Facts.

Fact #1.  "Paul Kersey" was the name of the fictional main character in the 1974 action film Death Wish. (wikipedia.org, imdb.com)

Fact #2.  Paul Kersey was the name of the original drummer of the rock band Max Webster, originating in Sarnia, Ontario. (wikipedia.org)

Fact #3.  Paul Kersey was also the name of the actor who played the role of Young David Banner in the 2003 film Hulk. (imdb.com)

Fact #4.  I have never yelled in a race call when the final time was slower than 1:49.0.

Fact #5.  When yelling on the apron, it's because I want a horse to win for the sake of liking the horse, knowing the connections, or having a bet down.

Fact #6.  I bet on harness races.

Fact #7.  From August 2004 to May 2007, I called Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania my home.

Fact #8.  While living in Pittsburgh, I was a frequent visitor to the Meadows and Mountaineer, and I also made the Thistledown/Northfield double-header on occasion.

Fact #9.  I learned to call races at the four tracks stated in #8, calling races into a tape recorder from the grandstand (Meadows and Mountaineer), the press box (Thistledown), or the apron (Northfield).  When visiting Chicago on holiday, I would typically make a stop to the roof at Hawthorne--and I still do every now and again.

Fact #10.  I am capable of spot-on impersonations of a few announcers, and passable ones of others.  I'll share them with friends just for the hell of it.

Fact #11.  The racecalling community has provided me with some of my best friends in the entire human race.

Fact #12.  No individual is perfect; every individual has strengths and weaknesses.  Racecallers are not exempt.

Fact #13.  I make it a point to learn from mistakes--my own, and those of others as well.

Fact #14.  I think it's equally important to learn from the strengths of other individuals.

Fact #15.  Learning from mistakes and other's strengths applies equally to all things outside of racecalling.

Fact #16.  Before the 2008 Chester season, I stood atop the grandstand at Dover with a tape recorder as a tightener.

Fact #17.  April 7, 2008 took place as follows.  I was at Dover Downs, watching races through binoculars.  I did have a tape recorder on my person that night, taking notes on the four Classic Series races, one of which was won (impressively, I might add) by Buck I St Pat.  Following the race, Howard Taylor invited me to join him and his party in the clubhouse for a celebratory drink.  I obliged, and the company was most enjoyable.  No screaming, no calling attention away from anything that wasn't deserving, just good racing and good company.

Fact #18.  After the Classic Series races, I had a drink at the track bar with none other than Jack Gallagher.

Fact #19.  I post on message boards.  One name per board.

Fact #20.  If I'm calling at a track where I have Internet access, I will read message boards under the one name per board stated in #19.

Fact #21.  I do not have Internet access on the roof at Chester, or on the roof at Rosecroft.

Fact #22.  Of the 80-ish racecallers in the United States currently, I am quite close with about 10, plus 3 more in Canada and another in New Zealand.  Outside of those, I am friendly acquaintances with 26 others.  I thought 27, but a certain one's "Death Wish" of sorts lowers the count to 26.