Throwback Thursday Tribute To Al Porto

The Interns finally woke up today and got to work on the question of when Al Porto (1950 NCAA Championship team member mentioned in comments to the last post) won our longest drive contest!  Turns out it was the 2013 Coach Groves Golf Tournament, the same one where Happy Gilmore made an appearance! (Now the Interns want an upgrade to the ObamaCare Gold Plan when I can't even afford the Silver Plan for myself, and the Bronze Plan has been banned by the State of Pennsylvania as Cruel and Unusual.)

Ryan Foster, Larry Mangan, Al Porto and Steve Balkey. Photo by Mark Hawkins.

Three of the four were/are PSU 1500M/Mile Record Holders and the fourth happened to be an NCAA Cross Country Champion in 1949 and 1950  And let's not forget that Al Porto happens to have won the Longest Drive competition in our Golf Tournament.

A fifth member of the group showed up at one point.  Happy Gilmore made his appearance and impressed the group with a trademark running shot.  No word on who he later punched.

Happy Gilmore. Photo by Mark Hawkins.

A New Officer, A Look Back And Just A Peek Forward

We haven't had a new Officer installed in a little while and I came across this pic online...

This is Mercedes and Teddy Quinn's new dog, an adopted Jack Russell terrier (or as they will learn, terror!) named Bo (I think!).  Seeing as Teddy is our group's Director of Fun, Bo is now our Ambassador of Fun!  There is never a dull moment with a Jack.  I look forward to this year's head-to-head match-up of Bo and my Jack Spott in the basketball bracket fiasco!

The Fanelli family from Jenkintown, PA is as close as America comes to Track and Field royalty.  Mike brings us this great PSU tidbit from the last team championship for the Lions!

And coming soon will be more from the Fanellis AND one of our own Olympians when I reintroduce our 10 Questions feature (give or take a few!)

This Still Isn't The Way To Determine The Rest Of PSU's Best Cross Country Runners Of All-Time

Here's the rest of the list of "The Top PSU Cross Country Runners of All-Time".  Remember, the criteria were set in the last post, which showed the top 11 of All-Time.

12.  Gerald Norman - 6th in 1960 for 15 points.
13.  Richard Englebrink - 7th in 1959 for 14 points.
14.  Howard Deardorff - 8th in 1960 for 13 points.
15.  Robert Snyder - 9th in 1978 for 12 points.
16.  Robert Freebairn - 11th in 1950 for 10 points.
17.  Brian Laird - 13th in 1988 for 8 points.
18.  Fred Kerr -  13th in 1957 for 8 points.
19.  Lamont Smith - 13th in 1953 for 8 points.
20.  Donald Ashenfelter - 13th in 1949 for 8 points.
21.  McClain Smith - 13th in 1942 for 8 points.
22.  Larry Mangan - 14th in 1980 for 7 points.
23.  Donald Freebairn - 14th in 1949 for 7 points.
24.  George Malley - 17th in 1975, 20th in 1976 for 5 points.
25.  Jack Saint Clair - 16th in 1950 for 5 points.
26.  Albert Porto - 16th in 1949 for 5 points.
27.  Herman Goffberg - 16th in 1941 for 5 points.
28.  Raymond Smith - 17th in 1967 for 4 points.
29.  Herman Weber - 17th in 1960 for 4 points.
30.  Donald Woodrow - 17th in 1956 for 4 points.
31.  William Gordon - 17th in 1950 for 4 points.
32.  Fred Lennox - 17th in 1947 for 4 points.
33.  Steve Brown - 20th in 1989 for 1 point.
34.  Doug Moorhead - 20th in 1954 for 1 point.

Director of Youth Development Artie Gilkes and Herm Goffberg.

   

Herm Goffberg.

Robert Snyder.

Ryan Foster, Larry Mangan, Al Porto, and Steve Balkey.

Brian Laird, 2nd from right.

Jack Saint Clair Invitational 2015

  "To run well, you have to be a bull."

-Jack Saint Clair, about his course.

I traveled to my favorite city today to check out the refurbishment of the Belmont Plateau Cross Country courses at the Jack Saint Clair Invitational.

Jack was Penn State's team captain in 1950 when they traveled to Michigan State to upset the home team for the National Championship.  The team included Horace Ashenfelter's brothers William and Don, Robert Freebairn, Dudley Foster, William Gordon and our Long Driver himself, Al Porto!

Jack was the long-time coach of Cardinal Dougherty High School (1956-1968) and then Temple University (1967-1983).  He actually created the course at Belmont Plateau in 1963.  He passed away in 2007.

In 1963, Mr. St. Clair and coaches from Villanova University and what was then St. Joseph's College designed the five-mile college course at Belmont Plateau. It is still considered a course with everything a runner could want: steep challenging climbs, rapid descents, grass and dirt trails, and spectacular scenery, including the Philadelphia skyline.

Flagpole Hill. The flagpole is now on top of the mansion.

Signs are everywhere for all distances (except the 6K!)

On a clear day you can still see William Penn's statue atop City Hall.

The 1 Mile Mark just as you enter the woods.

Parachute Hill is much more overgrown than I remember!

