Stephen Stabler (01/24/47 - 12/15/11)

"I love signing autographs. I'll sign anything but veal cutlets. My ballpoint pen slips on veal cutlets". Casey Stengel

I first met Steve Stabler several decades ago, though for many years I didn’t really know him that well. He was always my hero. The reason he was my hero is because to me, Steve lived his life on his terms. He was a guy who knew what he liked and wanted, and was “reluctant”, shall we say, to conform to what society “expects” of us. As far as I know, he had maybe two “straight” jobs in his life (I helped get him one of them), and the rest of the time he cobbled together money from, well, I’m not exactly sure, but I think poker, pool hustling, fantasy baseball leagues (which he usually won) and inventing games were a part of it. He had the largest board game collection I’ve ever seen, a whole room filled with ‘em, and there were a lot of other types of amazing vintage toys and games in that room, too. Maybe he also made money selling some of his collection; I bought the Video Village board game from him at one point. He also had a spectacular pinball collection, about a half dozen beauties. If he didn’t like you, you knew it. He wasn’t one for meaningless chit-chat and he didn’t do things or go places just because he might be “expected” to. Pleasantries and platitudes weren’t for him; I got the feeling he didn’t suffer fools lightly. On the other hand, he was generous and compassionate, and a great listener. He was all about honesty and he had an amazing curiosity that took him to all kinds of interesting places. I don’t claim to have known him that well, but I knew a part of him, and I loved the part that I knew.

Shortly after Baseball Diary debuted in the 80’s, Steve periodically submitted articles and graphics. (As with most of BD, these will be posted in our Archive section.) They were delightful submissions, and even if he took on a “serious” topic, there was always a gleeful smile lurking under the surface. These were unique contributions, unlike anything else we printed. Steve was the consummate St. Louis fan (as you can see from that mid-80’s photo). In addition to his bitchin’ car with that amazing license plate, he had a shrine in his front room, just adjacent to where he kept the pinball machines, that was devoted to all things Cardinal. He was a stats machine, but he also knew the lore and peculiarities of the game, and I loved talking baseball with him. I think he was in on the ground floor with fantasy baseball; he would tell me about marathon sessions putting together the teams in his league, and of course about the Yahoo (the drink, not the corporation) celebrations at the end of the season.

It was after Susan (who I actually met first) and Steve got married (and had their amazing son Ezra) that he and I began working together at The Sacramento Bee newspaper, mid-90’s I think. This was where I really got to know him better. It was also where he inaugurated the Shrub League, his own version of fantasy baseball with only four stats to consider when picking a team. I ended up giving him money almost every July and October (there were two Shrub League seasons per year), as I was a perennial loser and he was almost always a winner. The thing is, I never felt bad about it – especially as these paydays (his) became the only couple of times a year I ended up seeing him after he left the newspaper. I treasured those times.

(BD Stengel cover by Steve Stabler)

I believe Steve first got throat cancer while he was working at The Bee. He faced it bravely and beat it. Of course, this kind of thing can return, but as far as I know he did very well for many years. When BD started its online incarnation lastyear, he told me he would be contributing, which thrilled the hell out of me. As the months progressed, I would periodically wonder when I would see something from him, but I never “pushed” him for a submission. After losing yet another Shrub League half season, I called him to arrange a “collections” meeting. He told me to come by anytime, that he was always home. Coming from Steve, this was perfectly normal.

I showed up on a Friday morning and Susan was there but not Steve. He had taken a rare trip to the store, and she told me about some very dire health challenges he had been dealing with for awhile. Of course, he hadn’t said anything to me about them. I gave her the money, and went on my way. Steve passed away last December 15. At the memorial, held at his house amongst his friends, relatives, pinball machines, board games, and Cardinal shrine, with Ezra playing actual vinyl records on a real “vintage” record player, there were some there who said that Steve could finally leave after the amazing St. Louis surge and World Series win at the end of last season. I don’t necessarily agree, but ya know, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit.

Steve, you are missed and will always be remembered. Go Cards!