Shiny Hardware: PWHL Trophy and Jonathan

Next to mascots, trophies are one of my favorite objects. Today, I feature two relatively new trophies and an old friend.

The Women's Professional Hockey League has existed for two seasons and the Minnesota Frost won both championships. Those are the two trophies behind my pal Jonathan. The PWHL started with four teams, but now has eight. There are four teams each in Canada and the United States. I am hoping for an expansion to Chicago. 

As for Cimags, he's been around a lot longer than the PWHL, although I only met him about 10 years ago at a Chicago Bandits game. He is an avid sports fan and autograph collector. He probably has more than 1,000 signatures, obviously many being of women sports stars, such as the Bandits and Frost. While I a, not a grapher, like Cimags, I would have liked to meet the Frost players and again, hope to eventually meet Chicago players.

Go to TheWPHL.com for more info on the league. The season started in November and runs through April 25, 2026.

For more on Cimags, check the Cimags YouTube channel. He has fun videos about graphing, Pokemon and other pop culture stuff.

Cimags and the PWHL trophies in Minneapolis, MN-October 2025.

Friend Encounters: Nattie Neidhart and Jonathan C.

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

I met Jonathan Cimaglio many years ago at a Chicago Bandits game. A softball fan and sports fan in general, Cimags is also a grapher (aka autograph collector). At Bandits games, he aimed for signed cards and balls from the Bandits and opposing teams. I don't know for sure, but I bet he has more than a thousand autographs from athletes and celebrities.

One of his recent successes was WWE star Nattie Neidhart. Cimags met her at a signing for her recently-released autobiography Last Hart Beating. Neidhart is a third generation wrestler, following in the footsteps of grandfather Stu Hart and father Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Many of her uncles were also wrestlers, including WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart and the late Owen Hart.

Neidhart has won many titles during her long career in the WWE. She's a great worker and is a big help as a trainer. I have been a fan of her work from the beginning. Despite her success, I still think she has been underutilized by the WWE. Perhaps she doesn't have the Barbie doll looks they want, but she's got a great look and her ring skills are excellent.

As for Cimags, I miss seeing him around the ballpark since he moved to Minnesota. He's an interesting guy. For more on him, check the Cimags YouTube channel. He's got videos about Pokemon, graphing an other pop culture fun.

Nattie Neidhart and Jonathan in Minneapolis, MN-October 2025.

Friend Encounters: Taylor Heise and CiMags

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

I met Jonathan Cimaglio during my time covering the (now defunct) Chicago Bandits. Cimags was a big fan and also an autograph collector (or a grapher). His graphing goes well beyond just the Bandits. He frequently posts all of his other graphing successes, including sports, entertainment and any celebrity.

Today, I feature him with hockey player Taylor Heise. In high school, Heise she was a four-time USA Today American Family Insurance All-USA honoree. She has since gone on to play internationally, as well as in the new Professional Women's Hockey League. In the underrated, undercovered world of women's hockey, Heise is one of the all-time greats.

I am envious of Cimags for landing this celeb encounter. I am a big fan of Heise and the PWHL. I hope they expand to Chicago, because I will definitely be out there and hope to have a chance to see Heise play in person.

Until then, check out the Cimags YouTube page for all of his adventures. Also, check thepwhl.com for news on the league.

 Taylor Heise and Cimags in Minnetonka, MN-March 2024.

Friend Encounters: Red and Jonathan Cimaglio

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring my friends meeting celebrities.

Today, our old Chicago Bandits buddy takes a break from chasing sports autographs to chase music autographs. For someone who has as many autographs as Cimags, it's all part of the fun in graphing.

Red (or R3D or RED) is a Christian rock band from Nashville, TN. It was formed in 2002 by brothers guitarist Anthony Armstrong and bassist Randy Armstrong, with lead vocalist Michael Barnes.

The band has won several awards and have been nominated for many more presented by the Gospel Music Association. Among other awards, they won Rock Recorded Song of the Year four times.

Cimags hasn't won any awards yet, but he's got an interesting YouTube channel. His Cimags channel has cool autograph stuff, including unboxing videos. He also has Polemon videos. You can check out his stuff on the Cimags YT Channel.

I haven't seen Cimags much since he moved to Minnesota. I'll probably see him less now that the National Pro Fastpitch Chicago Bandits have ceased operations. Hopefully, someday our paths will cross. Until then, I'll recall his spirit by featuring him here on occasion.

Red and Jonathan Cimaglio in Minneapolis, MN-August 2019.

Friend Encounters: Jessie Warren and Jonathan Cimaglio

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

I met both of these folks at the Ballpark in Rosemont. Jonathan (aka Cimags) is a big fan and Jessica Warren is an excellent player,although not for the Chicago Bandits.

