Penn State Track and Field Alumni (Golf): Happy birthday, Coach Groves

"...a blogger, who is just a bullsh*tter with an IP address."

-Anonymous, Ace of Spades Blog, 2021.

"Gutless and talentless. (sic) It's your trademark since 1977."

-Redacted, 2021.

"Friendship, physics, and philosophy---this blog has it all."

-Anonymous, 2011.

"I enjoy what you are doing with this blog. It is truly the only reason to have a Facebook account."
-Darryl Jones.

"Light yourself on fire and then roll in broken glass to put out the fire!"
-from Isaiah Harris's Twitter Feed, explaining how to replicate the feeling after an 800M race.

"Even pit bulls call him Coach."
-Brian Mount, reacting to a visit to Coach Groves from Hunter Backenstose's pit bull, Blanche.

"Your blog is amazing and I’ve always loved your humor. Thanks for continually bringing me a smile."
-Don Ziter, two-time winner of the Coach Groves Golf Tournament.

"Your blog is amazing."
-Bob Trump.

"Keep up the great work."
-Nick Scarpello, after winning the 2016 Carlsbad 5K.

"Goodbye to all that. (Politics) I am turning into Jeremiah Johnson, a shunner."
-Rob Whiteside, walking the Appalachian Trail.

"I'd rather see you laying in a gutter with your head split open than to see you run like that."
-Coach Groves, following a poor showing of 800M runners at a Beaver Stadium Meet, late 70's.

"You do a fantastic job."
-Phil Caraher.

"You are amazing at blogging."
-Walt Chadwick.

"Best blog out there."
-Phil Passen.

"...it tops all sites I've seen with its sense of humor."
-George Brose, author of the website Once Upon a Time in the Vest, about our humble blog.

"Great post as usual DFB!"
-Darryl Jones.

"You just don't f*** with a f*****."
-sage advice from Coach Groves, as told to Tim Backenstose and me, 5/17/14.

"When I was a kid, I saw an illegal dice game in the bathroom at Franklin Field."
-Matthew Groves, 2013, remembering the Penn Relays Carnival.

"Don't sit next to Balkey and Artie at a track meet...You'll end up talking about hockey for 3 hours."
-Coach Groves to Rebecca Donaghue, 2013.

"The first 45 mile week I ever ran, I ran in the first 3 days at PSU- Thank you very much, Bruce Baden!"
-Larry Mangan, 2012.

"If it takes longer than a paragraph, you don't have anything to say anyway."
-Coach Groves at the 2012 Track Alumni Dinner

"If you can't get excited for The Penn Relays than damn it, you aint got no soul!"
-Coach Groves, as reported by Matt Lincoln at the 2012 Penn Relays.

"Athletics is for education and recreation, nothing else. Winning is important only in that you learn more."
-Coach Harry Groves, 5/21/2011 at the Alumni "Run".

"... for a brief time, I'm the greatest Track Coach in the world."
-Coach Harry Groves, at his Retirement 2006.

"You must do something about the cheating!"
-Coach Harry Groves, after golfing two holes with each foursome in 2009.

"We made Harry cry."
-Randy Moore, remembering the 1985 Penn Relays 4 X 800.

"Even my mother calls me Coach."
-Coach Harry Groves, circa 1977, whenever a student/athlete dared call him Harry.

Friday, April 24, 2026

Happy birthday, Coach Groves

He always enjoyed birthday wishes under the clock on his special day.

