On one particular evening in 1980 or 1981, the six guys living at 216 Lowes St. ventured to their basement and found an abandoned shower stall in the corner.

No one knows who started it, but the idea of standing at the other end of the room and imitating their favorite baseball pitcher with whatever bottle they were holding was discussed.

The idea seemed good at the time, and that night the Bullpen was born and a lasting memory made.

But there were other unforgettable things about what was called “the last house on the left” by Steve Kellett ’81,  Brian Hunt ’81, Rick Howard ’81, Rick Szink ’81, Jeff Szink ’82 and Mark Morabito ’81, who shared the four-bedroom home that was not UD-owned at the time.

For starters, their housemate contract was written up and signed on a napkin in a bar. That napkin was considered legally binding to all of them — especially since rent was only $50 per person.

There was also that game they played each weekend as the roommates (along with unofficial roommates Buddy Glavy and Tim Wood) watched The Love Boat on mute while listening to vinyl records.

“Each housemate took a turn choosing one song off an album. Once a song was picked, the album couldn’t be used again. So, we would line the album covers around the perimeter of the living room, which sometimes snaked into the hallway,” Rick Szink said.

Then there was Kellett’s room in the attic. Unfortunately, the only way to get there was through the second floor bathroom.

“It was not unusual for Steve to go up to his room when one of us was using the facilities and watching TV in the bathroom,” Morabito said.

And who would forget ordering delivery from Milano’s — even though the home was directly across the street from the restaurant.

But, above all, the Bullpen is what stands out.

Howard took his grandfather to the Bullpen on graduation weekend, when his grandfather told him it was one of the coolest things he had seen. Hunt’s 6-year-old brother bore witness to that and never forgot UD (he’s now an alumnus).

And what if the basement shananigans weren’t such a good idea?

“Three high-powered lawyers are amongst us,” Howard confirmed, “just in case the statute of limitations for the Bullpen has not passed.”

Suggest we take a tour of your old house. Email us at magazine@udayton.edu.