Jessica was a star at Florida State University.She was selected by the USSSA Pride with the seventh pick in the 2019 National Pro Fastpitch Draft. 

Last year, Jessica played third base for Athletes Unlimited in their inaugural season. She hit a scorching .510 (26/51) with five homers and 15 RBIs. She is also a defensive wizard.

When I first met Cimags, he lived around here, but has since moved to Minnesota. A big autograph collector, Cimags even has a Cimags YouTube channel highlighting his efforts and some of his collection.

I keep trying to get Cimags down here for any of the AU games. Maybe this season he'll make it back down.

AU plays six games every weekend for five weeks. The season just started a couple days ago and runs through September 27. Go to AUProSports.com for more info.

Jessie Warren and Jonathan Cimaglio in Rosemont, IL-August 2019.

Friend Encounters: Victoria Draper and Jonathan Cimaglio

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

I met Jonathan Cimaglio at a Chicago Bandits game a few years back, when he was getting pictures and autographs with the players. I learned he is quite a "grapher," as he puts it. He literally has thousands of autographs from athletes and celebrities of all sorts.

Cimags takes it to an pro level. He has the techniques down and gets the big names. He has a YouTube channel featuring videos documenting some of his chases, as well as his Pokemon pursuits.

Victoria Draper was a softball star at Auburn Universoty. She played in the NPF with the Cleveland Comets, which is how Cimags met her. She went on to become a coach for the National Team of China.

Meeting Draper was one of his easiest successes. She was appearing at a pre-game tailgate during the NPF playoffs a few years back. I might have even taken this picture. Cimags and I have helped each other many times in our attempts to get pictures.

Check out Cimags on YouTube to see all of his video uploads. You can also follow Victoria Draper on Instagram.

Jonathan Cimaglio and Victoria Draper in Rosemont, IL-August 2018.

Friend Encounters: Kacy Standohar and Jonathan Cimaglio

This is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Today, I feature two folks I met through the National Pro Fastpitch Chicago Bandits. Jonathan Cimaglio is a fan and Kacy Standohar is the team reporter.

I met Cimags a few years ago at a Bandits game. He is a big time autograph collector. As a "grapher," Cimags is usually in the post-game autograph line, but he also gets signatures from stars of other sports and entertainment fields. He even has his own YouTube channel. Cimags has been an occasional assistant to Johngy's Beat at Bandits games.

Broadcaster and reporter Kacy is one busy and talented lady. In addition to the Bandits, Kacy has worked for the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Chicago Cubs, the Chicago Steel and more, including covering Chicago area high school sports.

My interview with Kacy from last season can be found at On the Beat With Kacy Standohar. It was a real pleasure learning more about her and her responsibilities. It was even more fun watching her all season and getting to know her.

We should enjoy Kacy as much as we can during her time with the Bandits, because she will move on to bigger things. She has talent, intelligence and charisma. She could easily be a broadcaster for any of the major sports teams.

Meanwhile, my bud Cimags is in Minnesota. Hopefully, he will make his yearly trip to Rosemont for a game if the season ever starts and we can catch up.

Check out KacyStandohar.com and follow her at @KacyStandohar on twitter for more info, including her latest assignments.

Go to the Cimags YouTube channel to watch his videos. Be sure to subscribe to his channel for notifications on updates.

Jonathan Cimaglio and Kacy Standohar in Rosemont, IL-August 2019.

Friend Encounters: Sara Moulton and Jonathan Cimaglio

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Here is another Friend Encounters where the celebrity is also a friend. I met both of these folks through the Chicago Bandits.

Sara Moulton had a stellar career at the University of Minnesota. She had a record of 112-50, while racking up plenty of awards, records and honors. The Bandits selected Sara with the 5th overall pick in the 2014 draft and she went on to be a big part of the Bandits winning championships in 2015 and '16.

During her time with the Bandits, Sara underwent a tremendous transformation. She adopted a healthier lifestyle and lost a lot of weight. She started running and finished a Marathon in her native Minnesota. It was inspiring to see how dedicated she was and to see her results.

Along the way, Sara opened Strike Zone Sports, a Minnesota Fastpitch Training Center. Sara and her partners offer individual and group sessions for young softball players.

Jonathan Cimaglio is a transplanted Bandits fan, who coincidentally now lives in Minnesota. Cimags is a big time autograph collector. I am sure he has Sara's autograph, among the many I saw him get at Bandits games over the years.

Sara and Cimags are two perfect examples of friendships forged through the Bandits. I have met and befriended so many players and fans. It's always a great time at the games and beyond. 

