Shan Hofmann was one of my oldest and best friends.
We met in l947 in Athens, Ohio, when we were both wide-eyed freshmen at Ohio Univesity. Immediately, we discovered we had much in common. We were both just out of high school and were enrolled in the journalism program at Ohio U. Moreover, we both loved sports, especially baseball. As it turned out, Shan was the most knowledgeable baseball person I ever knew, and we had many enjoyable discussions about our favorite sport over the years. We both joined the sports staff of the campus newspaper, THE OHIO UNIVERSITY POST, and remained there for our four years of college. We both graduated in l951 and served in the military during the Korean War.
For some years, we lost track of each other but re-connected in the late l970s when we ran into each other while Shan was visiting Milwaukee where he lived. After that, we got together many times, mostly for baseball games at the Milwaukee County Stadium. They were always most enjoyable events.
My most indelible memory of Shan occurred in l950 when both of us were awarded first prizes by the Ohio College Newspaper Association for stories we had written for the college paper tht year. Shan won for a baseball story (what else?) while I won for a story on a student basketball fan. We shared our good fortune together, and there weren't two more happy people than we on that occasion.
I will never forget Shan Hofmann. I already miss him.
Bob Carboni, Williamsburg, VA##imported-begin##robert o carboni##imported-end##