Milwaukee Bucks game are never going to be the same again as one of the longest running fixates at the games is no longer there.
Bob Tai, a diminutive Chinese photographer, has been snapping pictures of game action, fans, little kids and all kinds of subjects for over four decades for the team.
Tai died last week. He was 87 years old.
Tai was hired by Jim Foley to work at Marquette and when Foley moved to the Bucks in 1969 he brought Tai along with him to the new NBA team. You could see him scurrying around the sideline, looking for shots, stopping to snap off a couple, then moving again.
He was like a little bug moving quickly and never getting in anyone's way.
He frequently took pictures of children and I treasure a picture he took of my two daughters, when they were about nine and six with a 3-year-old Johnny Steinmiller (son of the Bucks' vice-president) standing in the middle, with all three holding basketballs.
Tai, who lived in Whitefish Bay for many years, taught math at Marquette and also taught math and photography at MATC.
Every now and then I'd ride a bus downtown and occasionally I'd see Bob with his camera case perched on a seat next to him. He'd always greet me with "Hello, Mr. Begel." I always replied "Hello Mr. Tai." And he'd laugh like crazy.
Bob Tai wasn't a well known public figure, but if you are a regular at the Bucks games, think back and I'm sure you'll remember the little guy with the cameras around his neck hustling for a picture.
He'll be missed.
With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.
He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.
This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.
Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.