Check out the Bandits at ChicagoBandits.com. Also, go to StrikeZoneSports.net for more info on Sara's training facility. Lastly, you can go to the Cimags' YouTube channel to see his many videos.

Sara Moulton and Jonathan Cimaglio in Mankato, MN-June 2018.

Friend Encounters: Jourdan Skirha and Jonathan Cimaglio

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

A noted autograph collector, Jonathan Cimaglio must have thousands of graphs in his collection. I know I have seen hinm get several hundred at Chicago Bandits games. Cimags is a big fan of the women's pro softball team. Actually, he is a fan of the whole league, including the Aussie Peppers, who are based out of Mankato, not that far from where Cimags relocated a couple years ago. Did they put a team out there just for him?

I am sure Cimags would agree that Jourdan Skirha is not the most famous person her ever met, but she is one of his favorites (and mine, too). We first knew her as an intern with the Bandits, then as Director of Game Day Operations. Last month, Jourdan was named Assistant to the GM. Cimags and I both congratulate Jourdan on the promotion and the Bandits on an excellent choice.

I don't know if Cimags has Joudan's autograph, but I wouldn't doubt it. If not, he should add her to his collection. A young women in such a position is pretty big news.

Cimags has a YouTube page featuring all sorts of graphing-related content. You can find it at Cimags on YouTube.

Go to ChicagoBandits.com for all of the info on the team. You can also follow the Bandits on all forms of social media, including Chicago Bandits on Facebook.

Jourdan Skirha and Jonathan Cimaglio in Rosemont, IL-Summer 2018.

Friendly Encounters: Julianna Zobrist and Jonathan Cimaglio

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring my friends who have met celebrities.

Jonathan Cimaglio is a huge fan of the Chicago Bandits, which is how I first met him. He also has an impressive autograph collection, including may from the Bandits and other teams of National Pro Fastpitch.

One of the more interesting people he has met was Julianna Zobrist, wife of Chicago Cubs player Ben Zobrist. She also happens to be an accomplished musician. Known for her Christian pop style of electronic dance music, Julianna released Shatterproof, her first album, in 2016. Two of the songs made it onto the Billboard charts.

I wonder if Cimags got her autograph. If he did, I wonder if it was on a ball. If it was, I wonder if he will attempt to get Ben to sign it, too. That would be a unique dual-signature ball.

I miss seeing Cimags around the ballpark in Rosemont. He's doing good up in Minnesota, but he should be here, cheering for the Bandits and adding to his NPF collection.

Julianna Zobrist and Jonathan Cimaglio in Oak Brook, IL-May 2017.

Friendly Encounters: Jenny McCarthy and Jonathan Cimaglio

This is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

I met Jonathan Cimaglio at a Chicago Bandits game, where he is a regular.  He is a major autograph collector (or "grapher" as they are now called).  I couldn't even begin to guess how many autographs he has.  I am envious of his collection, but I know he puts a lot of time and effort into it.
Last year, he scored a big hit, that still hurts.  He met Jenny McCarthy.  Jenny has been on my list for years.  I met her a few years back at the NFL Draft, but couldn't get a picture.
Jenny is a Chicago area girl.  She's a bit wacky, but she is likable.  At the draft, she was with Donnie Wahlberg.  She would have done pictures, but it was a bad setup and even a selfie would have been impossible.
On the bright side, Jonathan had to wait about 4 hours for the picture.  Jenny was at Binny's to promote her vodka and the crowd was huge.  I was covering the Rockford IceHogs on that day, but I am not sure I would have committed 4 hours to seeing her.

Jenny McCarty and Jonathan Cimaglio in Villa Park, IL-October 2017.

Friendly Encounters: Brenna Moss and Jonathan Cimaglio

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Since Jonathan Cimaglio moved away from the Bandits, they had to go to him! That's right. The Bandits traveled to Minnesota just for Cimags! Very impressive.
Bandits fan and big-time grapher Cimags moved to Minnesota last year. I hated to see him leave. He's a good guy and fun at the games.
Earlier this season, the Bandits played a few games in Mankato, MN. Cimags made the short trek to catch most of the games. Of course he did! The Bandits couldn't be that close without Cimags going there. I did mention that he is a super fan!
I follow his graphing on social media and the Cimags YouTube channel.  He's having a good year getting autographs from athletes and other notables. I couldn't even guess how many autographs he has.
His picture mate below is also having a good year.
It was a successful series in Mankato for the Bandits. Mankato native pitcher Coley Ries got to pitch in front of her home crowd.
Cimags will return to Chicago later this season and he will be attending a Bandits game. It'll be good to see him and to see him in action getting more graphs and pictures. Of course, I'll be there, too, getting some of my own.

