Coach Groves Memorial Golf 2025 Tourney Results

Winning "Four"some:  Brian Laird (89), Mike Shine (75), Clark Haley (85)

Longest Drive:  Mike Shine (75)

Longest Putt:  Ryan Foster (15)

Closest to the Pin: Bob Gabel (80)

And let's thank Paul Mundy for the wonderful commemorative golf balls!

Homecoming

It was Homecoming yesterday in University Park and the football team dominated poor ole UMass in what I consider a little bit of overkill.  But what do I know? I admit I don't keep up with things anymore, and never watch any pre-game or post-game blather.  I also turn the sound off,  so because of Penn State's glorious no-name uniforms, I don't know any of the players names unless there are graphics involved on the screen.

Football Alumni make up the largest sports alumni group at Penn State Athletics. I would bet their active numbers are higher than 75%.  The second largest sports alumni group is Penn State Track and Field/Cross Country.  With all the work Clark Haley and others have done for 21 years now, we reach less than 20% of the total number.  Rather disappointing , to say the least. We continue to work to get those numbers higher.

So, it is heartwarming to hear from new members.  And when we do, I try to highlight them. This example is especially cool because it points out that Clark truly is a Leader.  Thanks, Clark!

 

Hello!

My name is Tom Williams, and I was on the XC and T&F teams back in '81-82. (I am in the back row of the attached team pic)

Among my great regrets in life, one has been not being more connected to the team back in the day and moving forward.  I arrived at PSU with total anonymity and left the same.  To his great credit (and somewhat out of character in those days), Coach Groves let me walk on.  I was not a D-1 athlete.  I knew it, and Coach Groves knew it.  However, I knew I wanted a Penn State education, I knew I loved the sport, and I knew that one day I wanted to coach.  Coach Groves gave me more than my share of verbal smacks along the way, and like many stupid 19 year olds, I assumed he hated me.

Fast forward to 2008--a big leap.  See the other attached pic.  While at a conference in Eugene, I found out there was a track meet at Hayward Field.  Attendance was a no-brainer.  When I went, I found out the US Jr National Team was participating and one of the coaches...was Harry Groves.

I found Coach, and perhaps thankfully he did not remember me.  But as he put it "there are a lot of people I don't remember any more."

And then something remarkable happened.  I mentioned that I was a coach, and Harry lit up.

Coach Groves shared that he had been trying to keep a list of all of "his guys" who went on to become coaches.  Suddenly I wasn't the scrub walk-on.  Suddenly I was someone Harry wanted to get on his list.  It was awesome.  Not the same guy who scared me to death my freshman year!

Back then I rarely had a camera with me, and even when I did I seldom took any pictures.  Thankfully, I got a picture which now means a lot to me.  Me and Harry at Hayward Field.

So, to guys like Clark Haley and everyone else on that '81 XC team...I wish I had been a better teammate and friend, but make no mistake, it was one of the most memorable years of my life.

 

 

2nd quick story...

Being a scrub, I also errantly assumed other guys on the team looked down on me, and certainly no scholarship guys would even know my name.

Then about 10 years later I was helping out at the runners' expo for the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta.  This guy--who looked familiar--came up with a huge smile and said "Tom!  How are you doing, man?"  It was Clark Haley.  He acted like I was a long lost brother, which I guess I was without realizing it.

I have had lots of interactions over the years with my buddy Mark Heckel, who didn't believe I ran at PSU until he checked the team track photo.  :-)   Both there at the same time, but throwers lived on a different planet.

 

Whine And Dine

 First up, the announcement by Clark Haley of the one-time rules change for the 20th Annual Coach Harry Groves Golf Tourney brought howls of protest from the "real" golfers among us.  The cacophony from the rabble rose to such levels at our reception, that I was worried there would be intervention by the authorities.

 

Announced as a 2 club maximum for each golfer in the foursome, it was soon amended to 3 clubs per golfer.  Still, chaos reigned.  Clark held firm at the 3 club maximum and not the "3 clubs and a putter" demand from the influential group of Fuller Brothers!

The anonymously sponsored open bar added to the general good cheer throughout the night.  The night concluded with a putting contest win by Mike McCahill.

The dawning of a new day led eventually to the start of the Coach Groves Golf Tourney.  While this was happening, an intrepid group continued the traditional climb of Mt. Nittany (started by Spouse the Better) followed by a trip to the Creamery.

