Looking through some of these was a nice trip down Memory Lane. I'm an old timer here who's always kept a very low profile and never interacted with MikeF but always felt like I knew him from reading his fantastic ST reports. Very saddened by this news. Condolences to his family; I hope they have a sense of how he brought happiness to a lot of online friends and acquaintances back in the day.I will echo others in saying his reports were the big excitement for spring training for me as a lurker all those years ago. It meant spring was just around the corner here in New England, and we could dive into the lineup minutiae and pitching decisions soon enough. Rest In Peace sir and condolences to his family and those that knew him.
It looks like some of his reports still live on in the old tapatalk website:
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/sonsofsamhorn/mike-f-s-spring-training-reports-f74/
On days like today in the early 2000 I’d be itching to read his reports.
edit: for that link it shows the last post/poster, just click and it will take you to Mikes OP.
You can have January 1. For the first decade of the 2000s, I built anticipation for the start of a new year with the Truck Day thread MikeF’s daily reports.
Yes, so much this. His reports were unbelievably knowledgeable in this funny, offhand way, and they were so happy. I would read his reports in my kitchen in Mass., look out the frosty window at winter, and feel like it was almost time for tshirts and sunscreen.Truck day, pitchers and catchers, MikeF's daily reports. For a very long time that was how we rounded winter's 3rd base and headed home. RIP.
Who is starting the game thread for the funeral?Mike’s funeral will be on Monday, February 14 at 11:00am. That’s Kathy’s birthday.
There will be a video link available for people who are unable to attend. I will post the link when it’s available.
St. John Vianney in South Burlington, VT
Monday, February 14th at 11am followed by interment in Resurrection Park.
There will be a gathering later and I will also pass that along.
Kathy is overwhelmed by your kindness. I intend to give her a copy of the posts from FB and SoSH.
If I remember correctly, the acronym was WWTDS, for "what would Thumper's dad say?"Was MikeF the one who came up with the long acronym about what some cartoon animal’s mother would say when you couldn’t say something nice about someone?
Thank you. That's exactly it. I was pretty sure it involved Bambi.If I remember correctly, the acronym was WWTDS, for "what would Thumper's dad say?"
Which was from the line, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all."
I think that's from the movie Bambi? I might be wrong on this whole thing and I heard it somewhere else. but there's definitely been a few times over the last ~20 years when I used the phrase, and I (believe) I never heard it before MikeF used it in the ST reports.
Just a small correction, but actually it was WTDS (What Thumper's Dad Said), which was "if you don't have something nice too say about someone, say nothing at all".Thank you. That's exactly it. I was pretty sure it involved Bambi.
Oh dear. I haven’t logged in for nearly two years. I login and see this. I’m so sorry to hear about Mike. Met him a handful of times at ST in Florida when I lived there. Honestly one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. RIP to a wonderful man.It’s with profound sadness that I report our beloved MikeF passed away peacefully last night.
There are many noob that are unaware of Mike’s famous daily spring training reports from The Fort. Always witty and informative. Social media put him out of business but his reports were a must read.
Mike was one of the original members of this site and maintained longtime friendships with many members who are still in residence.
We met this internet stranger in 2002 during our annual vacation to spring training. It was love at first sight. He was much older but age was no barrier when discussing all things Red Sox.
In 2006 we extended our time in Florida, so we purchased a spring training season ticket for the seats next to Mike’s. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, on and off the field. I can’t tell you how many times people from SoSH showed up at the ball park looking to meet Mike.
He introduced me to so many wonderful people and broadened our social circle greatly. He was one of the funniest, smartest, most loving people I know.
RIP Mike.