No comments:

Idiots in Charge: (Officers)

Clark Haley- Professor emeritus, Founder , web site editorial board chairman, and Keeper of the Beer
Gary Black- Chief Financial Officer and Director of Corporate Espionage
Mark Heckel - Director of Security
Harry Smith- Event Coordinator and Keeper of the Cup
Vivian Riddick - Greatest Track Alumni Ambassador
Jeff Sanden- Grand, Exalted IT Czar
skwilli- Web Site Idiot and Herder of Cats (dfbaskwill@cs.com)
Ron Moore - Erwin Shroedinger Endowed Chair For Advanced Physics
Brian Boyer- Official Physicist , European Liaison
Greg Fredericks- Course Marshall, Hole-in-one Monitor, and Golden Putter Attendant
Rob Whiteside- Roaming Coorespondent and Muse
Dick Geiger - Walk-On Progenitor Excelsior
Artie Gilkes- Director of Youth Development
Ryan Foster - Energizer Lion Emeritus
Steve Balkey - Beverage Procurement Specialist and Practice Facilitator
Mark Hawkins - Le faucon d'orange
Kay Warfel, Jeri Elder, Sarah Adams (honorary EKU Library) - Digital Archive Goddesses
Michael Henry - Digital Archive god, University of Maryland Archives (honorary member)
Teddy Quinn - Director of Fun
Bo Quinn - Ambassador of Fun
Jess Riden- Energizer Lion Emeritus
George Brose -(Honorary Member) Obersturmbahndronenfuhrer
Billy Francis - Undersecretary of Fun

Hall of Champions:

2021: Steve Brown '89, Tom Brown '22, Steve Brown Jr., John Flaherty (-5) Mountain View Country Club

2020: John Gondak, Ian Smith, Harry Smith '83, David Baskwill '81 (-4) Mountain View Country Club div>

2019: Tom Brown '22, Paul Mundy '86, Bob Gabel '81, David Baskwill '81 (-3) Mountain View Country Club

2018: Steve Brown '90, Steve Brown Jr., Brian Laird '89, David Baskwill '81 (-1) Mountain View Country Club

2017: Doug Kent '80, Bill Malchano '85, Ken Brinker, '69 (-5) Mountain View Country Club

2016: Che Aresomena '90-something, Coach Kevin Kelly, Mike McClelland '16, Kevin Fuller '13 (-2) Mountain View Country Club

2015: Curt Allison, Bill Whittaker '73, Brian Boyer '80 and Todd Kletter '98 (-2) Mountain View Country Club

2014: Owen Dawson '11, Doug Kent '80, Artie Gilkes '97, Curt Allison (-3) Mountain View Country Club

2013: Rick Kleban '85, Robert Szeyller '60, Brian Fuller '09, Kevin Fuller '10 (-3) Mountain View Country Club

2012: Brian Laird '89, Drew Hardyk, Steve Brown '90, Bill Malchano '85 (-5) The Elks Club Course

2011: Paul Mundy '86, John Gondak, Clark Haley '85, Steve Shisler '86 (-8*) The Elks Club Course

2010: Nick K. '85, Drew Hardyk, Bradd DelMuto '01, Andrew Jenkins '00(-5) The Elks Club Course

2009: Brian Boyer '80, Jim Clelland '80, Gary Black '82 '84 '86, Paul Mundy '85 (-6) The Elks Club Course

2008: Clark Haley '85, Steve Balkey '88, Mike McCahill '83, Brian Laird '89/ Bill Whittaker '73(-6) The Elks Club Course

2007: Beth (Stever) Shisler '86, Harry Smith '84, Gary Black '82 '84 '86, Clark Haley '85 (-3) The Elks Club Course

2006: David Baskwill '81, Don Ziter '81, Zeb Stewart '83, Robert Gifford '89 (-5) Penn State White Course

2005: Don Ziter '81, Paul Mundy '85, Rob Boulware '86, Robert Gifford '89 (-5) Penn State White Course

2004: Mike McCahill '83, Rick Kanuck, Doug Scharsu, Clark Haley '85 (-5) Penn State White Course

2003: Harry Smith '84, Steve Balkey '88, Chris Herr '85, Tom Rapp '81 (-2) Penn State White Course

2002: Robert Gifford '89, Brian Laird '89, Clark Haley '85 (-3) Penn State Blue Course

Penn State Track and Field Alumni (Golf)