Sad news :(

Markus Heinsohn · 02-10-2017, 08:49 AM

Unfortunately we have some very sad news to share. We wanted to let you all know that Howard Woolfolk, known on the OOTP forums as 'haveband', died on the evening of February 8th.

Howard was the long time leader of OOTP's roster team. He was one of the best friends and supporters that OOTP has ever had and a tireless advocate for the game and the sport that he loved so much.

Even if you've never interacted with him, you'll have seen his influence on the game through the work he did on the roster set. He devoted an enormous amount of time and effort into working on the rosters and organizing the team. He cared equally about having the details of the most obscure recent DSL signing and that of the biggest and best known MLB stars being in-game and correct.

All of us here at OOTP thought the world of Howard, and we will miss him greatly. We'll miss him not only for all he contributed to the game, but for what he was as a person. He was always positive, energetic, diligent and passionate. We're proud to have been able to call him our friend and to have known him even for all too short a period of time.

We're certainly not the only ones hurting right now, and we'd like to express our best wishes and deepest condolences to his family and friends, including his mother Sharon, as well as his brother and sister and all of the others who knew him and loved him. We hope that they'll be able to find comfort and peace at this difficult time and that they can find some joy in knowing how much he was appreciated by all of us at OOTP.

Goodbye Howard, you'll always be in our hearts and we'll think of you as often as we play or work on OOTP.

The OOTP Developments Team

EDIT (By Lukas):

We just found out that there was a gofundme account to help the Woolfolk family defer Howard's funeral expenses. You can find the link here. If you're in a position to be able to help out, they would surely appreciate it! Thanks!

drksd4848 · 02-10-2017, 10:14 AM

Standing ovation for Howard and everything he did. To quote Trot Nixon:

He now has the best seat in the house.

ashantewarrier · 02-10-2017, 10:33 AM

Sad news. My condolences to the Howard family. May God bless them...rest in peace Howard.

Déjà Bru · 02-10-2017, 10:39 AM

R.I.P., Howard. I did not know you, but any friend of OOTP is a friend of mine.

P.S. - Nice eulogy, Markus.

plannine · 02-10-2017, 10:43 AM

It's always a sad day, when we have a loss in the OOTP community.

RchW · 02-10-2017, 11:35 AM

Very sad news. My condolences to his family and all those here who were close to him.

stalker101 · 02-10-2017, 11:40 AM

Thank you Markus,
Howard was my real life friend,meaning I knew him for 20 years,live in same city and we came from neighboring cities when we were younger so we had so much in common.
Howard introduced me to OOTP and we played for years with rosters he made for himself and I before joining the group and started making them for everyone.We talked Baseball ALL the Time ,even as he was suffering here towards the end in pain ,if i asked him about it and what was going on..he'd deftly would change the subject to baseball and what was going on here or there..It is very hard for me to realize my friend isnt here to write a quick note to about some move or another in baseball anymore..or share some sadness in the passing of another player we admired.There is a hole in my life now that will be impossible to fill that is connected to this game i love..the last two mornings I have watched Hot Stove in the morning on MLB network..where a lot of time he and i would send a message to each other about something said during it or about some move..its been hard to enjoy a show i look forward to in the morning usually knowing my friend isnt here to share with..Good Bye Howard..you will always be with me in some way..Tim

actionjackson · 02-10-2017, 11:58 AM

My condolences to Howard's family and friends and Tim (stalker101) at this difficult time.

Déjà Bru · 02-10-2017, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stalker101

Howard introduced me to OOTP and we played for years with rosters he made for himself and I before joining the group and started making them for everyone.We talked Baseball ALL the Time ,even as he was suffering here towards the end in pain ,if i asked him about it and what was going on..he'd deftly would change the subject to baseball and what was going on here or there.

I have said it before and I say it again: OOTPB has helped me through some dark times in my life. Just to have something like OOTPB to turn to in order to take your mind off things like anxiety, grief, and pain is a blessing for which I have been grateful.

