John Gooch ♢ Ozark Mountain Daredevils
I have been playing Diamond Mind since 1996 and baseball simulations since I was a kid, primarily Stratomatic and All Star Baseball. I grew up up in Branson, MO, and am a lifelong and HUGE St. Louis Cardinals fan. My grandparents lived about 40 miles outside of St. Louis and had season tickets for many years so I spent a lot of time in the summer staying with them and going to games. I went to school at Missouri Central University (home of the Fighting Mules!), the same school that Jim Crane, the owner of the Astros attended. He was about 6 years ahead of me there. I played on the golf team at MCU and turned pro when I got out of school, working 2 years at a club in Springfield, MO. I met my wife Lisa there and we've been married since 1985. I was a salesman for 26 years in the electronics industry (which moved me to the Houston, TX area) before going into full time ministry in 2012. I retired from preaching in 2025. We have 3 married sons and 3 grandchildren. We like to go on road trips that include attending minor league baseball games, especially the Cardinals' affiliates.
