RIP APBA leaguer Brad Stark

Some sad news today. I heard through Stray Corrado that Brad Stark met with an untimely accident and passed away at the early age of 45.

Brad was currently in the Mid-West Baseball League. Here is Stray’s tribute to him.

It is with deep sorrow & a heavy heart that I share the sad news of the passing of our esteemed member, Brad Stark. Brad met with a tragic accident on July 7, 2023, while pursuing his passion for cycling during a family vacation on the Oregon coast. He was involved in a fatal car-bike collision, leaving us all devastated by the loss of such an incredible individual.

Brad was an invaluable member of the Mid-West Baseball League & Mid-West Winter League, always ready to lend a helping hand & contribute his expertise whenever needed. His dedication, enthusiasm, and unwavering commitment to the League were truly admirable. Brad’s warm personality & infectious spirit made him an instant favorite among our members, & he will be profoundly missed.

Beyond his involvement in our Leagues, Brad was known for his love for cycling & his woodworking, passions that brought him joy & fulfillment. His enthusiasm for riding his bike was infectious, & he inspired many with his zest for life. Brad’s adventurous spirit was an inspiration to us all, encouraging us to pursue our passions fearlessly.

In addition to his contributions to the League, Brad leaves behind a loving family who meant the world to him. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lisa, & their two children. Our hearts go out to them during this unimaginably difficult time. We offer our deepest condolences & assure them that they have our unwavering support.

As a League, if we can check in on his Etsy site & purchase something from there it would be a great way to have a piece of his work & I am sure help out his family.  The shop was closed while they were on vacation, but hopefully, his wife Lisa will open it up once the time is right for her & the family.

During this time of mourning, let us come together as a League & extend our support & kindness to Brad’s family. They will undoubtedly need our comforting words as they navigate through this challenging period. If anyone wishes to offer support or condolences directly, please reach out to me by E-Mail, & I will forward the communication to Lisa.

Brad’s passing has created a void within our League that will be difficult to fill. Let us remember him for the positive impact he had on the MWBL & MWWL & strive to carry forward his legacy of dedication, enthusiasm, & camaraderie.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Lisa, their children,& all those who had the privilege of knowing Brad. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

This was incredibly sudden and sad to hear. While I have never met Brad in person, we were both members of the Boys of Summer Baseball for Windows league. For several reasons, we hit connected over email (and a few times on the phone). He always made time to play his Portland Microbrewers online with me when it was time to play.

Brad was smart, level-headed and fair. That led to him taking a bit of a leadership role with the BoS league.

Thank you, Stray for letting us know about Brad. He leaves the world a dimmer place without him it. Condolences to his wife, Lisa and his children.

Thomas Nelshoppen

I am an IT consultant by day and an APBA media mogul by night. My passions are baseball (specifically Illini baseball), photography and of course, APBA. I have been fortunate to be part of the basic game Illowa APBA League since 1980 as well as the BBW Boys of Summer APBA League since 2014. I am slogging through a 1966 NL replay and hope to finish before I die.

One Comment:

  1. Brad was also in our basic game C&D World’s Best Summer League (WBSL) the last 2 years with his team the Depoe Bay Cyclists.
    While I didn’t know Brad as well as other longer serving managers, he was always friendly to me in my interactions. It is most certainly a sad time in the APBA community.

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