The Newly Anointed Alumni Golfer

For those of you who may not have met me yet, I am the new guy. My name is Nick Scarpello, and I am honored to join the ranks of this highly esteemed group of track & field alumni golfers. Of course, to get to this point, I had to first go through a very important vetting process. And so fellow alumni golfer David Baskwill invited me to meet him on the White Course’s ninth green at 9 o’clock for my first test. I actually have some footage from the meeting.

After the necessary newbie pranking was over with, David got into the hard interview questions. First, I had to tell David that I've never won a free game in mini-golf. No extra benefits: still eligible.  Next, I had with me a titanium driver and demonstrated for him that I do in fact have a slice worse than Charles Barkley.

Bad golfer:  check.

Next I reached into the back pocket of my golf slacks and pulled out printed race results from last week's Henderson Distance Carnival.

This may confirm the rumors you have heard. In my first post-collegiate race, I was indeed defeated by not one, but two, high school runners. Therefore I officially enter into that generation of athletes complaining about new generations getting faster each and every year. Take note also of fellow alumnus Owen Dawson in eighth.

From left:  Kyle Dawson, Me, Owen Dawson,
and PSUT&F rising senior Glen Burkhardt.
May 31, 2014. Henderson Distance Carnival.

Overly-enthusiastic runner:  check.

I had David convinced. But just to be safe, we did Rusty Boots and the bond was sealed.

So that sequence of events is basically what brought me here today. That, along with a passion for running, a sincere desire to help in connecting the Penn State T&F family worldwide, and a firm belief that there is something special about our community. Just the fact that a Penn State T&F Alumnus whom I have NEVER met, David, (the story told above is completely fabricated) has invited me to contribute to this blog, and to do it with the help of a teammate and friend (Matt Groves) I think speaks volumes about what it means to be a Penn Stater. So thank you, David.

My goal here will be to help all present and future alumni golfers to recognize and appreciate the closeness of the Penn State Track & Field family, and to take pride in knowing that you…yes, YOU… are a valued part of this tradition. Whether you were a mid-pack fighter or an All-American, you are, and always will be, Penn State. And we are proud of you.

On another note, the team’s NCAA travel group should be touching down in Portland right about now. The championship action for Penn State starts this Wednesday, June 11, with Melissa Kurzdorfer in the Hammer at 4:30 p.m. EST. Mahagony Jones will be the first Nittany Lion on the track: she runs in the 100-meter semifinals on Wednesday at 8:45 p.m. EST.

Here is TV/broadcast info for the weekend:

Wednesday:  6:55 p.m. EST on ESPN3

Thursday:  6:55 p.m. EST on ESPN3

Friday:  7:30 p.m. EST on ESPNU

Saturday:  5:00 p.m. EST on ESPNU 

Pennsylvania and Ohio Distance Champions in the 70's Chose Penn State

Larry Mangan recently pointed out how nearly all the Pennsylvania distance champions in our day gravitated to Penn State. We are doing our best to make that happen all over again.  Title IX makes that difficult on the mens side.  The list is rather impressive.  Let's see if I can get some of them:

Pennsylvania:
1.  Dave Felice, mile 1976
2.  Ray Krombel, 2-mile 1976
3.  Larry Mangan, mile  1977
4.   Marc Dunmire, mile 1977
5.  George Severine, 880 1977
6.  David Baskwill, 2-mile 1977
7.  Gary Black, mile 1978

I'm forgetting others!  Write a comment below to update the list.

And lets not forget Ohio, the state that's "high in the middle and round on both ends" (from Tom Rapp himself).   The Ohio State Mile Champions at PSU in my day are:

1.  Tom Rapp 1977
2.  Alan Scharsu  1978 (in the photo)
3.  John Zishka  1979
4.  Clark Haley  1981

All of this was off the top-of-my-head, which is notably deficient.  Please send me additions and corrections in the comment section!

Ah, the updates are rolling in, just as I had hoped. 

1.  Mike Cook, 1600 1979.

2.  Mark Overheim, 1600 1981

3. Jay Novak, 3200 1986

4. Dan Mazzocco, 3200  2002

5.  Dave Greene 800, 1979

6.  Doug Walter, 800 1986

7.  Mary Rawe, mile 1977 or 1978?
8.  Robert Snyder, mile 1974, 1975
9.  Kathy Byrnes, 880, 1977 

Paul Souza Takes Philadelphia By Storm!

The Outreach Facilitator (Barb Black) and I rumbled to Philly in the Hybrid and met other PSU Track Alumni Golfers for the Velveteen Playboys appearance at World Cafe Live. Paul Souza entertained the crowd with two energetic sets, showing that time hasn't slowed him down at all. It was a great show, keeping me up WAY past my bedtime and making me feel 30 years younger, (at least until I had to find my car in the monsoon afterward!)

