Mike Kapchuk, 84, passed away on May 24. Mike was currently the manager of two teams: the Gold Rush 80 team and the Jaguars 85 team. Both teams are restructuring to continue tournament play after the loss of their manager/sponsor.
Mike was a multi-sport athlete in high school including track where he still holds the 100-yard hurdles record; played tight end in college; and was on football, baseball, and basketball teams when in the U.S. Marines. After his military service, Mike joined IBM as an engineer and moved to San Jose. There he was a coach for PAL football for 7 years and high school football for 2 years. He began playing softball in rec leagues, and when he turned 50, he began tournament play.
His teams played in national tournaments over the years, becoming the national champions in 1992. Over the years he played with Big Valley, Vintage Homeboys, and Royals, but for many years he sponsored teams as Kap’s Vending, a business he started after retiring from IBM. He was known as a hard-working manager, arriving early to tournaments to scout opposition teams. He is deeply missed by his family, friends, and many players