Rain held off until well into the outing, and the torrential rains only lasted for one hole, followed by summer-like heat and humidity.  We always see a myriad of conditions on the Mountain View Country Club, although conditions were excellent overall.  The brief shower came over Skimont (or whatever it is called now), as if Bear Meadows knew that PSU distance runners were there and just wanted to say hello.

The 3-club maximum for each golfer led to strange shots throughout the day.  Try putting with a 5-iron! My "bag" consisted of a 5-iron, a pitching wedge and a putter; my 3 best clubs.  None of which I can still hit on a consistent basis.  I did, however, have a number of shots that counted and saved par a few times for our foursome.  The new rules added a fun element, and brought a new strategy and synergy to each foursome.  This format brought everyone closer together, which has always been one of Clark's stated goals.  

The longest drive was recorded by philanthropist Ken Brinker.  The longest putt of more than 22 feet was recorded by co-director Harry Smith (garnering the Smith family another year with the purloined Golden Putter).  Tim Brown placed his shot closest to the pin on the ninth hole.  The furthest traveled alum was Brian Boyer, who brought his family from Vienna Austria!

Overall, scores turned out better than anyone had predicted and there was a tie between 2 foursomes at one-under par for the victory.  The rules for ties were eventually thrown out and it was decided using a complex formula involving Elon Musk's new Twitter algorithm and the volume of whining from each group.

The foursome of Paul Mundy, Harry Smith, Gary Black and  Tom Shiffer were given the nod and will have their names engraved on the cherished "Cup".

The Awards Dinner was held at The Hyatt Place Hotel, and entailed a very good spread of grilled chicken, flank steak, baked potato bar and all kinds of other things.  The chocolate cake was especially enjoyed by Tourney Winner Paul Mundy. We had an inspirational speech from former XC and Track and
Field captain Che Arosemena, now attending the Army War College in Carlisle.

Throw-Up Thursday

 15 years ago...

The Founder Of Our Group Never Even Missed Me

1981 was the first year after my graduation from Dear Ole State, and yet the PSU XC world continued on.

In fact, the future Founder of our Group, Clark Haley, started that year and probably never even heard of me for quite some time.  Gary Black probably let him in on my existence at some point, and he probably promptly forgot about it.

I only became a member of the group at the first ever Alumni Golf Tourney in 2002 because Gary made me go with him.  The rest of the crew were all well known to Clark Haley. Since then we have spread the group to all years and both (should I say all?) genders.

We Needed A Golf Post

Our Michigan friend and original "Michigan Workout"  (and HERE) participant Jonathan Cross has brought us this gem from Hawaii.  No word on if Clark Haley will try to make this an event in next year's Alumni Triathlon during our Reunion.

https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.cross.90/videos/10156663504088152/

And don't forget to chime in if you know of any changes to be made for the all-time Penn State Alumni Indoor Record Book!!!

Our Founder Won Both Putting Contests

Founder Clark Haley was triumphant in both the Friday night Hotel and the Saturday Golf Course putting contest.  And he donated all of his winnings back to the total that will be given to the PSU Track Program!

Clark lines up the 50-footer that he then sunk! Photo by Digital Archive goddess Kay Warfel.

Doping In Our Sport: A Little Or A Lot?

*Thanks go to Founder Clark Haley for his posting of this topic on the Facebook site.

At our recent Reunion Alumni "Run", I had a chance to speak with Coach Gary Schwartz and others while the rabble wandered around campus.  The topic of doping came up and I stated my opinion on the matter.  "It is far more prevalent in our sport than any of us would like to admit."

While that will be my official opinion on the matter, I will say I fear the incidence is more than 80% across all disciplines of the sport.  Some were shocked by this and gently argued against it.  And Coach Schwartz correctly pointed out that since the dawn of what we consider sports, the original Greek Olympic events, athletes have always looked for an edge against their foes.  Whatever line is drawn, there will always be those who poke the line, cross it by a little bit, or trample it entirely.

The recent leak of the WADA report on Alberto Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project certainly points to a poking of the line, and probable crossing of it by people we root for.  I am not really sure how to feel about it, as I think that the people they are running against have crossed the line much further than anything the NOP has???  Alberto has certainly let his opinion be known.

