To Two Absent Friends - John and Herb

These two losses are personal to me.....

John Lisak

I came to know John as fellow employee at Blue Cross, and I learned a couple of things almost immediately. One, that he was fellow alum of Central Catholic (1965), albeit one a few years older than me, and that he was a member of the Central's 1964 football team that finished with a 10-0 record and was ranked #1 in the state.  More importantly, I learned that John was one of the truly "good guys" with whom to deal on business issues and if you needed help on matters.  

However, I REALLY got to  know John when we both were retired and played golf in our Tuesday Morning Retiree Golf Group.  He was perfect guy to have in your foursome. Easy going, never complained, laughed at himself when he made a bad shot.  John was also a lefty, when he golfed, and one day managed to show up without his putter.  So he asked if he and I could play together that day and he would use my putter.  Early on, he made a couple of nice putts, and he asked if I'd be willing to sell him my putter.  With every putt he made i would tell him that "price keeps going up."  Silly banter between a couple of old guys, but a nice memory.

John will surely be missed on future spring and summer Tuesday mornings  when the Old Guys tee it up.

Herb Soltman

I first met Herb Soltman when I joined the Society for American Baseball Research in 2001.  Herb was already a member, and he never missed a meeting.  He was a baseball and a Pirates fan to be sure, but the the most important element of his Fandom was the Pirates victory in the 1960 World Series. Herb was 25 years old when he attended Game 7 of that Series at Forbes Field and was among those who rushed the field and mobbed home plate when Bill Mazeroski his that famous home run.  To say that he was "passionate" about that event doesn't even begin to describe it.  Until ill health came upon him in recent years, Herb, along with his "Game 7 Gang", would be found at the Forbes Field Wall every October 13 reliving that momentous Pirates win over the Yankees.   It seemed that that single event was the most important event in Herb's life, but there was more to him than that.  

He was a father and a grandfather.  He was a faithful member of his synagogue, a business man, a dedicated global Ambassador for the City of Pittsburgh, and was honored for such service by being awarded the Global Ties U.S Volunteer of the Year Award at a ceremony in Washington DC for 53 years of such service in 2015.  He was loyal alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh and every year at homecoming, he would perform with Pitt's Alumni Marching Band at Pitt's Homecoming Game.  On a personal note, Herb was always concerned and had a kind word for me about Marilyn and how she was dealing with her illness over the years.

SABR meetings weren't quite the same without Herb in these recent years, and he will missed at all future such gatherings.

RIP John Lisak and Herb Soltman.