Sad news
I'm sorry to report that longtime Komets fan James Fell, known to many of you blog readers as "Skate," died at the age of 53 after a battle with cancer. Skate was a frequent commenter on this site, very knowledgeable about the game. Click here to see the obituary.
speechless :(((((
Posted by: Tony E | October 02, 2007 at 02:59 PM
Thoughts and prayers go out to the Fell family. "Skate" will be missed by those on this blog...
Posted by: JR | October 02, 2007 at 03:17 PM
I wondered if that was him.
My thoughts and prayers also go out to his family and he will be missed here.
Posted by: Greg | October 02, 2007 at 03:22 PM
very sad news.. prayers and best wishes to his family.
Posted by: komets123 | October 02, 2007 at 03:26 PM
I wondered what happened to "Skate" I had not seen him blog in a while. He will be missed. My heart and prayers go out to him and his family.
Posted by: wingmnn | October 02, 2007 at 03:31 PM
Yeah, I knew a couple days ago, but i wanted to wait until the obit officially came out.
Posted by: Justin Cohn | October 02, 2007 at 03:44 PM
RIP Skate
Posted by: Junior | October 02, 2007 at 04:02 PM
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family :( very sad day
Posted by: Junior | October 02, 2007 at 04:03 PM
Very sad Day, he will be missed.
Posted by: SMITTY | October 02, 2007 at 04:08 PM
wow he was my neighbor all along. RIP james fell
Posted by: IcyKometFan84 | October 02, 2007 at 04:47 PM
I always appreciated Skate's blog comments. He will be missed!
Posted by: JungleMonkey | October 02, 2007 at 05:32 PM
My condolences and prayers to the Fell family.
He was a wonderful man and I know will be missed by many.
Posted by: Shutterbug | October 02, 2007 at 05:36 PM
Wow...I am at a loss for words right now. I had no clue that Jim was ill and I thought he was doing well. Jim and I shared a bond in that we both had a kidney transplant..Although I was only introduced to Jim this past year, he became a friend and someone I would make it a point to talk to at every game. You will be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with the family and fellow friends of Mr. Fell.
Posted by: Brandon | October 02, 2007 at 06:35 PM
I was sorry to hear of Jim's passing. He played poker in a group with my dad and his son-in-law Sam was on one of my roller hockey teams this season. He always was very helpful when it came to things having to do with some of the history of the Komets. He answered a few questions I had about Jack Loos and some of the songs that used to be played at games. RIP Jim and thank you.
Posted by: Komets PA | October 02, 2007 at 06:59 PM
RIP Skate, I heard about this yesterday at work, my condolences go out to his family.
Posted by: Mark | October 02, 2007 at 08:36 PM
Jim was my uncle, he always tried to get me to catch the hockey bug, which I eventually did. I held out hope that the K's would eventually join the CHL, so that we could go to war on the boards, My Wichita Thunder against his beloved Komet's. The first guy I called after learning of what Jim later called "The Horrible Shoebottom Incident" in Tulsa in '94 (Where Bruce got mace by the Tulsa Police), was my Uncle Jim, how loved Shoebottom, "His kind of player".
Jim played hockey through college, all the time with only one kidney, which he did not discover until around '95. A rough, cheapshot defenseman, he always maintained that he had an assist in college which was never credited to him during a game against Dayton, and that he truly had gained a point during his college career.
At family reunion's, during our boring gag gift exchange, we would sit and plot how to make the most young children cry by trading for their toys (In jest of course). I can still hear his chuckle as he explained how people would call into his convenience store and ask how big the 11" pizza was. He would say, well you can get 8 slices out of it, but we can make it a six slice pizza if you're not hungry. He was a world class story teller.
I will miss him.
RLR
Posted by: speedrissr | October 02, 2007 at 09:37 PM
RIP SKATE
Posted by: lovelost | October 02, 2007 at 09:52 PM
RIB sorry.
Posted by: lovelost | October 02, 2007 at 09:52 PM
My family's thoughts and prayers go out to his family. You will be missed.
Posted by: scoops | October 02, 2007 at 10:35 PM
jim and i go back a long way...both dmen in college at differnt schools, both had a love of the game and the komets. our kids were around the same age and we sat in the same old section one. we were teammates in the mid 70s in the top slow pitch league in the city. our friendship started there. we were always attacking each other with sarcasim, cause it was easy, he a white sox fan and me a yankee. he knew every name and every team and every incident in hockey. ill miss his knowledge, his kidding and his biting humor. most of all ill just miss a friend...throw that perfect hip check now, bouncing boy!
Posted by: chuckitt | October 03, 2007 at 12:28 AM
I am really saddened by this. I truly enjoyed Skate on this and other blogs. Sounds like he was a great guy and will be missed by many. My thoughts and prayers will be with him and his family.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | October 03, 2007 at 01:18 AM
I too knew Jim Fell as a friend. I have sat just across the aisle from him for a number of years at the games. He was a very knowledgeable fan and a great person to talk with. I also played roller hockey with his son in law and Jim will be greatly missed. He's one of the funniest guys I have known. My thoughts and prayers are with the Fell family.
Posted by: jc | October 03, 2007 at 01:46 AM
I first met Jim when I worked for the vendor that maintained the old lottery terminals. At the time I helped out with a lot of the on ice contests, etc. and one day when I had to repair his lottery terminal....he commented that he saw me on the ice the night before.
Jim was a very knowledgeable fan and always had interesting comments and perspectives to contribute to both blogs.
Rest in Peace.
Posted by: Bob | October 03, 2007 at 02:41 AM