TTC_03_31_21_Vol.17-No.23

Page 4 www.TheTownCommon.com
March 31, 2021
Long Live Stat Geek
By Stewart Lytle, Reporter
REGIONAL – The legions of
David Niles’ fans never saw his
face, but looked forward to hearing
his voice when he called regularly
on the “Felger & Mazz”
sports radio show on 98.5 FM.
“He brightened my day whenever
he called in,” wrote one fan
about Niles.
Using the moniker, the Stat
Geek in Natick, Niles provided the
Sports Hub show hosts, veteran
sports commentators Mike Felger
and Tony Massarotti, and their listeners
with insights from spreadsheets
he kept on sports statistics.
Another fan wrote: “I never met
David, but I was always happy
and excited to hear his voice. He
truly shined with his unique statistical
analysis. The knowledge
and personality he brought to the
airwaves will be deeply missed. I
hope he knew just how many fans
he had as he achieved guest expert
and celebrity status within the
sports hub community.”
A devoted New York Yankees
fan, Niles was a “wizard with
numbers,” said Brett Reis, his
childhood best friend.
At 27-years-old, Niles died six
years ago from complications of
the eating disorder anorexia nervosa.
Niles’ life and struggle with
the eating disorder are the subject
of a new play, Stat Geek in Natick,
written by Reis. It will premier
this week on April 1st and continue
through April 3rd in a live
streamed performance from the
Firehouse Theater in Newburyport.
“The show packs an emotional
punch,” Reis said. “It’s an
eye-opening, heart-wrenching story
that we can’t wait to share. And
it’s not just for sports fans.”
Reis, who will also direct the
play, said, “We don’t know enough
about eating disorders. There is so
much uncertainty. This play will
shed light on this darkness.”
Anorexia can be deadly as it was
for Niles, who developed the eating
disorder while in high school.
Over time, it causes organ damage
and ultimately organ failure, Reis
said.
John Moynihan, the Firehouse
executive director, wrote “I’m
proud to be involved in this project.
Theater has the unique ability
to move you in ways that you never
thought possible, and Stat Geek
in Natick does just that.”
Niles and Reis became friends
in pre-school in their hometown
of Rehoboth. Their mothers were
friends and set up a play date that
lasted through elementary school
and middle school, different high
schools, colleges and careers.
A graduate of the University of
New Hampshire, Niles used his
gift with numbers to become a
data analysis for Vistaprint in Lexington
for two years. He lived in
Natick.
On his on-line obituary, hundreds
of family members, friends
and fans wrote about their love
and admiration for David.
His mentor when he was a college
intern wrote: “David's academic
brilliance was paired with a
wit and engaging personality that
no doubt comes from being an avid
sports fan here in New England. I
was privileged to have David on
my team as a college intern at Fidelity
on two occasions. His work
was not only exemplary, but he was
patient with the rest of us as he explained
the intricacies and nuance
of his analysis so that we would
eventually catch up with him.”
Reis and Niles’ parents, Robert
From left, David Niles and Brett Reis.
and Pamela, always thought his
skill with numbers would take
him in exciting new direction,
which is a theme in the play.
Stat Geek in Natick was the
second play Reis wrote during the
Pandemic. One night about midnight,
the idea for the play came
to him like a lightning bolt, he
said. In 15 minutes, he sketched
out the play, but it took weeks to
finish because writing about his
friend, his disease and death was
too intensely personal.
“I have such great respect for
Brett and the work that he creates.”
Moynihan said, “I had never
known him to be a writer, so when
he came to me with this piece, I
was hesitant. But once I read it,
I knew it was something that we
needed to put on our stage, and
I’m grateful for the opportunity to
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Photo provided by Brett Reis
share such an important story.”
While the Firehouse has never
produced one of Reis’ shows before,
he is no stranger to the theater,
Moynihan wrote in a news
release. Since 2018, he has acted
as the Firehouse’s resident lighting
designer and directed the 2019
production of Little Shop of Horrors.
Reis wrote the play to raise
awareness and funding for the
fight against eating disorders. The
cast and crew accepted only minimal
stipends for their work, and
the Firehouse will donate all of the
show’s profits to the National Eating
Disorder Association.
The talented cast for Stat Geek
includes Matthew Schofield as
Felger, Kevin Mahaney as Massarotti
and David Picariello as Niles.
A professional crew will stream
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the production from the Institution
for Savings Mainstage at the
Arakelian Theater.
Showtime is 8 p.m. Thursday
through Saturday, exclusively online.
Tickets cost $15. To reserve,
visit www.firehouse.org.
“I always enjoyed his phone
calls,” a fan wrote of him on his
obituary. “You could feel his enthusiasm
for baseball and football.
He was knowledgeable and entertaining,
and I'll miss hearing him
on the program.”
Joe wrote: “I never knew David,
but used to always enjoy his calls
into Felger and Mazz. His statistics
would always spark an interesting/
entertaining conversation!”
AJ wrote, “You could hear the
passion in his voice, and it seemed
like it was something he truly
loved and brought him much joy.”
Niles became so popular on the
show that he was invited to become
a member of the team. But
as his relationship with “Felger &
Mazz” grew, his health deteriorated,
and he declined the show’s
offer.
Someone with eating disorders
struggles in silence, Reis said.
Friends often don’t know. "One
of the pillars of eating disorders is
secrecy. They're doing everything
they can to hide it from those
around them, which makes it all
the more important others raise a
general awareness."
Felger and Massoratti honored
Niles on air, re-playing a recording
of the first time he called the show.
The news of his death prompted
dozens of fans to write their own
accolades.
Rooks wrote: “I loved listening
to David on Felger & Mazz. Always
brought pertinent and illuminating
statistics to the table and
explained them in a way idiots like
me could understand. Smart guy. I
will truly miss hearing him.”
A couple of his fans used their
tributes to take a jab at the popular,
at times controversial sports
commentators.
One wrote that he “thoroughly
enjoyed each and every time he
called into Felger and Mazz and
just totally put them in their place.
I am definitely going to miss his
input to the show.”
Joe wrote that Niles “made Felger
and Mazz tolerable. You will be
missed!”
For more information, visit the
website, Statgeekinnatick.com.