In this episode we're joined by educator and sports fan Todd Bloch who lived a life of assimilation as the child of a cardiologist whos family did a fair amount of moving. Todd spent time during his formative years in Atlanta, Milwaukee, Quincy, IL, and Kent, CT.
Todd was a fan of the Atlanta Braves thanks in part because his father's office at Grady Memorial Hospital overlooked Fulton County Stadium and also because the family attended the same church as then-owner Ted Turner.
In Milwaukee, Todd transitioned to the Milwaukee Brewers and discovered the NBA's Bucks that featured players such as Junior Bridgeman, Marques Johnson, Bob Lanier, and Sidney Moncrief thanks to his school's "Books for Bucks" reading program.
Todd's family then moved to Quincy, IL, which is across the Mississippi River from Mark Twain's 1-time home of Hannibal, MO. While there, Todd's family discovered high school basketball at an elite level with an ardent fan base. (Check out the pregame Blue Devil mascot entrance here.) Todd was able to see future Big Ten players Bruce Douglas (Illinois) and Michael Payne (Iowa) play at Quincy.
Todd then attended high school at the Kent School (a boarding school in Connecticut) where he was introduced to the Boston-New York rivalry the fall he arrived on campus when the Red Sox and Mets squared off in the 1986 World Series.
It was during his time in high school that Todd's life was touched by tragedy, which might help explain why he embraces the opportunity to attend just about any sporting event. He's as comfortable at the NCAA Division III Calvin College-Hope College basketball rivalry - it received a special feature on State Champs! show found here - as he is attending the Indianapolis 500.
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