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JULY 6, 2009

Mike Siporin: pitcher, hitter, friend.

Mike Siporin: pitcher, hitter, friend.

Mitchell McGuire

Some of you may remember Mike Siporin. He played for AFTRA for a few years, but he was a fixture at the park in a number of leagues, including the Show League, the Show Business League, the Restaurant League and maybe more.

I first met him in 1969 when he was recruited to pitch In the B'way Show League for the 'Oh Calcutta' team. I was in the show (Yeah, I know!) and he was brought in by a guy named Duke, who was a character himself, but it was Mike with whom I hit it off. He was, like me, from Chicago, and we never tired of reminiscing about our young days there, and even in Chicago we played softball on the same field without even knowing it: Humboldt Park.

Mike designed the logo for the Oh Calcutta team, a baseball that looked like the er, behind of a woman, similar to the one on the show's posters. Yeah, he was an artist and also a filmmaker, and taught filmmaking at the New School, and later at Montclair State. I was in 3 of his short comedy films. They were hilarious and so much fun to make too.

Mike went on the start his own teams in various leagues, all of which I was on as well. There was the Siporin Film Productions Team, Jimmy Days Team and EC, which stood for Erratic Coalition...and we were.

But Mike was a terrific pitcher, keeping the ball low and away and with speed and accuracy. He seldom walked anyone. He did have one fault though. When someone, like me, made a dumb play, say, in right field, he would stand on the mound and shout our his displeasure along with some "tips" about how to play it the next time.

Mike and I were friends off the field too, right through my two divorces and two of his divorces, and the birth of his beloved daughter, Cordelia. So it was a shock to me when he told me he had to have a liver transplant. He was only 62. I am older so I can say "only". I went to see him after the operation and he was reading the book they gave him about all the drugs, and other things involved after one has another persons organ in your body. He said, "If I'd have known this I would not have even done it!"

I wish he hadn't because the liver they gave him turned out to have microscopic cancer in it. He lived some months, but by the time they figured out what was wrong, he was no longer eligible for another liver.

I'd often visit Mike in the various hospitals they shifted him around in. So, too, did many of his teamates from the various teams he'd played on. He was brave and tough and kind and smart and I will never forget my years playing with and being friends with: Michael Siporin, Pitcher, Filmaker, Artist, Father, Son and good man. His nickname was "Goody", and for good reason.

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