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News:
The Commish Throws A High Hard One

THE 2006 SEASON IS DEDICATED TO ROB STRAUSS, A FRIEND & STARBALLER, WHO PASSED AWAY DURING THE OFF SEASON. ROB WAS AN ORIGINAL STARBALLER AND FIELDED THE FREEBIRDS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

Updated 3/12/06

NEW MEAT And Old Pals Join The Order of the Red Stitch For 2006
Rookies everywhere... The Commish is please to advise that Will Bennett from NYC will be joining the ranks this season. Will is a bud of Reigning Champion Jim Sessoms. Since Jim knows the Commish and other old timers are piqued that Rookies keep winnin' this thing, he has given personal assurances that Will not be the third to do it. "Will knows jack s**t about baseball," Jim confided recently, "at least compared to me..." Welcome, Will! We understand Will is a famous playwright in The Big Apple and rumor is that his team will be called The Quills. No?

Also joining us will be Ed Kowalski, pal of Mike "Snoop Dog" Snee. Ed is another former Durham Bulls executive who, according to Mike, really knows The Game. Oh hell... here we go again. But can he play Starball??? We're glad you are in, Ed and can't wait to see that ugly team. Team name? Well, we haven't heard but maybe Chester's Molesters.

There is also New Merrill Lynch Meat, in the form of Edwin Braswell and Robert Borhams. Big Ed hails from Kinston, NC, arguably the second best baseball town in North Carolina and home of the Kinston Indians of the Carolina League and once a big Durham Bulls rival. We'll need to watch Edwin, a perennial money winner in a Rotisserie League. He's chosen a great nick-- The K Tribe.

Ol' Borhams, on the other hand, has yet to prove that he knows right from left--field, that is. But never underestimate rookie luck and anyone who might consider calling his team MiniMe.

Also joining us this year is the son of Sharks owner Reich Wellborn. Son Spencer, who hangs out in South Miami Beach, is a big baseball fan and after a few seasons of looking over dad's shoulder thinks he's go the game locked. He'll be fielding the South Beach Bombers.

And welcome back to Starball Scott Agnew, formally Rigor Mortis and this season to be christened The Bottle Rockets. After a one year lay off while building a house, moving and all that awful stuff, he's now again found time for his passion of fantasy games.

Welcome back and welcome to all! Good luck, hope you come in second and we can't wait to see your ugly teams.

Da Jints Win the Pennant! Da Jints Win the Pennant!  Da Jints Win the Pennant!

Rookie Starballer Jim Sessoms surprised everybody but his own sweet self with an almost wire-to-wire victory during the 2005 Sweet Sixteen Starball Season. It was one for the history books but until the very end (when the race for second, third and fourth tightened up) ...it was a damn boring season because nobody on his team got hurt and the chicken blood thing didn't work and none of us could catch him and because we were all embarrassed (again) by a rookie and... Never mind. Congratulations, Jim! We all look forward to your Sophomore Slump.

If it's any solace to you senior Starballers who still await your first check from The Commish, Jim's $500 winnings were put to good use. Not thirty minutes after receiving his check a call from his oldest daughter jerked victory's spoils away. Seems she had a little fender bender with a tree that wouldn't budge. The deductible? Yep...$500. Godawful, ain't it?

Starball Launches 2006 Season

Commish Tom Hardison launched the 2006 version of Fantasy Baseball's Best League today with the customary email invitation with the promise of "more, more, more!"
 

"Well, I couldn't actually promise less, could I?" he asked no one in particular. But what The Commish promised more of was apparent and in keeping with his hope that Durham International Starball fosters greater appreciation for The Game and for good friends.

The 2006 season holds in store more razz, compliments of The Commish and his un-named Accomplice of Razz who will be vilifying team owners at will for ugly teams, awful play, crazy switches and NEW MEAT mistakes.

Also helping The Commish this season will be Arnold Spell, who takes on the roll of VP of Frivolity and will be in charge of helping to put together various outings such as Bulls games, owners night out and maybe--just maybe a road trip to a major league park.

Jim Sessoms, owner of the 2005 Champions Da Jints, will become VP of Marketing, whose job it is to produce at least one great t-shirt per season. And perhaps he will come up with some good way to offset the League's internet expenses while he's at it.

Wild Bill Miller has agreed (you agreed, right?) to try, try again to get somebody to field a team for SLUDGEBALL this season. "I don't know what's wrong with this group", he was overheard muttering. "These boys just won't throw good money after bad!" But as the all-powerful Slummish, WB promises to find just the right hook to real us all in.

And no season would be complete without VP of Statistical Excellence Rob Moran looking over everyone's shoulder as Stat Man and Chief Credit Officer.

So, it looks like more razz, more boozing and a t-shirt. And of course another season of great baseball.

Get crackin'. Pitchers and catchers are in Florida and we can't wait to see your ugly team.

Updated soon...

"The two most important things in life
are good friends and a strong bull pen."
               - Bob Lemon, HOF