Let's play two — Hoffman loved his Tribe

NORWALK — Wednesday would have been a great day for Hans Hoffmann. His beloved Cleveland Indians had an afternoon doubleheader on the road against Tampa Bay. And even though they were only seven-inning games against the Rays, no baseball fan is unhappy when you can get two for the price of one. What tropical storm (Elsa)? This is baseball season. But it wasn't meant to be for Hoffmann, who died July 1 at the age of 60 after a battle with cancer. Hoffmann, co-owner of the Freight House, made the announcement of his illness on his Facebook page. Just weeks earlier, Hoffman had celebrated his 60th birthday with family and friends at the Freight House. "I have an announcement to make to clear up the air," he wrote. "I have been diagnosed with lung cancer. It has spread to my bones and brain. The prognosis for me is not good. The doctors and staff at Firelands are doing their best to keep me comfortable. Please know that if you reach out to me for well wishes I may not be able to answer. "The love of my life Jessica Marie Habernigg is trying to respond to people. This has been extremely hard on her, and her four beautiful children that I have loved as my own. Nothing has made me happier than sitting by the water with the women I love. Please, enjoy your day. Hug a loved one. I want to thank my friends. I love you all very much and have had the best life because of you. "Thank you for all your years of supporting the Freight House. I sold my share of the business to my partner Andrew Stroud. Please continue your local support of this small restaurant. And thank you to all my employees that take such good care of the restaurant." Jessica added this to the post: "Hans has started chemo and radiation this week but his cancer is very aggressive. The future is uncertain. I just want to let everyone know that Hans loves his friends. You mean more to him that he can ever express. This is a very hard time for us and our family. Hans taught me how to enjoy life again when I felt alone. "Through our friendship love grew. Our relationship was so easy, effortless love. And although I knew sometime in my life I would have to live without him, I never thought it would be this early. I could ramble on about us, and our normally very private relationship, but it was and is just perfect. I love you Hans, with everything I have. "Thank you for all the thoughts, prayers and well wishes. Jessica." That was written June 30. The next day he was gone. The first post drew 311 comments. The second post drew 239 comments. If you bowled at Kenilee Lanes you probable knew Hans. If you ever ordered a T-shirt in this town you probably knew Hans. And if you ever ate at the Freight House — you for sure knew Hans and his sports fandom. The restaurant has his handprints all over it. It was sort of a sports museum right here in town, featuring, of course, the Indians, Browns, Cavs, Buckeyes and the two local high schools. It seemed like every time you went into the restaurant there was something new on the walls. "I took him in when he was 15. He was my pin chaser," said Dwight Tkach, who owned Kenilee Lanes for many years. "He came and lived with me a couple of times when he needed a place to stay. "He even called me two months before (he died) and said he felt like my son. He was a good guy. A good sense of humor. Everybody liked him. I still can't believe he is gone. The doctor thought they could get him a year, a year-and-a-half ... he went fast. "The season tickets he had I had shared with Denny (Corrigan) since the stadium (Progressive Field) opened 27 years ago. Over the last 10-to-15 years, a group of about six or seven of us shared them. "He will be missed. Everybody loved him." Calling hours are from 3 to 6 p.m. today at Evans Funeral Home. And they need to get done one time — the Indians played at 7:10 p.m. against the Kansas City Royals at one of his favorite places to visit, Progressive Field. Hans wouldn't want anybody to miss the first pitch.