Welcome to

Duffer News!

Click here to keep up with Jack Kroll in Brooklyn NY.

Brian Kraft and his daughter, Amber, came in from Alaska to play with the Duffers on February 15, 2019. Amber became the fist Daughter of a Duffer to score a goal when she tied the game with 19 seconds left to play.

Check out his fishing lodges in Alaska. https://www.fishasl.com/

The Duffers Had a great Road Trip to St. Louis!  5 players never played again.

Duffer Birthdays

February 15, Tom "Butt Head" Morgan

February 19, Mike "The Czar" Presecky

February 21, Frank "Knarf" Presecky

February 26, Greg "Beak" Lopatka

The Jeff Lopez  Short Version Duffer Video is on Youtube

Alphabetical Duffer Nicknames

This made me think of the great sausage that I had at 2 in the morning in Toronto with the Duffers in 2006.  "Klinger got hungry and found an immigrant Russian cooking hot dogs and sausages on the street corner.  Thor talked the guy into a package deal, getting 5 four dollar sausages for $19.85.  While Thor was paying the guy, all of the sausages were taken by 5 hungry Duffers." Toronto 2006, Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5Page 6

Only 5 of these guys were able to play on Friday after the Road trip.

5 of these guys have never played another Duffer game.

Beak presents the puck to the first granddaughter of a Duffer to score a goal.

(Left to Right) Beak, Amber Kraft, Brian Kraft, Geno, Monet Mike and Grandpa Ken

Amber started her day with a tour of the Blackhawk locker room and she ended it by playing a Duffer game and becoming the first granddaughter of a Duffer to score a goal.

Beak took a shot to his belly to get an assist.

38 Duffers and friends were treated to a Blackhawk Practice

We were able to watch the Ottawa Senators practice too.

Beak's grandson got to go on the ice with Ryan Dzingel

Coach Mark Crawford put Luke through some drills

Image may contain: Greg Lopatka and Ken Lopatka, people smiling, people standing

Some of us went to see the Hawk game and we saw the Cat score a hat trick. Ryan had over a 100 fans there to greet him after the game.

These 3 guys totaled 4 goals.  Beak and Rick had 0 goals.  

These 3 guys totaled 3 goals.  Beak and Rick had 0 goals.  

(Left) Mike "The Nailer" Devivo showed up at lunch on Wednesday.

(Above) Mike scored his first Duffer goal in January 1999 in Columbus. Donny Granato was coaching the ECHL Columbus Chill and he got us free ice.

37 years ago, 18 Duffers took a train to Lake Placid to play in the rink where the Miracle on ice gave USA a gold Medal in 1980.

History Repeated when the Duffers took a Train Road Trip to St Louis

 

E-Mail from Steve's Brother Joe

I hope you all enjoy the road trip; I really wish we could have been there with you. I got to play hockey with my brother on basement floors on our hands and knees (using socks and hands as sticks) driveways, streets, then golf course ponds, rivers, frozen backyards, and flooded parks and tennis courts for 14 years before we went indoors with the Duffers, with Papa Joe and you all; the locker room was always the place for the family. Saturday night hockey games on WGN were epic for us. Pizza rolls and popcorn and cokes. Then to the basement for sock hockey on the floor between periods. I got goalie pads and a mask for Christmas. Used little league glove for my mitt. Steve always went for the head and the 5-hole on me. Most times he scored. Steve was a faculty advisor for the Naperville North HS hockey team from 1989 (as I remember) until 2013. The support he received in 1993 and 1994 led to
Megan's game, where NNHS and the Blackhawks alumni played a benefit fundraiser. The first shift was Papa, Steve and I with Stan Mikita and Keith
Magnuson. The event raised $26000 to help Steve's family help Megan, his 4-year-old daughter, fight a terrible life-threatening disease (it took 6 years but she and they did it!) Moose Vasko was our bench coach.
We had met Moose, Doug Jarrett, Lou Angotti, and Eric Nesterenko, at a St Cletus Holy Name Father-Son night at the church gym. We followed Moose around and bugged him for more picture postcards of him; he shouted "I don't have any more!" at us when he was at the urinal in the grade school rest room. We hugged at the game and he actually remembered that. Steve always like the stories of Doug Jarrett mixing it up with Orlon Kurtenbach for the Rangers.
We were never "top-shelf" players, (except Papa) and we knew that there was "something else" for us all. Papa and I were in the inaugural Downers Grove Ice arena season midget house league. Steve couldn't play because he was bitten by the diving passion, and skating ruined his "toe-point" during dives.

