Gary Caruso
Publisher & Editor
Gary Caruso has been an editor for ChopTalk magazine since its debut in January 1994. When ChopTalk was shuttered by its previous publisher in December 2004 after 132 issues, he obtained long-term publishing rights for ChopTalk from the Atlanta Braves.
In April, 2005, following ChopTalk's three-month hiatus, Caruso introduced a bright new format and design that pulled the magazine out of the recycle bin and quickly put it on solid ground.
A sports journalist for over 30 years, Caruso covered the Braves for the Atlanta Journal, served as Executive Sports Editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and has been a senior editor and writer for The National Sports Daily.
Caruso is well-known to Braves fans not only for his role with ChopTalk, but also as a Braves historian who spearheaded the drive to erect a statue of his boyhood hero - Hall of Fame lefthander Warren Spahn - in front of Turner Field in 2003.
In 1995, Caruso authored "The Braves Encyclopedia" (Temple University Press), a chronicle of Braves franchise history from 1871 to 1995. He also wrote "Turner Field: Rarest of Diamonds" (Longstreet Press), published in 1997.
Among Caruso's other contributions to the franchise is the popular mural on the Terrace Level at Turner Field that depicts the history of Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium. He designed and scripted the mural.
Patty Rasmussen
Columnist
Patty Rasmussen is a freelance writer living outside Atlanta, Georgia. She has written for ChopTalk since September 1998 and also writes for Georgia Trend Magazine and various publications produced by Major League Baseball.
Patty saw her first baseball game, Washington Senators vs. Oakland A's in June 1969 at RFK Stadium in Washington DC. At the time her favorite player was right-fielder Frank Howard.
One of her favorite Braves memories was being at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on August 28, 1991, the day the Braves went into first place all alone for the first time that miraculous year.
True confession: Patty and her next door neighbor drove to the airport after the Braves lost to the Twins in Game 7. She thought they would be the only ones there!
Patty has been married to Steve for 27 years.
They have three amazing children and a beloved daughter in law. She knows she has a dream job and considers herself to be the luckiest woman on the face of the earth.
Ken Rosenthal
Columnist
Ken Rosenthal is a senior writer for foxsports.com. In his capacity as baseball insider for Fox Sports Net, he also appears regularly on FSN South. In addition, he also appears on occasion on MLB on Fox broadcasts.
Rosenthal recently joined Fox after spending five years at The Sporting News, for which he still contributes. Prior to that, he spent 14 years at The Baltimore Sun, the first four as the Orioles' beat writer, the next 10 as a general sports columnist.
Rosenthal is a 1984 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. He lives outside of Baltimore with his wife and three children.
Bill Ballew
Reporter
Bill Ballew has been associated with professional baseball for most of the past 20 years, beginning as the assistant general manager of the Greenwood Pirates in the Class A South Atlantic League in 1983. A 1983 graduate of the University of Georgia 's Grady School of Journalism, Ballew is the senior writer for At The Yard magazine and also serves as a part-time media consultant to the Class A Asheville Tourists.
In addition to his work with ChopTalk, Ballew is a freelance baseball writer and the author of six books, including Baseball In Asheville , The Pastime In The Seventies and Brave Dreams . A resident of Arden , N.C. and a native of Hickory , N.C. , he spends countless evenings coaching his 10-year-old son, Brad, and 7-year-old son, Bryce, in baseball.
Steve Fall
Reporter
Steve Fall is an Atlanta-based freelance sportswriter whose work has appeared in numerous magazines and websites including CBS SportsLine.com, VineLine Magazine, and Major League Baseball Publications.
Steve blends statistical research, sports knowledge, and quotes to give his pieces a fresh perspective. Steve has also provided sports agents with statistical analysis services for arbitration cases and contract negotiations since 1997.
His writing can take on an international focus. He's traveled to Spain, Chile, Puerto Rico, and Hungary to cover sporting events. See www.writingsports.com for more information.
Johnny Sajem
Illustrator
Johnny was born in Barnesville, Georgia and grew up in Atlanta.
Graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in Industrial Engineering.
He sold his first cartoon to the Saturday Evening Post in 1963. He has had three nationally syndicated comic strips: "Seaweed", "The Evermores" and "Winston", and has been a contributing gag writer for "Nancy", "Donald Duck", "The Muppets" and "Mudpie".
He has illustrated eight childrens' books and numerous books on management and supervisory training.
Johnny lives in Atlanta with his wife Yvonne, daughter Yvette and three Chihuahuas: Joey, Henry and Barney Fife.
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Welcome to ChopTalk
NOVEMBER ISSUE:
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