Why Dušan Šišolák Memorial?

Who was Dušan Šišolák?

I think that we disappointed our father, Dušan Šišolák significantly only twice: first time, as kids we started to cheer for Inter Bratislava, which was for him – whole life Slovan fan, long time player -very hard. Second time, when we stopped playing soccer and started to play baseball…

More than 25 years ago, we decided, together with Charlie (Juraj Špánik) leave relatively safe organisation of Slovak Technical University in Bratislava and establish our own club, we had nobody to ask for advice.

In 1994, we just turned 18, full of energy, enthusiasm and ready to spend all of our free time with baseball, but with no experience. Together with Robo Cibula and Andrej “Ondro” Šišolák team Fighting Flies was founded. We tried to bring this idea to life – first – only – baseball team in Slovakia “ever”.

But we were lucky. There was always the one person standing behind us. Our father grumbled, but always on our side. He helped us to understand what’s real life. Supported us financially – first jerseys, sponsors. It took a long time until he understood difference between strike and ball, why batter can have unlimited amount of foulballs (like I tried to understand offside in soccer), but he never stopped to believe that his sons and those crazy guys around them, those which fell in love for this sport, knows what they are doing. Resigned for family weekends, since they were now at the field. But he cooked gulash and hosted every player coming by – no matter if it was at “Inter” or Novinárska. Remember? (Charlie, Robo, Peto, Julo, Tomáš, Dušan, “Lukáč” and more and more… younger players can surely confirm…)

He stored balls, jerseys, bases, lend tools…did everything what his sons and another “Flies” told him it’s needed… Few years ago, even playing for SaBat I came home for weekend game of Flies in Hungary my father woke up at six, to go to the groceries store and prepare the food for “for another never ending doubleheader”.

He didn’t come very often, because he did not want us to know, that he does not understand all baseball terms. But he always told us his opinion, evaluated his favourite and “favourite” players. He was happy when we won and more sad when we lost, then we were.  His interest of FFB, two or three generations of Šišolák’s, their friends, which went crazy for baseball 30 years ago was significant and never-ending.

Less than a year ago he passed away after a fight with hard desease. He fought with it for a long time and believed too, that he will win – just like we still believe, that FF will win the Championship one day. Today, 15.09.2017 would be his 74th Birthday. So, why Dušan Šišolák – our honored president – Memorial?

Because!

Matej „Šišo“ Šišolák