I had the pleasure of 2 10-mile runs with Alberto at Frank Zarnowski's Mount Saint Mary's Running Camp in 1976.  The first was a real disaster as the camp directors convinced me to drink milk in order to achieve more in the sport.  Three stops in the woods later, Alberto had come back to find "the lost straggler".  Catching back up to the group, I somehow convinced him that I wasn't really a straggler and arranged another 10-miler with him the next early morning.  Since almost none of the other campers were interested in a run of that distance, it was me and Alberto and two other campers.  We had a real wonderful run through the mountains that Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton had hiked 150 years before.

A high school Alberto with Boston Billy.

I have rooted for Alberto ever since.  Even through his dabbles with DMSO and out-and-out performance enhancers during his later competitive years.

What do you think? In the comments below or on our Facebook site.

Holiday Season Includes Happy Cat Herders Day! Who Knew?

 Be sure to vote in the first Semi-Final of the Performance of the Year on the left sidebar of the full web-site! 3 days left before the second appears!!

 

Someone sent me a link the other day to wish me a Happy Cat Herders Day!  Thanks!

 

 

 

Randy Moore originally coined the moniker for my efforts to entice all Penn State Track and Field Alumni to the Reunion and Coach Groves Golf Tourney created by Clark Haley in 2002.  And it is certainly an apt title.  Here's to hoping all of you help entice others to this year's event held in conjunction with the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.

 

 And following the holidays, my movie will be available in DVD format!  Get your copy at Walmart.  Or you can order a copy via Amazon now.  Be sure to look for my first appearance ever on the Big Silver Screen in the credits at the end!

 

 

 

PLAN 9 releases on physical media! The long awaited day has finally come. Plan 9 will be released JAN 5th, 2017 in 2600 Walmart stores. But if you wanna get it early Amazon has it available NOW!!!

To get a your copy via Amazon here is the link (https://www.amazon.com/Plan-9-Brian-Krause/dp/B01INNMZVM/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1481784288&sr=1-3&keywords=plan+9) .

The Disc will be loaded with extra features including…

• Commentary Track - Director and cast discuss the film.

• Criswell Predicts. 5 Episodes of a web series that leads up to the first scene of the film.

• Plan 9: Super 8 - DP shots behind the scenes on a Super 8 camera

• Film Competition - Two shorts hosted by the real John Johnson.

• Teaser Trailer - shot two years before the film was made.Be sure to look for 800U's very own Steve Black in this Teaser Trailer!

• Bloopers & Outtakes

• Mini Doc - short interviews with the cast from the film.

Notes From The Reunion Weekend

1. The meal by PSU catering at the Indoor Complex was one of the best I have ever had at an event like ours.  The BBQ 1/2 chickens and ribs were complimented by several sauces, the raspberry chipotle being my favorite.  The mac and cheese was the absolute best I have ever had.  Even the salads were esquisite to this "occasional" salad eater!  The open bar kept many in the best of moods. Desserts were "to die for".
2. I couldn't fly the drone Airship 800U outside on Saturday because of the rain, but it did get some Thursday and Friday flights at the track with great results.  And I flew it indoors at the Ashenfelter Complex before the Alumni "Run" and only crashed it while landing!
3. Coach Groves came to all the events with his private chauffeur and had a wonderful time.
4. The rain didn't daunt the golfers among us.  Thirty-one of the thirty-two who signed up braved the conditions for the duration.  There was even sleet at the finish, just to welcome all of us home to State College.
5. We all are trying to make next year's event over-the-top great!  We will attempt to arrange the whole thing during the PSU hosting of the Big Ten Outdoor Track Championships next year.  That may even free up some of you who can't come normally because of High School District Meets.  Stay tuned...
6. Some of you had some nice things to say to me about the blog and all of our efforts to unite all 1,500 or so PSU Track and Field Alumni.  I thank all of you for helping to spread the word.  It is starting to have a real effect!
7. Tim Backenstose went out of his way to present to me a framed pic of me in the Penn Relays Marathon in 1979 (He won the whole thing!).  He needed the help of a professional photo enhancement specialist in Hollywood to pull it off.  It means more to me than he can ever know. It will be on display in my treadmill room along with my Rec Hall lockers and Letter certificate signed by both Coach Groves and Joe Paterno.  Thank you Tim!!!
8. Coach Groves received the very first presentation of the "Rusty Boot", an award symbolizing everything that's good about PSU Track and Field and Cross Country.  This was made by bronzing one of Coach Bill Whittaker's javelin spikes from 1970, a quite gnarly sight.
9. Coach Gondak received an Alumni Singlet through the efforts of our Faucon 'de Orange Mark Hawkins.  This was only the second such special singlet given out with the word Coach in the lower bar.  We all thanked him for having the Penn Relays 4 x 800M winning team wear the throwback singlets for the Championship of America race.
10. With the constant rain all day Saturday, we forgot to place the markers for the specialty holes on the course, so we don't have Closest to the Pin, Longest Putt, Longest Drive winners this year.  But I'm pretty sure all of those winners were in my threesome.  Nick K. won the closest to the pin, Clark Haley won the Longest Drive and I won the Longest Putt.  And I have the Golden Putter to prove it!
11. Those usually in charge of the Coach Groves Golf Tourney Championship Cup forgot it at the track after the event and it was retrieved by our Chief Laundry Officer and given to Tim Backenstose for safe keeping.  Thus, Tim is now our Keeper of the Cup, a title of honor in our group.  Tim also won the "Rob Whiteside" Brotherhood Award for actually golfing with us despite hating golf more than I do!  Rob Whiteside was unable to attend the event, as he just had passed into New Jersey during his through-hike of the Appalachian Trail.  This was the only certified excuse for missing the event.  Others take warning.  