If one is lucky to have the love and support of family and friends, so much the better. Not everyone is so fortunate, however, and even family and friends cannot occupy/distract one's thoughts all the time. That's where OOTPB comes in very handy.

I hope Howard had this solace until the end.

CubbyFan23 · 02-10-2017, 01:23 PM

Some of my favorite memories over the years with OOTP were conversations with Howard about the game, rosters and just baseball in general. His influence on this game throughout the years cannot be overstated - he put such a great amount of thought and attention into making the OOTP MLB universe so incredibly immersive for so many players. One of the truly great guys in the community. Condolences to his family and friends.

Germaniac · 02-10-2017, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stalker101

Thank you Markus,
Howard was my real life friend,meaning I knew him for 20 years,live in same city and we came from neighboring cities when we were younger so we had so much in common.
Howard introduced me to OOTP and we played for years with rosters he made for himself and I before joining the group and started making them for everyone.We talked Baseball ALL the Time ,even as he was suffering here towards the end in pain ,if i asked him about it and what was going on..he'd deftly would change the subject to baseball and what was going on here or there..It is very hard for me to realize my friend isnt here to write a quick note to about some move or another in baseball anymore..or share some sadness in the passing of another player we admired.There is a hole in my life now that will be impossible to fill that is connected to this game i love..the last two mornings I have watched Hot Stove in the morning on MLB network..where a lot of time he and i would send a message to each other about something said during it or about some move..its been hard to enjoy a show i look forward to in the morning usually knowing my friend isnt here to share with..Good Bye Howard..you will always be with me in some way..Tim

Sad to hear that a friend of the OOTP community passed away - like Déjà Bru noted, I also consider everybody in the community here a friend - but losing a real life friend is a lot tougher.

Thanks Markus and Tim for finding the perfect words to describe what a great person and friend we all lost.

silvam14 · 02-10-2017, 02:07 PM

I'm saddened by the news of Howard's passing. Like most here, I did it know him personally, but being o the forums here for so many years, I knew him from his great contributions to this community. He will be sorely missed here.

I hope maybe we could name an award in the default fictional QuickStart after either his real name or board name.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

swoboda · 02-10-2017, 02:17 PM

Didn't know him, but terribly sad news His work will certainly live on with this community. Perhaps there's a way to forward this thread to his family ?

Statsman1 · 02-10-2017, 02:23 PM

Wow. My sincere condolences to the Woolfolk family, to Tim (stalker101) and Howard's friends at OOTP.

Like many, I didn't know him personally, but all of us obviously reaped the benefits from Howard's love for baseball and OOTP. Tim and Markus summed it all up, and judging by the other responses, summed it up best about a fine fellow.

Howard had an impact on all of us, and it shows in this thread.

RIP Howard.

IStillDream · 02-10-2017, 03:08 PM

That's truly awful. I wish I'd had the chance to meet him, he sounds like an outstanding guy. Genuinely selfless.

Since you're adding the winners of the preorder contest to the game as draft prospects, would it be a fitting tribute to do the same with him? Give the man who worked so hard on the rosters his spot on one?

ootp3to6 · 02-10-2017, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IStillDream

That's truly awful. I wish I'd had the chance to meet him, he sounds like an outstanding guy. Genuinely selfless.

Since you're adding the winners of the preorder contest to the game as draft prospects, would it be a fitting tribute to do the same with him? Give the man who worked so hard on the rosters his spot on one?

I agree! Howard deserves it.

Germaniac · 02-10-2017, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IStillDream

That's truly awful. I wish I'd had the chance to meet him, he sounds like an outstanding guy. Genuinely selfless.

Since you're adding the winners of the preorder contest to the game as draft prospects, would it be a fitting tribute to do the same with him? Give the man who worked so hard on the rosters his spot on one?