Steve's a natural athlete who could shoot and pass with the best, crush a golf ball 300 yds at the Duffer and other golf outings, and always found me in the high slot with a pass from the deep left corner or behind the net.
When we went to San Jose, he volunteered to be a designated driver, because he knew the beverages would flow and he had stopped drinking. He volunteered to go back from the hotel to take Fred Bobka to retrieve his bag that somehow missed the carousel.

Sunday morning that trip, (Shark Tank 6:00 AM) our shift (Papa, Me, Steve, Stump, and Berserk) took the first faceoff, and in 45 seconds we had carried the puck up ice and Papa scored two goals in two nearly identical rushes. Bob Friedlander didn't have the cameras set yet; we scored before he could
record anything.
Papa was 67 at the time (68 on Feb 8th, he reminds me) and it was probably the oldest fastest 2-goal limit penalty in Duffer history. Steve and I came off the ice with Papa and sat next to Thor; he was sleeping on the bench and we said "you're out" he said "what's the score we said "2-0; Papa got them" he said "holy crap, don't score so fast" Wheezer was next to him having a cigarette to catch his breath from the pre-game warmup; He choked on a drag and laughed his ass off.
So much to recall; the memories swirl like a tornado. The Friday nights, and other events past, will always be part of us. I'm looking forward to the ones to come.

I'll always miss Steve on my opposite wing. And Papa at center. Even when the world and our work kept us from the perfect attendance award, our Duffer Family has never failed to provide the joy of families coming together to play and just be together.

"Count your life by smiles, not tears, count your age by friends, not years, and remember we do not quit playing because we grow old.... we grow old because we quit playing"

From our family to yours, thank you and God Bless us all. There is NO ONE like a Duffer!


GI Joe Mazarella

 

 

Duffer Bowling Team finished with the Highest Series of the Season

The Duffer Bowling started the new session in 1st Place!

3 of the 4 members have high scores on the board.

 

2013

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(Back Row Left to Right) Beak, V-Man, Terry, Greg Z, Rags, Fruitcake, Drago, Tommy Z, Mini-Wheezer, The Czar, Magoo, DeJesus, Hacksaw, Guest, Harvey, Beak Jr, TO.

(Front Row Left to Right) t&a, T&A, Jake Z, Berserk and Cal, The Brain, The Anvil, Lil' Drago, Tweedy, Dylan, Bill BTW and Daughter of BBTW. 

2008

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2002

 

Remember when we always had 15 -20 guys at Wild Wings?

Image may contain: 3 people, including Greg Lopatka, people smiling, people sitting, drink, table and indoor

Some guys are turning into Fred, it was great to see Brett and Jeff show up.

Thanksgiving Cartoons

 Click here to listen to Anvil's song  "The Goalie is Drunk"

 

We miss you Thor! (We miss Basketball Jones and Magoo too)

We miss these guys too. Papa Joe played his last game when he was 83, Joe Jr. has been missing this season while caring for his brother Steve who lost his battle with brain cancer on January 12, 2019.

2018 Duffer Summer Fun

20 Years ago

1998 San Jose

(Back Row Left to Right) Greg "Beak" Lopatka, Chris "Berserk" Mazurk, Ron "Doc" Dubreuil, Tim Staats, Bill "Klinger" Giffune, John "Cone" Koss, Boris "Hacksaw" Pavichevich, Jerry, "Beernuts" Biernat, Johnny "King Kong" Zagorski, Tom "Zagnuts" Zagorski, Mike "Czar" Presecky, Rick "Stripper" Miceli, Fred "Fruitcake" Bobka, Gene, "Thor" Miller, Ken "Grandpa"Lopatka, Arvydas "Harvey" Dikinis, Paul "Marsha" Novak,  John "Hitman" Heitman, Rick "Dizzy" Dzingel, Bob "Uncle Bob" Oskroba, Dan "Tweedy" Lopatka and John "Wheezer" Clementson

(Front Row Left to Right) John "Magoo" Landry, Jim "Butt Head" Coughenhaur, Joe "GI" Mazzarella, Vidas "Formica" Cemarka, Joe "Cousin" Godfried, Bob "Geek" Friedlander, Jerry "Prince" Miceli, Frank "Knarf" Presecky, Steve "Son of Papa" Mazzarella, Joe "Papa" Mazzarella, Jim "The King" Miceli, Don "Brinks" Granato, Gerry Oskroba and Tom (Beevis) Morgan

(Sitting Left to Right) Vytas "Papa" Cemarka, Backup "Loaner" Goalie and Ken "Stump" Barczynski

I was waiting for my food today and an old guy in a cowboy hat came over to read my shirt. He was not a speed reader. I got tired of holding my chest out to remove the wrinkles.  There was an old guy that was leaving and he made me stop so he could read every word. He was laughing and his wife, who just finished paying the bill asked him what was so funny. He said, "You wouldn't understand."

