Bob. You have done more for players and parents with this message board than we could ever have hoped for. Good Luck to you and here's hoping someone steps up to copy your fine work.

Bob,

This site has been terrific resource! We have all learned from each other and the sharing of information has been very helpful.

Best of luck to you!

Bob,

Your "vision" has created a brotherhood amongst the parents, players, coaches and professional baseball people who participated in the various forums and topics on this board! In my area of the country, Chicagoland, some individuals who know me, introduce me to their friends or acquanitances as "Boomer....from the high school baseball web site......hsbaseballweb.com!"

I have come to make new friends, both locally and nationally, just by having that 'handle'. I was in Texas last summer with my son at a showcase when a gentlemen came up to me and asked where we were from? I said from the Chicago area. I was wearing an old blue Brooklyn Dodgers hat with a white 'B' on the hat. And just out of the clear blue sky he asked me "are you familiar with the high school baseball website?" I said yes! He asked are you Boomer???

I'm not a 'figurehead' up here, but by being a part of your wonderful endeavor, people have come to call me Boomer just because of the message boards!!!!

This is certainly not about me, but about YOU!!!! I know I would have never learned so much about the high school, college, or even professional baseball world, or meet such new and interesting people, if it had not been for this great website!

Thanks BOB!!!!

BoomerIL

Bob, I don't always get time to spend on this site. When I have the time I've enjoyed it greatly. I even enjoyed the arguments. You have done a great service to lots of folks. I'm sorry to see it stop. Wish you the best of luck and hope someone fills your big shoes. Thanks for everything and best wishes always.

Bob -
Thank You is not sufficient. We've learned so much about baseball, scouting, colleges from this site. And, we've made some friends.

Our oldest is now playing college ball and loving it. We found a great fit for him because of this site. We followed the lessons learned and gleaned knowledge that isn't available anywhere else.

We respect your decision, but will be sorry when we click our "Favorites" link and get a page not found message.

Very best wishes and as Tony Gwynn said at his retirement night for the Padres, "thank you, thank you, thank you".

Mays

I think we should have a sort of Irish Funeral on May 31 and raise a glass to the passing of our mutual addiction. It should be central time but I don't know the exact time.
I will name some names I believe to be prominent int this family of "GIVE ME BASEBALL"
Fungo
Tenndad
TRhit (don't ever change, you old curmudgeon)
ChicksDigTheLongBall
OnePlayer'sPop (OPP)
BeenthereIL
HiwasseeVol
AParent
MN-Mom
Orlando
FormerObserver
bbscout
ChicksDigTheLongBall
itsinthegame
URKillingMeBlue
Starzz
CADad
leftydad
jemaz
QueenOfTheEvilEmpire
BoomerIL
cong
My big question is; "What happens to Andy/Dibble"??

and the youngin's;
OPP Jr.
Howdeshell02

on a serious note, Iwill miss this site emmensely, I tried to keep my posts uner 100 over the past 7 years. At one point I could have been member #37 but I couldn't decide on a handle; then I had to find a avatar.

I love youse all. Yes, I am from Brooklyn, NY.
hsbaseballweb.com is dead
long live hsbaseballweb.com

Bob...

Thanks for creating this wonderful site! I just wish I'd found the message board sooner. I found the site in Jan 2004 but didn't begin reading the message board until August.

And to FBM (my first attempt at a PM ), BigHit, OPP, NVR1, luvbb, URKMB, MN-Mom, 123KMOM and others....Thanks for listening...for the support...and for the wonderful words of wisdom.

I will keep you all posted one way or another. Whether it be here, one of the new sites or by email.

Wow! I rarely posted but visited and read almost every day. What a wonderful source of info this has been. I guess it's a time for endings......

My own son played his final collegiate game last weekend, on the road in Memphis. My wife and I were there to see him play his last game. It has been a wonderful ride!

Bob, I wish you well. Thank you for all you've done, and as another Bob used to say, "thanks for the memories"...........

Bob,

I can only mimic what everyone else has said. Thanks so much for all you have done for the high school baseball world.

There should be a nobel baseball award for you.

Thanks again,
Seadog

Seadog... you hit it on the head with that comment!

"There should be a nobel baseball award for you". (Bob Howdeshell)

You won't get ANYONE to disagree with that statement on the hsbbweb.

Maybe, just maybe, Baseball America could do a special feature on the "World Famous" hsbbweb that was built by Bob Howdeshell. He sure deserves a "special interview" and plenty of "ink" in a very prominent baseball publication such as "Baseball America".

Or even Rick Stephenson, the Director of one of the most sought after movie documentary's today called "Prospect", could maybe do a special interview in his next film with Bob Howdeshell. What a deserving honor don't you all think?

Build it and "THEY" will come... the hsbbweb is a fine example of that famous statement.

wow... I just found out. When endings come, I am either relieved that something is over or I wish there was something I could do to make it last a while longer. Occasionally, things come into your life that make you smarter, more informed, and just all around helps you to be a better person. Bob Howdeshell and his "WORLD FAMOUS HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL WEB" is such an instance.

Bob, there is nothing I can say other than, thank you.

I've been apart of this site for a long time now, never posted much but used to be a frequent browser. It's a shame to see the site go down, but I'm sure this will carry on somehow, someway.

This site helped me immesely to land a full ride at a D2 school out of junior college back in 2002, and for that I thank everyone that has been involved in this site!

jcplayer,

Thanks so much for sharing your success story, and congratulations to you! That's a perfect example of what this site is about. You may have noticed the updates already in other threads, but YES, the site will continue, right here under the same name. Thanks, Bob!

Dr. Greenspan,

Didn't you have a cousin in Alabama that used to be in the showcase business?