Table Hockey Heaven

EricK · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 4:34 pm Post subject: RIP CTHL Champion Mike Lisowski

We’re sorry to report the passing of multi-time Chicago Table Hockey League champion Mike Lisowski in recent days.

Mike had been fighting cancer for a couple years. It seemed like every time he improved, the cancer came back. Cancer sucks like that.

We’ll have more details about services soon, but wanted to start a thread so that people can post their remembrances of Mike.

My lasting memory of Mike took place on CTHL finals night. He’d just won the championship again. I believe there’s a pic of this (I’ll look for some and post)...anyway, Mike is drinking beer out of the bowl/cup on top of the CTHL trophy. He’s sweating after a grueling series and he’s got a bandana around his head, Rambo-style. It was the picture of a champ, which Mike certainly was.

It can also be fairly said that Mike was one of a kind. Unique, as they say. Some of you may remember the results he’d post on table hockey café/tavern about the (I think) simulated league he’d play out at home.

Coleco was Mike’s passion, and he excelled at the game. He could light you up like a Christmas tree on the 5340. Those CTHL nets were wide, and his LW low tip was punishing. And the talking-to-himself congratulations he’d offer when he scored could get on your nerves. But man, you had to stand back and recognize. The guy was just a great player.

Mike dabbled in Stiga, coming out to a few early LTHL league dates. He even played in a U.S. Open or two. Believe he ran the table on a prelim group once.

Mike is not the first guy we’ve mourned in Chicago. Cancer got Stiga US Open co-founder Garry Butler in 2005, just before his White Sox won the World Series. An aneurysm got LTHL founder Gerald Pytlewski in 2010, just before his Blackhawks raised the Stanley Cup. And a heart attack got Barry Daniels of the CTHL before either of them.

We remember those we’ve lost and continue to play the game in their honor.

Johnny Canuck · Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 8:02 am Post subject:

I first met Mike at the 2005 U.S. Open. He gave it his best shot on the Stiga game. He had an ability to battle you to the very end on that game although his true passion was the Coleco straight slots. I enjoyed talking to Mike and he was very articulate about the details.

In recent months Mike and I communicated regularly via facebook email and I got to know him more and more during his fight with cancer. He was so brave in his fight. He made the cancer an opponent to solve in his mind like a table hockey opponent. Words of encouragement were all he needed during his fight with cancer.

I learned of Mike's passion for Canadian Football. His team was the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. During the 2011 CFL season, at mid season, we both projected a BC Lions versus Winnipeg Blue Bombers Grey Cup Game in Vancouver. It happened. The Bombers didn't win and Mike battled cancer well past the end of the 2011 CFL season too.

I'll miss Mike. A table hockey legend. As all the Chicago Table Hockey guys are. Lisowski versus Rzonca. Some of the greatest table hockey league championship series of all time.

Dominic Froome
Vancouver.
_________________
You can't score if you don't shoot the puck!

EricK · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 5:48 pm Post subject:

Thanks Mr. Froome.

The family has announced services:

Tuesday, May 15
3pm to 8pm

Giancola funeral home (aka rago bros funeral home)

7751 w irving park rd

Chicago IL

EricK · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 6:24 pm Post subject: pics

We've posted a photo gallery of Mike here:

http://lemonttablehockey.com/lisowski.html

ToddFuller · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 9:19 am Post subject:

Hi,

Thanks for creating this thread and the photo gallery for my Uncle Mike. He passed away in his sleep at around 10:30pm Tuesday night at the nursing home he was at. He was diagnosed with stage iv melanoma in early 2011. He was 58.

I have many great memories from my childhood of playing the old Coleco games with him. We would have tournments with my brother and I. He would spot us 8-0 leads and usually beat us 9-8. He would do all the play by play and sound effects. I could never really defend that LW low tip play. As I got older and more experienced, I could compete more and actually beat him a few times. He was always very competetive and didn't like to lose, even to his nephews. My family moved to St. Louis in 1983 when I was about 10 and later to Atlanta, so we didn't get to see him as much after that. I really missed seeing him regularly. It was always nice to visit him a few times a year.

I also remember playing a lot of Strat-o-matic baseball. He was just a huge sports fan and had a lot of memorabilia. He would keep scores for years in his "TWR" paper. He took us to Blackhawks, UIC Flames hockey games and White Sox games. I know he liked the original Winnipeg Jets and the CFL. I think he had a trailer and lived in Winnipeg for a short time. Unfortunately, we lost our Atlanta Thrashers hockey team to Winnipeg last year.

Thanks to everybody that played in the table hockey leagues and was friends with him over the years. He told me a few years ago that he had retired, but I saw that he played as recently as early 2011. He was proud to be a champion. I know that was something very passionate about from a very young age. He will be greatly missed.

Any condolence letters or cards can be sent to:

Lois Fuller
3681 Shelby Ln.
Marietta, GA 30062