Rags

Rags, Our Unforgettable Duffer

The Czar: Rags was a gentle giant with a great sense of humor and disposition that just made you like him.

Magoo: What the heck? Do you know what he died of or from?
Here is the reply from Rags' step son, Jimmy.

Hey Greg! Hope you are well during this crazy time. Just wanted to reach out to you in case anyone else hasn't already. This morning 4/5/2020 around 9am I got a call from my mom, she informed me that while at the lake in Bremen Indiana, Jim Ragland passed away in his sleep. I thought of people who might want to know and first thing that I thought of was Duffers.

Every chance I got to speak with Jim, he spoke about Duffers and how we wanted to get back out there. I wanted to personally thank you for keeping the Duffers thriving for so long and giving me an importunity to skate with and against him while I had the chance.

Geno: So very sorry to hear.

T&A; Extremely sad news.

Beak, Sorry to hear of Jim's passing. Please let me know if the Duffers are doing anything. I know that in these uncertain times, it is difficult. Art

Formica: So sad to hear about Rags! He had the heart of a Duffer! He will be missed. RIP Rags. Save me a seat at the bar upstairs!

Mini Wheezer: This is very sad news. My deepest condolences to Jimmy’s family! That pic of him passing me a beer after I passed out cracks me up! He was “my guy” holding the money I was winning at poker!

Wow. Rags... damn. I remember one of the first times at Wild Wings and Rags was always in a great mood and he kept talking about the road trips and how they were everything. They were the best, the most fun, the memory builders... and he was right. I'm going to miss him. Greg Z

Tom Morgan: Terrible. So sorry Beak

Lou Pinet: Say it ain't so Beak!!

Always had some heat on his shots from the point. He was always with a smile and a laugh...He will be definitely missed. Chris Mazurk

The Anvil: ahh the ragman. he was a gas, many great stories with that critter. he will be missed. RIP brother

All-around great guy. Rest In Peace, Fred Bobka #4   
				 John Bobka #19

The Duffers honor Tim Smith who left us way too soon. December 3, 2008

The Duffers honor Muzzy (Rich Masiulewicz) who passed away. Click here to see many Muzzy Pictures.

The Duffer Honor Frank Presecky who passed away May 12, 2020






These pictures were taken in the Penguin's Sky box in 2013 when we witnessed Sid Crosby getting a puck in the face. Rags had a friend that gave us tickets.





	We celebrated Eddie the Anvil's birthday on January 25, 2013 with the world's largest pizza thanks to Eddie's wonderful wife. Who was the crabby guy in the front row?
I start laughing when I start thinking about Bill BTW and Rags arriving late for our Ann Arbor trip and we were having a team lunch. Bill was still trying to finish some Railroad business on his phone and we started singing...	"I've been working on the railroad" so Bill walked away to get away from the sound of drunks singing in the afternoon. Thor followed him and kept singing into his phone. If he didn't love Thor, he would have slugged him.

This was at a bar in Ann Arbor called the Arena. Where the boys got rowdy and should have been tossed out, but our Canadian Duffer, Lou (Holding the Canada banner) Saved us by giving the waitress a C-Note. Thor, Tweedy and Bill BTW	were throwing knives and forks until Beak disarmed them. Bill then reached for the ketchup, but decided against squirting anybody and escalating the bar war. The weapon of choice became sugar packets. (Above) Lou was presented with the puck that he scored his first Meaningful Duffer goal. Read all about it.
Rags' stepson, Jimmy Bones, was our backup goalie.	This was Beak's house after the Blizzard of 79.
	Rags asked me to do a Photoshop image of him with the Czar.
This was in a Nashville pool room where we spent many hours.	Tom Amborsia and Rags went to Nashville and watched the Bears Beat the Titans.





(Above) Rags' head is blocking out Tim Smith's name on the banner at the New Year's Day Game and party. Tim was another Duffer who left us way too soon. (Right) Rags is taking a sip of Crown Royal from the Anvil's Skate boot.
	December 2018, The Czar, Drago, Bill BTW and Rags took a road trip to Green Bay to watch the Packers play the Cardinals. Going there with a FIB license plate can be dangerous. The Nailer had both of his remote read view mirrors knocked off of his car doors when he went to a Bears-Packers game. That added a $1000. to his trip. That was a few years ago, maybe the Bears won and a cheese head was in a foul mood. Rags and the boys escaped without any damage. I guess the cheese heads forgot that the Cardinals played in Chicago's Comiskey Park. They moved to St Louis after the 1948 season.


Jim got to skate with his brother John in Nashville.	John's wife took the Tennessee team picture for us.