Hi everyone! This won’t be my usual light, casual update, I’m afraid, as I’m having trouble celebrating and rejoicing after the week I’ve had, but I promise it isn’t all bad, and that the summer is shaping up to be much brighter. I’ll start off with the bad. For one thing, my father passed away yesterday morning at the age of 75, which took us all by surprise, despite his terminal cancer diagnosis exactly one month earlier. We had been expecting 8-12 weeks more with Dad, but we only got four, the last of which was marred by my entire family’s Covid diagnosis. Our symptoms were never severe, more like a mild flu or cold, and we are all doing better now, but it was hard not being allowed to see Dad the last seven days of his life, but I at least got to see him twice the week before, and he was in good spirits, and surrounded by loved ones as he prepared to enter into hospice care. My mother also spent the last days of her life there, and the staff and volunteers were absolutely wonderful, making all residents feel comfortable and allowing them to die with dignity. I would have liked Dad to be able to read my new book (the gratis copies of which I received from McFarland Press the day he died), but I know he would have been proud. R.I.P. Dad.

Also, I should not forget to mention that the Seals lost another member of its family yesterday with the passing of former NHL great, and Stanley Cup winner, Jim Pappin at the age of 82. I would like to wish his family and friends my very best and express my deepest condolences. Not only did Pappin share the same given name as my Dad, but they also passed away within 24 hours of each other, so I’ll always remember the link between them when I think of either. I’ve posted an article from the November 11, 1975 San Francisco Examiner, which talks about the expectations the team and fans had for Pappin, and while he indeed had his moments, scoring a few goals here and there, he never became the player the Seals thought they had acquired. He did retire as a 2-time Stanley Cup champion and a 278-goal scorer over the course of his 767-game career. Pretty nice numbers indeed!

As usual, I’ll be taking next week off to prepare for the Seals Hall of Fame inductions, which are scheduled for July 15 this year. Voting is now officially closed. Thank you to everyone who voted this year! This year’s vote had, by far, the best turnout ever! I still haven’t calculated the results, but from what I can see, the votes are well spread out among all the nominees, and I haven’t the slightest idea who will be inducted this year, so I’m looking forward to finding out myself.

Finally, my new book, When the NHL Invaded Japan: the Washington Capitals, the Kansas City Scouts, and the Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Cup, 1975-76 has been officially released, and is available in many online book retailers across North America, notably Amazon.com and Amazon.ca. If you liked my book on the Seals, I truly believe you’ll enjoy this one just as much. I will also be guesting on Tim Hanlon’s Good Seats Still Available podcast next Saturday, so I will let you all know when the interview is posted to his website. Like I said, June was a bummer, but the rest of summer is shaping up to be much better.

Until next time, stay gold!