Turns out that The Cup was left behind on purpose by The Keeper of the Cup Harry Smith so that Owen Dawson would place it in a display for all to see year round at the Track Facility!  There is no Idiot quite like a Track Alumni Idiot Officer, me included!

All photos stolen from Hanna Humphries and Jim McClelland!

Most of the attending Alumni.

Beth Shisler, Doreen Statare McCoubrie, Vivian Riddick, Elaine LaFramboise Pino, Hanna Humphries.

The Mall

Coach Groves, the Ladies Man!

Coach Jordan, center.

The Alumni "Run" was well attended.

Fun despite the rain! Eric Schwartz, Don Ziter, Jim McClelland and Coach Gondak.

Coach Groves, center court, with his chauffeur.

Kierrun O'Brien.

Coach Gondak with a Penn Relays Wheel!

Coach Groves with the Rusty Boot.

1982 Atlantic Ten Cross Country Champions

Keeper of The Cup Harry Smith brings us this great pic of the 1982 Atlantic Ten Cross Country Champions from Belmont Plateau.

L to R bottom row:

Barry Enright, Jeff Adkins, Ricky Garcia, Clark Haley, Paul Mackley, John Evans, Harry Smith

Top Row L - R:
Rob Whiteside, Mark Overheim, (A-10 Commissioner?), Coach Harry Groves, Nick Kello, Gary Black, Zeb Stewart

My favorite parts of this:

1. Zeb and Harry S. rocking the mustache.
2. Rob rocking the old school gray t-shirt.
3. My first ever mention of Barry Enright on the blog!
4. Gary distracted as always.
5. Nick weighing more than he does NOW!
6. Clark with a hat reminiscent of Bushwood CC. (Looks good on him, though.)
7. Coach Groves with the Dirty Harry sunglasses.

A Birthday Present For Coach Groves

With Coach Groves missing his first Penn Relays in 70 years, many people stood up and brought the Penn Relays to Coach Groves.  Mark Hawkins, Nick K., and Larry Mangan  Clark Haley updated Coach live over the phone during the Sprint Medley Relay Championship of America victory.  And the entire team group of alumni at the reception on Friday night made sure to sign a Program for him which was delivered on Sunday.

Addendum:  I supplied Mark with Coach's phone # prior to the event, so I assumed it was those guys who updated Coach on the shenanigans going on at the track.  (See:  Ass, you, me...)

Photo courtesy of Will Rottler. Thanks Will.

Back To School!

Youngsters across the nation are heading back to school in droves.  And that means college too.  Three different Group Idiots, me among them, are carting their kids to PSU and branch campuses this Friday.  Good luck to Founder Clark Haley and Grand Exalted IT Czar Jeff Sanden as they haul their eldest to Freshman Move-In Day.  (Don't forget your fans for the hot dorm rooms!)  Former pole vaulter Don Skerpon also will be hauling his youngest to State College to join the Track and Field Team as a hurdler.  Best of luck to all!