Want more Photoshop Gems? http://www.lopatka.net/Photoshop gems/index.htm

Go To the Last Duffer News

Beer League Hockey

Go to Duffer History   Duffer Nicknames

Wags Hockey

  Alphabetical Nicknames

Classic Duffer News

Go to Lake Placid News for some laughs.

http://www.lopatka.net/1982-Lake%20Placid/index.html

1996 March Hayward Trip  We saw Comet Hyakutake

December 6, 1996  Duffer news #85

December 15, 1996  Duffer news #86

December 20, 1996  Duffer news #87

Go to 10/25/96

Go to 9/6/96

January 12, 1996  Duffer news #50

The Duffers received a Christmas Card and Thank You  from Mario Lemieux.  The Duffers have 4 pictures on the Mario Mosaic. http://www.lopatka.net/2011-10-14/index.html

Go to 2012 The Last MLF Game

Go to 2011 MLF Game

(Anvil's Daughter won it!)

Go to 2010 The First MLF Game

Visit The Rampage Women's Hockey Team web site at: http://www.rampagehockey.org/index.cfm

They Have 2 WODs and  on their team. Their DOD moved to Canada for Graduate School.

WOD=Wife Of a Duffer, DOD = Daughter of a Duffer

Links to Duffer Hockey Newsletters

2008-2010 Stats page

Tweedy's Wags Game

Links to 2018

Links to 2017

Links to 2016

Links to 2015

Links to 2014

Links to 2013

Links to 2012

Links to 2011

Links to 2010

Links to 2009

Links to 2008

Links to 2007

Links to 2006

Links to 2005

Links to 2004

Links to 2003

Links to 2002

Links to 2001

Links to 2000

Links to 1999

Links to 1994

Bar-toons

Peoria History

Nashville Game 2

Bill Gaston interview

Michelle Spillman hits and fields

      

To E-mail the Duffer News Web master, just click here! g.lopatka@comcast.net

You can e-mail History updates to Beak. 

Duffer Nicknames

Duffer road trips

website counter  

Duffers 2017 Summer Fun

The Duffer Picnic was Saturday July 29th 2017 at Tommy’s House

Morton Arboretum Origami

August 1; Kane County Cougar Game

August 6; Parkinson's Fund Raiser

August 18; Summer Game

August 21; Total Solar Eclipse

August 26; Golf Outing

September 1; Muzzy passed away. He gave us more laughs than any other Duffer.

He was born on May 20, 1935.  My son Dan was born on his birthday in 1970. 

We shared a lot of Muzzy pictures in the last Newsletter.

This was 1997 when we brought up Robby Granato to give the Bombers 2 Illinois ringers.  We filled most of the coach seats and avoided a fun tax.  This is the year that Muzzy shocked Hayward church goers when he came out of the church and boarded the bus with toilet paper streaming out of his pants. Read More....

Read the lyrics to "Wayward in  Hayward" by Jim Coughenhour

 

Opened Monday May 11, 2015

16030 S. Lincoln Highway Unit 106 (Lincoln Plaza/same strip as comics)
Plainfield, Illinois

Mike won 11 awards for his artistic creations at the Tattoo convention in Champaign.

mikeylotattoos@att.net

(Above) Mike's work of art on Joe Mazzarella III's leg.

(Above) Mike's work of art on Joe Mazzarella III's ribs.

Ann Arbor Music DVDs are ready to ship.  $10 includes shipping and handling. you can also get classic copies of:

 

You may find the following links useful:

Ben Oskroba's First professional goal for the Peoria Rivermen

Drago's Hockey Lessons

Here is a video, thanks to Perry and Paula on How to be a Hockey Player 

 

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Michelle Spillman

Michelle Spillman 10-31-10

Michelle hits a 2 run home run for Romeoville High School in a 3-0 victory against Joliet Catholic Academy.

JC-Homerun.MOV

Michelle Spillman hit a 2 run Home run to beat Joliet Catholic on April 18, 2012. ... greg Lopatka ... Michelle Spillman and Romeoville High School. ...

Highland Park-Homerun.MOV

Michelle Spillman hit her 4th homerun on April 21, 2012 to beat Hershey High. ... greg Lopatka ... Michelle Spillman "outdoor sports" ...

 

Michelle3Base hit.MOV

Michelle hit a triple to help beat Highland Park High 8-5 on 4/21/2012.

 

Patrick Kane Stickhandling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REAqCB9vfbU

Brandon Bollig Stickhandling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3B8v_ZHA10