Brenna Moss and Jonathan Cimaglio in Mankato, IL-June 2018.

Friendly Encounters: Sara Moulton, Sammy Marshall and Jonathan Cimaglio

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring my friends who have met celebrities.

With the Chicago Bandits about ready to start the 2018 season, it is the perfect time for this Friendly Encounter edition.  Today we feature two of my favorites or three if you count Jonathan.

Pitcher Sara Moulton and outfielder Sammy Marshall are two of my all-time favorite Bandits and Jonathan is one of my favorite fans (who became friends).  The trio posed with the Cowles Cup, which the Bandits won in 2015.

I love the picture, but I also get a bit sad.  Sara retired after the 2016 season.  She's back up in her native Minnesota, where she is the co-owner of Strike Zone Sports, a Fastpitch Training Center with a specialty in developing top pitching prospects.

I always appreciated Sara, but I gained a whole new level watching her change her life through a diet and workout regimen.  Her dedication and focus was impressive and her attitude was always positive.

Sammy is equally positive.  About to enter her fourth year in the NPF, she has become a star on the team and a team leader in every sense.  It always amazes me how mature she is for such a young lady.  Of course, her speed is also amazing, but she is a much more well-rounded player than just a speedster.

Like Sara, Jonathan also moved away from Chicago to Minnesota.  I have to give props to my guy Cimags.  He's a fun-loving, passionate fan.  He's also a big-time grapher.  I couldn't even guess how many autographs he has.  We occasionally helped each other with picture-taking and getting autographs after the games.  It won't be quite as much fun at the ballpark without Cimags.

I am excited about the upcoming season.  I'm hoping Sara and Cimags make a return visit for a game or two.  I'm also looking forward to adding many interviews to the Johngy's Beat Chicago Bandits playlist on YouTube.

Sara Moulton, Jonathan Cimaglio and Sammy Marshall in Rosemont, IL-Summer 2016.

Friendly Encounters: Brenna Moss and Jonathan Cimaglio

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Jonathan Cimaglio is a major autograph collector.  I couldn't even guess how many he has, but it isn't uncommon for him to get fifty or more in a single night.  I've seen him in action at Chicago Bandits games, where he often got both teams.

Obviously, Cimags is a good guy and big sports fan, especially the Bandits.  He's a familiar face around the Ballpark in Rosemont.  The fans and the players know him well.  One such player is three year veteran outfielder Brenna Moss.

Brenna is one of Jonathan's favorites and he is not alone in that thought.  Brenna has been a solid player during her time in the NPF (National Pro Softball).  Last season, she even was in consideration for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award.  You can see many #55 jerseys in the crowd at every game.

Fortunately for Cimags and Bandit Nation, Brenna has already signed to play for the Bandits in 2018.  Unfortunately, Cimags might not be here as he is potentially moving.  I'd hate to see him go.  He's a fun part of the Bandits experience.  We have helped each other with picture-taking at the games.

Brenna was one of the first to resign for 2018.  She is joined by Emily Carosone, Megan Blank and Sammy Marshall.  that's a nice start to the core.  I can't wait for 2018.

For more info on the Bandits, head to ChicagoBandits.com.  Of course, I will also be reporting here on all things Bandits!

Jonathan Cimaglio and Brenna Moss in Rosemont, IL-July 2017.

Friendly Encounters: Taylor Edwards and Jonathan Cimaglio

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

I met Jonathan Cimaglio at a Chicago Bandits game.  He is an avid sports fan and a big-time autograph collector.  He has a ton of autographs from the Bandits and other teams in the NPF.
He might be the closest rival to Sheri Samson in NPF signatures.  They have a bit of a friendly rivalry going.  I think in time Cimags will surpass Sheri.  I mean no disrespect to Sheri, but Cimags is more of a dedicated "grapher" than Sheri.  Still, this "battle" is fun to watch.  In the end, they are both good people and great fans.
The picture I chose to represent Cimags today is of him and Taylor Edwards, former catcher with the Bandits.  (Why not feature one of my favorite fans with one of my favorite former Bandits?).  It was great seeing Taylor again, but I'd rather have seen her in the blue of the Bandits rather than the red of the Dawgs.
Jonathan's graphing goes well beyond the NPF, too.  He has a ton of baseball signatures.  I bet he is assembling quite a mancave for himself.  It's fun to watch him grow his collection.
This is my first feature of Jonathan, but it won't be my last.  He has so many great pictures with some awesome athletes.

Jonathan Cimaglio and Taylor Edwards in Rosemont, IL-August 2017.