Great idea, and I absolutely agree. This would be a great way to honor a guy who worked so hard on the rosters for OOTP

bwburke94 · 02-10-2017, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IStillDream

That's truly awful. I wish I'd had the chance to meet him, he sounds like an outstanding guy. Genuinely selfless.

Since you're adding the winners of the preorder contest to the game as draft prospects, would it be a fitting tribute to do the same with him? Give the man who worked so hard on the rosters his spot on one?

It's certainly a fitting tribute.

actionjackson · 02-10-2017, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IStillDream

That's truly awful. I wish I'd had the chance to meet him, he sounds like an outstanding guy. Genuinely selfless.

Since you're adding the winners of the preorder contest to the game as draft prospects, would it be a fitting tribute to do the same with him? Give the man who worked so hard on the rosters his spot on one?

Yes, yes, yes.

Sweed · 02-10-2017, 08:33 PM

Sad news. Condolences to Howard's family and his friends here on the OOTP forums.

02-10-2017, 08:49 AM	#1
Markus Heinsohn Developer OOTP Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Germany Posts: 24,803	Sad news :( Unfortunately we have some very sad news to share. We wanted to let you all know that Howard Woolfolk, known on the OOTP forums as 'haveband', died on the evening of February 8th. Howard was the long time leader of OOTP's roster team. He was one of the best friends and supporters that OOTP has ever had and a tireless advocate for the game and the sport that he loved so much. Even if you've never interacted with him, you'll have seen his influence on the game through the work he did on the roster set. He devoted an enormous amount of time and effort into working on the rosters and organizing the team. He cared equally about having the details of the most obscure recent DSL signing and that of the biggest and best known MLB stars being in-game and correct. All of us here at OOTP thought the world of Howard, and we will miss him greatly. We'll miss him not only for all he contributed to the game, but for what he was as a person. He was always positive, energetic, diligent and passionate. We're proud to have been able to call him our friend and to have known him even for all too short a period of time. We're certainly not the only ones hurting right now, and we'd like to express our best wishes and deepest condolences to his family and friends, including his mother Sharon, as well as his brother and sister and all of the others who knew him and loved him. We hope that they'll be able to find comfort and peace at this difficult time and that they can find some joy in knowing how much he was appreciated by all of us at OOTP. Goodbye Howard, you'll always be in our hearts and we'll think of you as often as we play or work on OOTP. The OOTP Developments Team EDIT (By Lukas): We just found out that there was a gofundme account to help the Woolfolk family defer Howard's funeral expenses. You can find the link here. If you're in a position to be able to help out, they would surely appreciate it! Thanks! __________________ Buy Out of the Park Baseball 25 now! Download OOTP Go 25 for iOS Download OOTP Go 25 for Android Last edited by Lukas Berger; 02-13-2017 at 09:12 AM.

02-10-2017, 10:33 AM	#3
ashantewarrier Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Somerset, NJ via Brooklyn, NY Posts: 2,308	Sad news. My condolences to the Howard family. May God bless them...rest in peace Howard. __________________ "I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me... All I ask is that you respect me as a human being." -Jackie Robinson, #42 Brooklyn Dodgers *"Hitting is better than sex."* - Reggie Jackson

02-10-2017, 10:39 AM	#4
Déjà Bru Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Long Island Posts: 11,741	R.I.P., Howard. I did not know you, but any friend of OOTP is a friend of mine. P.S. - Nice eulogy, Markus. __________________ - Bru Last edited by Déjà Bru; 02-10-2017 at 10:40 AM.

02-10-2017, 10:43 AM	#5
plannine All Star Reserve Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 572	It's always a sad day, when we have a loss in the OOTP community. __________________ Good pitching will always stop good hitting and vice-versa - Casey Stengel

02-10-2017, 11:35 AM	#6
RchW Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto ON by way of Glasgow UK Posts: 15,629	Very sad news. My condolences to his family and all those here who were close to him. __________________ Cheers RichW If you’re looking for a good cause to donate money to please consider a Donation to Parkinson’s Canada. It may help me have a better future and if not me, someone else. Thanks. “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition …There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.” Frank Wilhoit

02-10-2017, 10:14 AM	#2
drksd4848 All Star Starter Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,932	Standing ovation for Howard and everything he did. To quote Trot Nixon: He now has the best seat in the house.

