Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Ten Questions: Greg Fredericks (Hall of Honor Member)


   1.    What song immediately brings back memories of Penn State?
Not a big music guy.  Listened to a Simon & Garfunkel, and different folk groups like Peter, Paul & Mary, Gordon Lightfoot....  Come on, it was the late '60's and most of you were in diapers and we had Vietnam and Richard Nixon.  So any of those "artists." 
2.   Who was the biggest team clown during your track years?
We were serious way back when coach first came to PSU.  Gary Murray was as close to a clown as I remember.
3.   What was your best PSU Track or XC performance?
Big 4 meet, Pittsburgh (this is for Artie). Mile 4:00, 880 1:50, anchored 4X440 :48). Team gave Coach a Big 4 victory in Pittsburgh.  For you youngsters the Big 4 was PSU, Pitt, WVU and Syracuse.
4.   What is your best Coach Groves memory?
I have a lot; here is one.  1972 after setting the American record, coach and I were treated to dinner in a nice Seattle restaurant by Neil Amdur (NY Times reporter).  Coach had a dinner bet with him that I would win and coach collected.  Good thing I did not know that before the race.  (I'm pretty sure coach never won, or even placed a bet on me!)
5.   What was your favorite haunt/watering hole in State College back in the day?
Sorry every team needs at least one, not a drinker so my favorite was a fresh fruit sundae at the Deli.  Never missed a Sunday morning workout due to a sundae hangover.  (Mine was Pedro's, where you got chili, a taco and tortilla chips for 99 cents, with a free soft drink of any size on Thursdays!)
6.   What was your least favorite workout?
10X110, 10X220; 10X110; 5X220.  None of us knew he was a 440 Man!
7.   How many members of the women’s track team did you date, even though Coach Groves said they were “off-limits”?
None.  Coach made sure there was no women's team until I graduated and Mike Sands enrolled!  (Before a girls team existed and before color was invented for photographs!)
8.   What is your most embarrassing moment while attending Penn State?
Growing what I called a mustache!  (Ask Whiteside about my goatee!)
9.   What exercising do you currently do?
Still lift weights though it may be hard to tell; Get a 5K run each day though it is a bike ride some weekends.  "TEAM" run the morning of the Annual Coach Harry Groves Golf Tournament and Reunion.  Shameless plug for Dave!  (Any shameless promotion is certainly appreciated!)
10.  What was the best home football game you attended?
Did I mention I was here during the late '60's.  First 2 undefeated teams under Paterno '68 and '69.  They were all good those years.  (I went to a lot of those games also.  Band day was always great, if anyone remembers those.)

6 comments:

  1. Awesome! These top 10 ?s are really cool.

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  2. Thanks for the praise. It only took me three years to dream it up!

    And Tyler has been selected for inclusion in the first PSU Track Alumni Golf Calendar (for 2011). Sure to be a big seller in our own group's store.

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  3. Great picture - looks like the 1972 NCAA 5K....

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  4. I've been hearing about that Big 4 meet performance since i was in 9th grade. It was the stuff of legend in Pittsburgh. Also, in Re: to question # 6...Was that Mihaly Igloi day at Penn State? Good stuff!

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  5. An Igloi reference! Love it. Maybe Ernst Van Aaken will be recalled next. (I even how to spell it correctly. I only checked after I wrote it.)

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