Long Lost Cousins?

Dallas' Antonio Stranges' family and mine come from the same small region in Italy, and he and I have a surprise for the upcoming Stars HOF Weekend.

Antonio Stranges

My last name is quite uncommon, even in my own hometown of Minneapolis. There’s a few Strangis’ in the local phonebook, but not so many. Nobody could or can pronounce it very well - I’ve heard every weird incarnation from “Stragglers” to “Sturgis” to “Strangles” to…. it just goes on and on. My guess is, it’s the same for my new friend - and potential long-lost cousin - Dallas Stars prospect Antonio Stranges.

I texted Antonio last week, because I had a favor to ask him that concerns my upcoming induction into the Dallas Stars Hall of Fame (the weekend of November 15, 16 in Dallas). We had never met or had spoken.

I texted him out of the blue -

“Hey Antonio - it’s Ralph Strangis, former Stars broadcaster…”

I went on to say the Stars were inducting me into their Hall of Fame - and I had a request for him - like that. I don’t know who knows me and who doesn’t. Honestly - do people even inside the organization now - know who I am - or what I did there?

Antonio’s response was awesome -

“My brother from another mother!!!…” began the text that popped back at me seconds after I sent mine to him.

What a great young guy. And what a surprise we have planned for that weekend. Wanna hear about it? And wanna hear how fellow inductee Joe Nieuwendyk introduced me to “another” Strangis I always wanted to meet?