAT YOU LIKE /DISLIKE ABOUT DMB: The Game Engine (the component that produces player stats is flawed). Ballpark, L/R and range plays are weighed to heavily and hence stats are skewed. Because baseball has changed so drastically the game engine should have as well and it hasn’t in some 12+ years. BUT…it is easy to play and excellent for the work Jim has to do. Net-Play is a JOKE. But it seems that Jim and I are the only members that have a real problem with DMB, so we play on.

OTHER PRO SPORTS YOU ENJOY WATCHING: Florida Gator Football & some Gator Basketball & Baseball, Golf, Playoff Hockey, Olympic Sports, World Cup Soccer-(Men’s & Women) and then at times anything where the participants are keeping score with the stipulation that there are NO JUDGES. (ie: figure skating, diving, etc)

YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE: TOP 3 [1] Wizard Of Oz  [2] It’s A Wonderful Life  [3] Field Of Dreams

THE TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LIKE: I truly can listen to any type of music from Pavarotti to Prince and everything in between. Rap is crap but I do like 2 songs by M&M.

Favorite songs are: “Send In The Clowns by Judy Collins” It’s a long story why? AND Nessun Dorma but only by Pavoratti

THE BEST BOOK(S) YOU EVER READ: Welcome To The Monkey House-(short stories by Kurt Vonnegut) & The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

ANY PERSON LIVING OR DEAD YOU WOULD LIKE TO MEET & WHY?:  Leonardo DiVinci. Possibly the greatest mind to walk this planet. He was a Painter, Scientist, Inventor, Draughtsman, Theorist, Engineer, Sculptor, Architect. The definitive “Renaissance Man”…and of course an ITALIAN.

YOUR WORDS TO LIVE BY:   ” The Choices WE Make Dictate The Life WE Lead”

[*]= THE REASON I CHOSE THIS PICTURE IS :

[1] FRANK  LUZZI – LARRY MAYFIELD – CHIP HOPKINS ARE IN IT.

[2] MY HAIR ISN’T WHITE