It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the BLOHARDS announce the passing of our club's President/Owner/CEO, Jim Powers. Jim passed away on Thursday in Connecticut at the age of 77 (give or take).

As the legend goes, Jim christened the BLOHARDS over an extended luncheon at the old J.J.'s Cellar on East 55th Street, surrounded by about fifteen disenfranchised Sox fans/transplanted New Englanders who were residing in the NYC-area.

As the luncheon crowds grew it became necessary for Jim to work with a podium and a microphone - and the rest is history. Powers's classic delivery, obscure New England references, fearless wit and intense love of the Red Sox made him the only luncheon host in the history of the BLOHARDS. Henry Berry's memorable slide shows from the 1970s through the mid-1990s (who could forget the Steinbrenner awards?) only added to the festivities. And through thick and thin, it was always Dick Bresciani of the Red Sox loyally supporting Jim and the BLOHARDS with his sage analysis and impressive lineup of guest speakers. Even during the darkest days, disgruntled members would often depart the luncheons with smiles on their faces, actually believing Jim's and Dick's cockeyed optimism that the Sox were "a player or two away," only to realize an hour or two later that the two players were Yaz and Ted Williams.

Long-time BLOHARDS and new members alike are invited to share their remembrances of Jim Powers, sending them to peterc@blohards.com. We will post as many as we can on the website (www.blohards.com) over the next few weeks. Looking back on the good times will help us deal with this tremendous loss.

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