A blast from the past shook us right before the first set, as Ted Lyon '83 sauntered in with the wit and good cheer I remembered from 30 years ago! Sitting at the table as I arrived were two other veteran Track Alumni Golfers, Larry Mangan and Holder of The Golden Putter, Bob Gabel. A respectable turn-out for our motley group. We get one more chance to see the Playboys in Philadelphia, as they will enliven the crowd at the finish line of the Philadelphia Distance Run on September 20th.

My attendance was rewarded with assurances that Ted, Larry and Bob will indeed attend next year's Harry Groves Golf Tournament and Reunion. Negotiations are under way for our new House Band to entertain us at next year's Award Dinner. I have commissioned Paul to write a special song for Coach Groves' 80th birthday.

I was also rocked with the revelation that Paul was in a band with Steve Black while at PSU!

That Blob Isn't Me! Physics Update

Physicists have discovered a blob at the center of the Universe which existed shortly after The Big Bang. Even at my worst, the blob wasn't me or even Downtown, the mascot for the York Revolution baseball team. Downtown visited me at my office last year for an evaluation of his size 57 feet. Not really sure what Downtown is, but the feet had some webbing involved so I'm thinking bird.

There was some confusion at first as to whether the blob might have represented an earlier golf outing get-together of PSU Track Alumni Golfers, but none of the previous incantations were sufficiently large enough to explain the size of the blob. This year's reunion may remind physicists of a Big Bang though; we have 32 golfers and at least a dozen hangers-on. We often get a bunch of last minute appearances by those never able to make commitments, so the total will certainly be over 50 Alumni Golfers (remember the golf is optional, the mirth is required). Those appearing at the last minute will be persuaded by hammer throwers to make a donation to the group, and possibly win a prize besides! We don't turn people away, but we may twist arms to fill in a few golfing slots still available. It isn't too late to join in the fun, but time is slipping away!

PSU Track Alum Goes to Broadway!

Well, almost anyway! 1979 Penn Relays Marathon champion Tim Backenstose will be starring in Calvary Fellowship Church's Christmas Extravaganza in Downingtown PA. Who knew what talents were hidden from the rest of us while at PSU? I dug up the photo of the finish of the race previously discussed on this blog, and also the order of finish, which is quite favorable to "good ole State".

1. Tim Backenstose PSU 2:22:14
2. Mark Stevenson U. S. Navy 2:24:32
3. Dave Patterson Shore A.C. 2:25:05
4. Remo Stirrat Iona College 2:26:26
5. Ed Tueras unaffiliated 2:28:46
6. Brad Althouse PSU 2:30:47
7. Pete Christ Plaisted Hall Harriers 2:31:21
8. Steve Schoenewald Williamstown NJ 2:32:21
9. Chris Winters Wash. DC 2:33:46
10. Dave Spears PSU 2:33:59 ("A"golfer, too!)
11. Don Uphouse PSU 2:34:06
12. Seth Bergman Plaisted Hall Harriers 2:34:38
13. Doug Kent PSU 2:35:49 (my roommate!)
14. Frank Goldcamp Athletic Attic 2:36:19
15. Dave Godin Bentley College 2:36:23
16. Keith Kemper Ursinus 2:36:45
17. David Baskwill PSU 2:37:14 (Doug Kent's roommate)
18. Don Ziter PSU 2:37:14 (sorry Don, they did list me first!)
19. Al Wolfe PSU 2:37:48 (anyone know where the Wolfe twins are?)
25. Rich Prann PSU 2:41:40 (or Rich?)

Anyone filming Tim's performance for the blog recieves reunion entries for life!

20 Years of Suite Bliss!

Spent the weekend in State College celebrating 20 years of marriage. We were married at Eisenhower Chapel and had the first ever reception at The Atherton Hotel. Even got the same honeymoon suite as twenty years ago!

Gave me an opportunity to scope out the family activities anticipated for next year's event. The All Sports Museum is fine and of course The Berkey Creamery is the best thing ever. Both are self tours and each has a wonderful "gift shop" at the end. We will even have courtesy transportation to and from the tours. Golfers may opt out of The Elks Club shenanigans next year just for a cone of Peachy Paterno!

Coach Groves Shows Us How!

Short game expert, Coach Harry Groves shows Skwilli the proper line and the proper speed of this treacherous putt. With the pressure on, the camera rolling, the putt is drained like a Rec Hall shower. ( The old Rec Hall; most of you guys never got the glorious burst of scalding water whenever anyone flushed.) Oh, the wonderful times! Now enhanced with a second example! Irrefutable video evidence of this foursomes putting superiority.