02-10-2017, 11:40 AM	#7
stalker101 Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lancaster,CA Posts: 97	Thank you Markus, Howard was my real life friend,meaning I knew him for 20 years,live in same city and we came from neighboring cities when we were younger so we had so much in common. Howard introduced me to OOTP and we played for years with rosters he made for himself and I before joining the group and started making them for everyone.We talked Baseball ALL the Time ,even as he was suffering here towards the end in pain ,if i asked him about it and what was going on..he'd deftly would change the subject to baseball and what was going on here or there..It is very hard for me to realize my friend isnt here to write a quick note to about some move or another in baseball anymore..or share some sadness in the passing of another player we admired.There is a hole in my life now that will be impossible to fill that is connected to this game i love..the last two mornings I have watched Hot Stove in the morning on MLB network..where a lot of time he and i would send a message to each other about something said during it or about some move..its been hard to enjoy a show i look forward to in the morning usually knowing my friend isnt here to share with..Good Bye Howard..you will always be with me in some way..Tim

02-10-2017, 11:58 AM	#8
actionjackson Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 6,179	My condolences to Howard's family and friends and Tim (stalker101) at this difficult time.

02-10-2017, 01:23 PM	#10
CubbyFan23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 2,257	Some of my favorite memories over the years with OOTP were conversations with Howard about the game, rosters and just baseball in general. His influence on this game throughout the years cannot be overstated - he put such a great amount of thought and attention into making the OOTP MLB universe so incredibly immersive for so many players. One of the truly great guys in the community. Condolences to his family and friends. Last edited by CubbyFan23; 02-10-2017 at 01:25 PM.

02-10-2017, 02:07 PM	#12
silvam14 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Dedham, MA Posts: 10,138	I'm saddened by the news of Howard's passing. Like most here, I did it know him personally, but being o the forums here for so many years, I knew him from his great contributions to this community. He will be sorely missed here. I hope maybe we could name an award in the default fictional QuickStart after either his real name or board name. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Senior "Nancy Boy" of the OOTP Boards _______________________________________________

02-10-2017, 02:17 PM	#13
swoboda All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Guarding The Line Posts: 1,230	Didn't know him, but terribly sad news His work will certainly live on with this community. Perhaps there's a way to forward this thread to his family ? __________________ "...If you want to look ahead to the bottom of the ninth, the Mets will be sending up Buddy Harrelson, Jerry Buchek , and Don Bosch, we'll be right back after this word from Rheingold Beer" The late great Lindsey Nelson

02-10-2017, 02:23 PM	#14
Statsman1 Major Leagues Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Marmora, Ontario, Canada Posts: 340	Wow. My sincere condolences to the Woolfolk family, to Tim (stalker101) and Howard's friends at OOTP. Like many, I didn't know him personally, but all of us obviously reaped the benefits from Howard's love for baseball and OOTP. Tim and Markus summed it all up, and judging by the other responses, summed it up best about a fine fellow. Howard had an impact on all of us, and it shows in this thread. RIP Howard. __________________ Statsman1

02-10-2017, 03:08 PM	#15
IStillDream Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 167	That's truly awful. I wish I'd had the chance to meet him, he sounds like an outstanding guy. Genuinely selfless. Since you're adding the winners of the preorder contest to the game as draft prospects, would it be a fitting tribute to do the same with him? Give the man who worked so hard on the rosters his spot on one?

02-10-2017, 08:33 PM	#20
Sweed Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Iowa Posts: 7,069	Sad news. Condolences to Howard's family and his friends here on the OOTP forums.