Muff Snatcher

March 7, 1959-April 7, 2012

            As many of you know, on April 7, 2012, our hash family— and indeed the world— lost a great one. Muff Snatcher (A.K.A. Steve Ruddy) passed away doing something he loved, *unning. And so, on a balmy Monday evening, the hash held a memorial.

            Trail was short and shitty and the pack was so large, we ran out of beer very early. Crabs ran the circle and talked about how much we already miss Muff Snatcher. Crabs then brought up the hare, Cherry Poppins, and made him drink for his shitty trail and his decision to hold circle 25 feet from the Richmond Police Station. Muff Snatcher’s parents, siblings, wife, and children attended. And Crabs made them drink for that. Hashers who haven’t been to circle in years showed up to pay their respects. And Crabs made them drink for that. Hoseblower, Straight-to-Hell, Nymph Fisher, Cuming Mutha, and Lost in Foreskin told stories that showed why Muff Snatcher was such an awesome hasher. And Crabs made them drink for that. The most touching part of the night was when Muff Snatcher’s son, Stat-Tits-Dick, stood up and talked about his first time hashing with his dad and some of the great memories he will always have of him. There wasn’t a dry eye in the pack. And Crabs made him drink for that.

            Some of you remember Muff Snatcher as that quiet guy with the goofy smile who never said a bad word about anyone. Some of you remember Muff Snatcher as one of those rare hashers who was always willing to jog or walk with anyone who fell behind and lost sight or sound of the pack. Some of you remember Muff Snatcher as that guy who wrote a hash trash so hilariously funny that it could have been used as a teaching tool for a creative writing class at Harvard. Some of you remember Muff Snatcher as that guy who always wore a new, elaborate, and hilarious, costume for Hash-O-Ween. Some of you remember Muff Snatcher as the GM with Doggy Style the year we all got our picture in the San Francisco Chronicle. Some of you remember Muff Snatcher as one of those rare adults in the room that enable this motley group of half-minds to actually (dis)function. Muff Snatcher was all those guys and more.

            Muff Snatcher was both a great hasher and a beautiful person. His quiet humility made it easy to forget the man he was. He had an engaging job that paid well, and let him travel the world, spend time with his family, AND hash. He was a sub-three hour marathon *unner and Boston Qualifier. He had an incredible wife who has that rare combination of being both hot AND cool. He was a skilled musician. He had a beautiful house in San Francisco. He had two amazing grown kids who are both successful in their own right. He was a man many of us looked up to and admired. In other words, he seemed to have it all, and yet was never cocky about it.

            We now know that the only thing Muff Snatcher didn’t have was time. And that is one of those things no one ever finds out, until it’s too late. So in honor of Muff Snatcher, remember today and forever, to take the time to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. Remember to make the time to hang out with your friends and family. Remember to kiss that comely Hasher or Harriette you’ve been eyeing. Remember that all we have is the time we have. Remember Steve Ruddy, a man who died way too early.

Here’s to Muff Snatcher he’s true blue,

he’s a hasher through and through,

he’s a piss-pot so they say,

tried to go to heaven and he went that way.