Team captain 1950 NCAA Champion Nittany Lions.

Start Line is a permanent fixture with 2 large poles.

Detailed course maps are available.

 And here's the results of the 17 team 1950 NCAA XC Championships:  (PSU 53 pts., MSU 55 pts.)

Can We Entice Horace Back Onto The Track?

The USATF Masters Indoor Championships were blessed with a world record in the 4x800 relay for those over the age of 90!  I have nothing but praise for these guys.  

But Al Porto and Horace Ashenfelter are both way better golfers than I and Horace still runs every other day.  And Al looked pretty darn spry to me at the Golf Tourney 2 years ago.  All we need to bring the title to 800U is 2 more willing 90 year-olds.  Anyone know any more?

4 X 800M World Record (Over 90yo)

The Ones Who Started It All

Two years ago, we had the pleasure of welcoming Horace Ashenfelter, Al Porto and Bob Parsons to our Alumni Reunion and Golf Tourney.  Eight decades worth of PSU Track and Field and Cross Country Alumni got together for the very first time.  I doubt if other Alumni Groups can boast the same!

I learned several things from them at the time:

1. Al Porto and Horace Ashenfelter are both better golfers than I.  Bob told me he no longer golfs. SO I got him beat.
2. A long run for those 3 NCAA Champions was considered anything over 3 miles.  A 5 mile run was the longest they went.  And never on Sunday.
3. All three of them credited Curtis Stone for encouraging them to run.

With the help of our new friend from British Columbia, George Brose, I have been pointed to some great stuff.  His Blog, Once Upon a Time in the Vest is a treasure trove of great stuff from the 50's, 60's and 70's of Track and Field, and is well worth a visit.  Prepare to spend some time.

Curt Stone is, of course, familiar to a lot of us.  He was quite a remarkable character and ran in 3 Olympics, after what he calls "his prime" during the cancelled 1944 Games. He also ran in the 1952 and 1956 Games.

Penn State Coach Chick Werner with 3 1952 Olympians, Bill Ashenfelter, Horace Ashenfelter and Curt Stone.

Here is a great 3-piece article about Curtis Stone detailing his Olympic Exploits, his PSU career and more, including some interesting tidbits about revolutionary "two-a-days and fartlek".

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Curt Stone's 1948 Spikes.

Coach Chick Werner's patented shoes. Photo from Phil Scott collection.

Chamois insides of Coach Werner's sockless shoes. Photo from Phil Scott collection.

A Rather Fleet Foursome!

Ryan Foster, Larry Mangan, Al Porto and Steve Balkey. Photo by Mark Hawkins.

Three of the four were/are PSU 1500M/Mile Record Holders and the fourth happened to be an NCAA Cross Country Champion in 1949.  And let's not forget that Al Porto happens to have won the Longest Drive competition in our Golf Tournament.

A fifth member of the group showed up at one point.  Happy Gilmore made his appearance and impressed the group with a trademark running shot.  No word on who he later punched.

Happy Gilmore. Photo by Mark Hawkins.

Seven is a Lucky Number

Especially when it's really a tie for Sixth!

6)   Andy Banse, Charlie Hull, Tom Shiffer, Albert Porto (+4)

It was a pleasure meeting  Albert Porto at the alumni Reunion evening at The Lion's Den.  We talked a little about the track at Beaver Field, where Kern Commons and the parking lot for the Nittany Lion Inn is now.  We also talked about the training back in the day, which consisted of almost all serious "quality" work-outs.  Having several of the NCAA Champion runners from 1950 (and before!) was a dream come true for this Herder of Cats.

Andy Banse is the new Throws Coach, and must be doing one heck of a job!  My lack of knowledge of the event is counter-balanced by the enthusiasm for their accomplishments. 

I got to talk to Charlie Hull because we both stayed at the Hampton Inn, the Official Hotel of PSU Track Alumni Golfers.  Apparently we both are fans of the breakfasts.  I'll have to arrange to golf with him next year.  That is, if he wants to finish second anyway.  That's where I always am!

Tom Shiffer took some time off from hob-nobbing with celebrities to golf with us mortals. Maybe he could drag someone famous along with him next year.

Champions Reunite

The Banner Unfurling at the Horace Ashenfelter III Complex last week brought back a number of members from the great NCAA Championship teams from 1942, 1947 and 1950.  They include:

 Bob Parsons, ‘51
Robert Freebairn, ‘51
Howard Horne, ‘47
Gerry Karver, ‘48
Al Porto, ‘51
Bill Gordon., ‘51
Bob Rossler, ‘53

They all are cordially invited to the 10th Annual Harry Groves Golf Tourney in May.  

In wide ranging discussions between Coach Groves, Steve Shisler and Greg Fredericks, it was finally learned that Sunday runs were only an attempt by Coach Groves to restrict the team's late night Saturday shenanigans.  It may be the only failure of Coach Groves' career!  It was also learned that there were no Sunday runs in the 40's and 50's!  Coach Chick Werner wouldn't allow them.  Their long runs were on Mondays and consisted of 3 to 5 miles.  I may have to get back into the game, as apparently I run a long run every day!  (Thanks to Steve for the inside info.)