I have not been fazed by any of Daughter the Elder's life transitions up until now, but I'll admit this one is going to get to me. I'm happy she will be running cross-country at the Mont Alto branch campus for an excellent coach and mentor, Bill Preston.  I have told her often that the friends you make on a team in college will be the best friends you will ever make.  She has seen first hand that PSU Track Alumni Golfers are the most intelligent, most interesting and most accomplished group of people anyone can come across.  And it is what keeps me going in trying to motivate as many of you as possible to become involved.  Our record here at the blog has been quite good, and we will even get better.

Does anyone remember if we ever had an actual team meeting for Cross Country.  I certainly don't remember any.  Unless the Mountain Runs counted as one...

2014 XC Team Meeting.

And here's a little first day history lesson for Freshman Rodney Dangerfield by Professor Sam Kinison which has quite a bit of relevance for us today. Content warning for swear words!

As We Await the Beginning of Cross Country Season...

Here's some old-timey photo goodness from the 1983 Penn Relays Distance Medley Relay Championship of America, featuring Penn State Track Alumni Golfers Paul McLauglin (800M) to Founder and Professor Emeritus Clark Haley (1600M).  Does anyone know the results and time?  

This was the year of Coach Groves' first 4 x 800 M COA victory.  And the time my wife caught him crying in the stands.  He asked her to not tell anyone, and she didn't for about 30 seconds or so until she found me!

Paul McLaughlin with Clark Haley "hugging the wall"

Paul handing to Clark! Go, Clark, go!

Third Place Foursome Had More Fun Than Anyone

Larry Mangan, Clark Haley, Coach Groves, Nick K. and Mark Hawkins.

Two things are remarkable about our third place foursome this year.

1. Clark Haley was NOT on the winning team!
2. They managed third place (+1) despite apparently never sleeping the whole weekend!

Larry Mangan, Nick K., Clark Haley and Mark Hawkins slightly before 3:00AM (photo by Tim Backenstose)

Chief Laundry and Morale Officer Larry Mangan relates that he had a great time and was constantly laughing through the entire round of golf.  Which, for those who don't golf, is difficult to do when trying to hit that damn little white ball, over and over...

Founder Clark Haley had the organization honed to a sharp edge like never before.  The only potential hiccup was the chance of rain that somehow never materialized for the 13th year in a row!

Nick K. was again looking good on the golf course as well as the track during the Alumni "Run".

" Le faucon d'orange" Mark Hawkins also participated in all activities and unveiled the newest batch of Alumni Singlets and the new Alumni tees at the Reunion on Friday night.  He deserves much more in pay than he gets for doing this! We plan on a new batch in just a few weeks for those paying attention.

Coach Groves shows off his new Alumni tee.

Kyle Dawson displays the very first blue Mens Singlet.

High School Mania!

I came across a nice pic on the inter-tubes yesterday from fellow teammate Ricky Garcia.  His TC Williams (of Remember the Titans fame!) distance medley relay team was the holder of the national record for more than 25 years.  On that team was fellow Nittany Lion Dwight Stephens.  Ted Lyon was also from that powerhouse program.  That's three teammates of mine from just one high school.

Ricky Garcia, second from left, and Dwight Stephens, right.

There are other schools with similar Penn State credentials.

• Lancaster, Ohio's Brannon Kidder, John Zishka and Keeper of the Beer Clark Haley.
• Council Rock's Bob Hamer, among others... coached by my daughter's future coach at PSU Mont Alto Bill Preston.
• And last but certainly not least, State College High with literally dozens of Nittany Lions springing from its halls. 

Are there any other High Schools with similar PSU credentials?  (I know there are.)

Verified Photos and Video From "Day On The Bay II"

A fine day was apparently had by all.

"A Three Hour Tour"

The return of "A Day on the Bay" with Captain Tim Backenstose is going forward without me.  Luckily, Group Founder and Keeper of the Beer Clark Haley and Director of Corporate Espionage Gary Black wlil be there to document things.  That is, unless they drown each other in the process!  There will also be members of other eras along for the tour and its aftermath.  Can't wait for photos and video!  Coach Groves stories are on the agenda.  But then again, aren't they always?

Artist's Conception.