Lakewood Croquet Club

LAKEWOOD, WA – Having already made a name for himself as the 1998 LCC Rookie of the Year, Mark Stibbe is now apparently building upon his reputation off the greens. Completely unsubstantiated and anonymous reports indicate that Stibbe is spending less time in active competition and more time on the celebrity circuit.

After his amazing 1998 season, Mark Stibbe was on top of the croquet world. A rising superstar coming off an impressive rookie season, he soon found himself shouldering immense expectations. Could he match the success of the previous season and build upon his momentum? Was the Champions Cup next in his sights? Could he avoid the dreaded “sophomore slump?”

May 22nd seemed to say “no.”

Stibbe found himself in the middle of the most competitive field in LCC history at the 43rd Annual Gary Coleman Memorial Team Challenge, paired with fellow sophomore Kristina Miller in a battle for the LCC Doubles Championship. Despite solid play, the pair finished fourth out of five teams.

Stibbe’s thunder was further stolen by his rival during the 1998 season, Emily Smith. Smith stole the show at the Coleman Challenge, obliterating the field.

Rather than returning to the greens to perfect his game, “Money Mark” has chosen a different path. He’s apparently going to party like it’s 1999.

It is 1999, after all.

Although Lakewood Croquet Club Officials have yet to learn of Stibbe’s actual whereabouts, a pair of mysterious photographs were received by a member of the Board of Directors earlier this week, accompanied by an anonymous note postmarked from Beverly Hills, CA.

The note read simply “See ya! Wouldn’t want to be ya!”

The first photo appears to depict a gregarious Stibbe rubbing shoulders with none other than basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain. Written across the back of the photograph was the line “two smooth talkin’ ladies men.”

As shocking as this was to LCC Officials, the next photo was even more eye-opening. It shows Stibbe, in full party action, amidst a bevy of beauties and Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.

The back of the photo read simply “hell yeah!”

In an attempt to confirm this story, the LCC Web Team contacted Kevin Sutton, Champions Cup winner and longtime confidant of Stibbe. When questioned concerning Stibbe’s whereabouts, Sutton confessed to be at a loss himself.

“I don’t know what’s happened to Mark,” stated a clearly concerned Sutton. “It’s just not like him to take off like this. Although come to think of it, he was pretty much out of it last time I did see him. He was mumbling something about needing to ‘get out of Dodge’ and that he was going to ‘take a road trip’.”

“I wish I knew where he was,” Sutton added. “The guy owes me $10.”