Second Blue Moon Observed

Shank takes another break from crapping on the local professional sports teams to eulogize a former teammate of his.

Stanley J. Kopec Jr. died of brain cancer at his home in Pepperell at the age of 63 last week. He taught math, worked in high tech for three decades, and loved to play golf. By all accounts, he lived a quiet and happy life in Central Massachusetts. He leaves his wife, his sister, and extended family members. His obituary read, “As genuine as they come, there was not a bone of pretense in his body.’’

I know that’s true. Fifty years ago, Stan was my baseball teammate. We always called him “Woody.’’

I lost touch with Woody a long time ago. We connected a few times at reunions and funerals — and occasionally he’d send me an e-mail about something in the world of sports — but life and choices simply sent us in different directions.

When a friend sent me a text notifying me of Woody’s passing, I got to thinking about the bonds we form as teammates.