Whose got the Biggest Balls of Them All- B-con Memories

One of Bouchercon's greatest tradition's, The Annual Pick-up Basketball Game is a testament to the playfulness and competitiveness of our community. Started and organized by S.J. Rozan it gives everyone a timeout from the rigors of Conventioning. Friday at 2:00 in Baltimore. But let's have others share.

Jeff Tindall declares, "I always like playing in the B'con basketball game. Old people and small people, bold people and tall people. It's an eclectic mix, there's lots of laughing and not too much in the way of sore muscles afterwards because nobody (except Reed) tries that hard. Plus, it provides one with a somewhat legitimate excuse to go slam some beers."

And from author Michael Kortya

The memory of my first Bouchercon that probably makes the best story isn't exactly one that boosts my ego, but what the hell. I'd arrived in Vegas for Bouchercon about two months after learning Tonight I Said
Goodbye would be published, and about a month after turning 21. It was a pretty good stretch. So I'm standing in the hotel outside of the main conference area, taking it all in, feeling big time, Michael Koryta the crime writer. The basketball game group is getting ready to depart (at this point I'd already taken a cab to a mall to buy shoes, shorts, T-shirts...we Hoosiers do not miss basketball opportunities) and it becomes clear that some kids are wanting to go along with the group. These kids are, I believe, about 12. That might be optimistic. They could have been 10. And as I'm standing there watching them, a woman turns to me, smiles, and says, "It's nice to see so many young people at a Bouchercon." This is my first said con, of course, but I nod enthusiastically and say that it sure is nice to see them. And then she hits me with the stiletto follow-up: "Are you here with your parents?" Ah, yes. Michael Koryta the crime writer, indeed. There were so many good moments from that conference -- basketball with Steve Hamilton and SJ Rozan and Co., Heineken with George Pelecanos, (and, yes, I was still young enough that the beer itself was exciting, let alone George as a drinking companion) meeting David Hale Smith, who became my agent, meeting so many great writers and great people...but good moments never tell quite as good stories as embarrassing ones, do they?.

Poor Michael, he'll always look about twelve to the rest of us, but his writing is timeless. He is indeed Michael Kortya "the crime writer".
See you all Saturday