The Poker Boys

We had our monthly poker game at the Doc’s place last night. I started this tradition around 6 or 7 years ago (actually it might be longer, I can’t really remember). It’s always a great evening, with good food, good camaraderie, a lot of laughs, and a few bucks changing hands.

The participants changed over the years, and it’s become more like a monthly BABI meeting for the past few years. We only have three regulars from the original game left: the Doc, the Colonel and myself. Over the years we subsequently added Mark, Noel, Ken, Mr. Leaguer, and Larry Dot Net, in addition to a client/friend of mine who participates in neither BABI or PEFA (my fantasy football league, founded 1981) has no idea what the hell we are talking about most of the time, and has a tell that his hand stinks in which he throws his chips across the table. (BTW, The Colonel is in PEFA.) In addition, Kevin of the Pounders is the first alternate for our game, and makes it to two or three games per year.

It’s really an evening of rip roaring man fun. The Doc and I generally cook dinner for everyone, and there are a few bottles of wine brought in and opened during the evening. During baseball and football seasons there is usually a game on in the background (we don’t have games on Mondays anymore, because everyone in fantasy football leagues is way too distracted).

And the laughs. This is a pretty funny group of guys. And that is a heck of an understatement. We joke about everything. It’s a real dormitory atmosphere. Frankly, I just love the games, and I think everyone really looks forward to them. As Ken has said, the poker is just an excuse to have a little party and hang out.

I’ve been told by others in BABI that sometimes they feel like outsiders because the poker crew has gotten so friendly. I can’t ever remember a trade actually happening at a poker game, though some have tried. Ken once spent half the evening away from the table negotiating by phone with the Pounders, to the annoyance of everyone, though I must say, since we kept him in every hand until he folded, he lost a hell of a lot because of that deal.

The Doc and I didn’t know anyone in BABI when we joined 12 years ago. In fact, we responded to an ad in Baseball Weekly, I think. We didn’t actually get into the league for another year after we responded. Now some of our best friends are guys we met through being in this league. We golf together, go to sporting events together, split a meatpie at Henry’s together and play poker together. Noel and Mark are now in PEFA, going on 4 or 5 years, and Ken and Larry are at the top of the waiting list.

My wife makes fun of all this sports stuff, but this league has introduced me to some guys who are going to be my friends for a very long time. As my PEFA partner once said, he imagines a day when we meet for our annual pre-draft pow wow at the House of Prime Rib rolling our oxygen tanks in front of us. I hope it’s that way in BABI, too.

And at the poker games.