COMSTOCK PARK – “299 Bottles of Beer on the wall, 299 Bottles of beer...”

With that, a few Fatties were off to explore the fabulous world of Michigan beer in the Michigan Brew Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival, located in the parking lot behind centerfield at the West Michigan Whitecaps’ Fifth Third Park.
Unlike the horrific movie of the same name, this event featured an amazing array of tasty and innovative brews from among the seventy plus breweries occupying the Great Lakes State. Click here for a LIST and the full program.
Among the sold out crowd of 4000, was OB, Rings, T-Wille, and Mav. Larry Legend was unable to make it at the last minute.
Among the highlights, Blue Tractor had a surprisingly strong lineup and a dynamite “Schokolade Weizen,” Bells Brewery released samples of “Batch 9000″ and “Black Note Bourbon Barrell Aged Stout,” Sherwood Brewing had an incredibly interesting “Gunpowder IPA,” Darkhorse Brewing featured a wide and varied selection of brews, including a “Donut Beer,” and Frankemuth Brewery had reawakened with a few classic German brews.

IRAQ – Trey “The Bookie” Sumner informs the Front Office of an upcoming “Officer’s Challenge” to take place this Sunday in Iraq. Over the past several weeks, during down time in country, Sumner has reportely whupped up on a few rookie wifflers, including at least one of his superior officers. And, as the “Chatty Kathy” we know and love, he hasn’t let the matter rest. Allegedly, he’s been issuing challenges all the way up to General, and apparently, the word has gotten around.

“The Brigade Commander has ordered my one of our support units and my commander to assemble teams for a 3 team mini tournament tomorrow evening,” writes Trey. “He’s really ****ng serious about this. He wants my head on a platter. I’m trying to wager paychecks with him.”

Trey’s hopes, of course, rely on the inability of his oppenents to throw strikes, so this mini-Fatty has been moved to an indoor facility, in hopes of reducing interference of the elements. This event has received official sanctioning by Fat Bastard Wiffle Ball as a preliminary exhibition to Fat Bastard Iraq II, taking place shortly.

Our advice to the Brigade Commander: don’t wager him, don’t listen to him and, for Pete’s sakes,  hit the strike zone.

We’ll look forward to the updates to come…

“Its cell phones & soccer…that’s why this whole country is ******!”

- The Big ‘Un

GRAND RAPIDS – Happy Anniversary, EZ!

HARVARD – We just happened to notice this little blurb from Men’s Health recently. When XI rolls around, we’ll have to make sure they’re invited…

LINK

LUDINGTON – What a weekend!

A few Fatties took a run up the West Coast for their annual “Boys’ Weekend” at the actual setting for The Shining in the world’s oldest motel, where they were promptly checked in at the Stearns Motor Inn by Clint Howard, once everyone’s signature was properly verified.

This was only the beginning of the celebrity sightings, however, as Andy “The Big ‘Un” Albertson was pleased to run into Will Geer, of The Waltons fame during a pit stop at Ludington’s local and friendly Moose Lodge #508.

There was a few Schlitz, and much reminiscing…at least until we finally stopped into the Tiki Lounge. Ugh.

HARVARD YARDS – All good things must come to an end, and so it is with the “World’s Greatest Wiffle Ball Tournament.” It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that the Front Office announces the postponement of the Fat Bastard Wiffle Ball Tournament XI this August.

This may come to a shock to many of you, there isn’t any one single reason for this decision, but the culmination of many factors. While we won’t bore you with all of them, suffice it to say there are a few more important than others:

1. Its a helluva lot of work. As a labor of love, its been done with a skip in the step, a grin on our mugs, and a cold beverage in hand…but its still a ton of work. It takes months of preparation, even with the helping hands who are kind enough to pitch in. By mid-August every year, we’ve had enough…and the Monsoon of 2009 didn’t make things any easier.

2. The size is borderline too much. While part of the joy of The Fatty are the friends, Romans and countrymen who make their annual sojurn to Harvard Yards – particularly for the Ice Cream Social - it has nonetheless grown to the point where its getting too big for the humble abode that is Harvard Yards.

3. Harvard Yards is on the market (link HERE and HERE). The other two factors aside, there’s a good chance the front office facilities will be in new hands by the time August rolls around and its unknown whether new grounds can be secured in time to adequately prepare for the Fatty.

There is a very good chance we’re back in 2011, but that remains to be seen. With the blessings of our Fatty friends, this site will not go away, and we hope that it will remain a source of amusement and fond memories long into the future. At the very least, we’ll keep things up to date for Fat Bastard Iraq II and the upcoming Hall of Fame vote – we will induct new members who have earned it regardless of the 2010 calendar.

With that, we’d like to thank each and every one of you, who has participated in one way or another over the years. It’s been a helluva decade!

“Drink good beer, cherish your friends and laugh at yourself.”

- The Fatties

GRAND RAPIDS – Some early footage of a young Moop has been discovered. Behold the future flair magic: