Longtime Albany resident, passionate sportsman and independent local businessman Michael Stuart Sandman, 88, late of Cohoes, headed to the clubhouse Thursday, May 21, 2006 after carding one hell of a round.

Mike’s life-long passion for sports was surpassed only by his love for Judy, his beloved wife and tirelessly loving enabler of 62 years, and his affection for and dedication to his family – by birth and by choice.

Mike’s talent for and interest in sports began on the stoops, streets and asphalt courts of The Bronx, NY where he’d play stickball, stoop ball, Johnny-on-the-pony, and later pick-up basketball, to the greatest extent he was able to get away with.  A lefty with keen hand-eye, above average white guy speed and a tall, wiry frame, Mike was an Evander Childs High School standout in basketball, baseball and handball.  While serving in the U.S. Army between wars in the late 1950’s Mike made and played for the highly competitive Ft. Carson, Colorado post baseball and basketball teams, competing with and against future pros. After the Army, Mike earned a Bachelors and a Masters of Education at Hunter College, City University of New York, where he added varsity letters in Baseball, Basketball, Handball and Swimming to his academic achievements. Ever resourceful, Mike financed his journey into Physical Education by driving a Checker cab at night and (allegedly) hustling pool – two high-risk pursuits in 1960’s New York City.

In 1963, Mike entered the teaching profession as a faculty member and assistant coach at The Bronx’s James Monroe HS, where he was befriended by legendary basketball coach and hoops humanitarian Sam Tolkoff. Sam thought enough of young Mr. Sandman to introduce him to his niece, Judy.  “By far the biggest and best favor anyone ever did for me,” Mike called it. While at Monroe, Mike taught and coached future Mets legend Ed Kranepool. The two kept in touch for years.  Mike supported his growing family moonlighting for the Scranton Miners of the somewhat shady Eastern League, racing out to eastern PA after school to make tip-off. By the mid-sixties, social and political discord in New York City and the Bronx in particular led Mike to become disenchanted with teaching.  He moved his wife and baby son to quiet Yorktown Heights, NY and began his long, successful career in sales as a rep for Holophane, makers of industrial and athletic lighting systems.

In 1972, Mike and Judy moved their family (now four) to Guilderland, NY to pursue opportunities in real estate development.  Mike prospected, signed and managed all original tenants of the newly constructed 20 Mall and later Point of Woods condominiums. Mike and Judy eventually bought a family home in a rural suburb called Clifton Park, NY.  Mike brought his sales and people skills to the gritty scrap metal recycling and trading industry, commuting between Clifton Park and Utica and Pittsburgh to provide for his family.  All the while, Mike somehow managed to make time to get to Scott’s ballgames and Jodi’s swim meets – helping out with coaching as much as he could. His secret for this uncanny ubiquity? His trusty CB radio, on whose Channel 19 he was simply known as Tambourine Man along the I-90 corridor.

In 1980, Mike moved his family for the final time – to a sleepy cul-de-sac in North Albany called Ichabod Lane – to be closer to the action and opportunities of the capitol city.  After a decade heading up sales and business operations for RK Freedman and Sons in Green Island, and exploring some other local opportunities, Mike decided to bet on himself and founded Capitol Container Corp. in 1994. Mike ran and grew the business until retiring in 2016 selling out to beloved friend and partner, the late Greg Colburn.

Mike will be remembered by many as a stalwart of the Capital District sports scene – as a fan, an athlete and a visionary.

As a golfer, Mike managed to work an admittedly ugly lefty swing into a 3 handicap at one time.  He was a former club champion at Shaker Ridge, CC, a winner of the two-man championship with frequent accomplice Myron “Mike” Greenberg and the father-son championship with son Scott.  Mike is probably the only winner of the Shaker Ridge club championships in both golf and tennis.  He competed on interclub teams for both Shaker Ridge and Normanside CC. In 1990, Mike won the Tri-County Senior Open.

As a self-taught tennis player, Mike was one of the area’s best in his time.  A 5.0 USTA rated banger with a vicious lefty twist serve and soft hands at net, Mike was a regular in the Capital District Pro League and sought after doubles partner for tournament play throughout the area and beyond. In 1985, Mike’s team won the Eastern Tennis Association championship and competed in the national tournament in Las Vegas. His most noteworthy match was a loss, to internationally-ranked Richard Raskin (later Renee Richards) at an open tournament in Forrest Hills.

Mike’s Albany area amateur athleticism also extended to fast-pitch softball – he pitched in the competitive and boisterous Arbor Hill night league; and basketball – playing alongside other former college players in the Albany Rec League for a star-studded team sponsored by Albany restaurateur and tavern owner Lenny Gaspary.

In local basketball circles, Mike is perhaps best known as a founder of the Albany Patroons, having been instrumental in the 1981 establishment of the team, the eventual recruiting of coach Phil Jackson (close friend of Mike’s Hunter teammate and noted basketball writer the late Charely Rosen) and the team’s player personnel moves in the early years. The Patroons won the Continental Basketball Association (formerly the Eastern League Mike played in) championship of 1983.

Mike is lovingly remembered by his incredible wife of 62 years Judy (Tolkoff), daughter Jodi of Bearsville, NY, son Scott of Cohoes, NY, granddaughters Raiah and Aliyah Sandman, brother Jeffery I. Sandman (Marcia) of Cherry Creek, CO, cherished sister and brother-in-law Ellen and Michael G. Auerbach of Niskayuna, NY, nieces Alyssa (Robb) Malin of New York, NY and Jessica Lerchbacher (David) of Denver, CO, nephews Dr. Marc Auerbach (Claudia) of Milford, CT, and Joshua Auerbach (Danielle) of Williston, VT, dozens of cousins and hundreds of devoted, cherished friends.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, May 26 at 10:30 a.m. at Congregation Gates of Heaven, 852 Ashmore Ave, Schenectady, NY 12309. All are welcome.

Burial thereafter at Sharon Gardens Cemetery, 273 Lakeview Avenue, Valhalla, New York 10595.  All are welcome.

The funeral services will be livestreamed and can be viewed at cgoh.org/services

Visiting (Shiva) hours Wednesday, May 27 and Thursday, May 28 from 6:30-8:30 at the clubhouse at Northern Pass Luxury Apts. Santanoni Dr., Cohoes, NY 12047

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Special Olympics of New York.

.