Let's All Finish Coach Groves' Scholarship

We are close enough to get it finished before Coach Groves' next birthday in April and certainly before the next Track Alumni Reunion and Coach Groves Golf Tournament!

Co-Administrator Larry Mangan has spearheaded the effort to find donors willing to match every donation made by the rest of us and complete the funding of a full tuition scholarship for an athlete in the Program.

So that means each of us must step up to make it happen.  Every single donation you make will be matched by 13 special members of our group up to a level of $2500.  We must not let this opportunity slip by.  Please consider adding to the effort, share this post and spread the word to everyone you know in our Universe.  It will make our next get-together a real hootenanny and bring a smile to Coach Groves' face!

Our Premier Benefactors: 

• Joe DeStefano  (1971)
• Carol and Steve Gentry  (1969)
• Hugh and Yunhee Hamill  (1976)
• Chris Herr  (1985)
• Doug Kent  (1980)
• Todd Leggett  (1984)
• Larry Mangan  (1981)
• Todd Shenk  (1984)
• Rod Stahl  (1991)
• Bob Radzwich  (1992)
• Tom Shiffer  (1987) 
• Doug Walter  (1990)
• Don and Lynn Ziter  (1981)

September 5, 2017

Dear Fellow Track & Field/Cross Country Alumni:

We hope you had an enjoyable summer and are getting ready for the upcoming 2017-2018 Penn State Cross Country and Track & Field seasons. The women’s and men’s programs are perennial B1G favorites, fueled by spectacular individual accomplishments and a great coaching staff. Based on the turn out for the 2017 Big Ten Championships in May, the alumni are really energized and engaged.

The alumni listed below, from a variety of decades in Penn State history and a mix of walk-ons and scholarship athletes, are hoping to capture that energy by taking the lead and asking you to join them to meet a challenge! Coach Harry Groves’ scholarship fund needs approximately $55,000 in donations to exceed the $300,000 necessary to partially endow the position scholarship, which would provide $15,000 in annual tuition support to a student athlete.

The challenge is this – we have pledged to support Coach Groves’ scholarship in the amount of $30,500 to match alumni contributions of that amount (hopefully more)! We ask you to donate what you can in support of our goal to get Coach’s scholarship over the $300,000 hurdle! We are in the homestretch, can you help to get us over the finish line?

Coach will turn 88 in April 2018 and we would love to present him with an early birthday present, and add to his great legacy, before the end of this year. We know from Greg Fredericks that Coach is excited about this effort. Please join us in meeting this very important goal. Thank you and We are…..Penn State!

Please send donations made payable to: Penn State University, noting the Harry Groves Track/XC Scholarship (GIXGH) in the memo portion of your check, at 147 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA 16802. If you have any questions, please call Kirk Diehl of the Varsity S Club at 814-867-2202.

If you would like to give online, you may do so at: https://secure.ddar.psu.edu/s/1218/nlclub/nlclub.aspx?sid=1218&gid=1&pgid=826&cid=3234&dids=633&bledit=1 and then type in GIXGH in the fund area below the amount you select.
Thank you.

Joe DeStefano (’71) Carol & Steve Gentry (’69) Hugh & Yunhee Hamill (‘76) Chris Herr (’85)
Doug Kent (’80) Todd Leggett (’84) Larry Mangan (’81) Todd Shenk (’84)
Rod Stahl (’91) Bob Radzwich (’92) Tom Shiffer (’87) Doug Walter (’90)
Don & Lynn Ziter (’81)

Two More Golfers Join The Hall Of Honor

With their victory in the 2017 Coach Harry Groves Golf Tournament Doug Kent and Bill Malchano secured their second engraving on the Championship Cup.  That means they join the others in the Hall of Honor.  Ken Brinker rounded out their "Foursome" and secured his first appearance on the Cup.

Bill Malchano, Doug Kent, Ken Brinker.

Reggie Dunlop Might Have Been Our Coach This Day

 Early in the 1979 Cross Country Season an intrepid cast of characters set out in a van for the home of the Charlestown Chiefs.  Instead of meeting the Hanson Brothers on the ice, we met a bunch of other runners for the Johnstown 10K.

But we did use the Cambria County War Arena as our dressing room.  That's the scene of much of the filming for what Paul Newman called his favorite movie, Slap Shot.  We actually dressed in the stands right where goalie Denis Lemieux met player/coach Reggie Dunlop after asking Manager Joe McGrath "Who Own the Chiefs?"    Owwwwwns...




Several of us set PRs for the 10K, and everyone knows Johnstown has hills!

Penn State Runners:

  5.  Gary Black                 29:58
  7.  David Baskwill           30:37
  8.  Brad Althouse            30:40
11.  Mark Hawkins            31:01
12.  Marc Dunmire            31:14
14.  Don Ziter                     31:33
15.  Doug Kent                   31:54
18.  Rich Prann                  32:17
19.  Ray Krombel               32:20
23.  Mark Fordney             32:50
26.  Mike Cook                   33:07
42.  Roger "Gunny" Roll   34:53

I further pissed everyone off after the race by winning a pair of running shoes randomly from a local running store, delaying the return to State College!  They ended up giving me an injury...

"We go to Florida and I get the money." 

-Denis Lemieaux.

    

There Were More Than Sophomores At The 1977 AAU XC Meet at Belmont Plateau: Along With Another World Exclusive!

Although I wasn't there (and I"m not sure why????), a bunch of Sophomores were joined by Junior Tim Backenstose to win the overall race on the hills and dales of the Belmont Plateau course.  I'm wondering if they blew me off, or if I blew them off, as I was in very good shape at that time and even ran a 51:11 10-Miler in Millersville then.

But needless to say, they didn't need me!

Kelly O'Brien, Tim Backenstose and Jim Clelland.

"Noisy" Jim Clelland, "Official Physicist" Brian Boyer and Tim "Marathon Man" Backenstose

Brian Boyer, Doug Kent, Ray Krombel, Kelly O'Brien, Tim Backenstose, Jim Clelland, Erik Christiansen and Syd White.

And I am in debt to Tim Backenstose for these vintage photos, AND the only picture (that I know of) of me running in a Penn State uniform!!!!   This is from the 1979 Penn Relays Marathon won by Tim.  That's me leading the other PSU runners.  They all ended up beating me! 

If anyone knows who the guy is on the right of the AAU XC team photo  (Now identified as Syd White by Brian Boyer himself!) AND how to improve on this photo, let me know!

Rich Prann, Doug Kent, skwilli and Al Wolfe.

This was the only race I ever ran in these shoes! Took half of my right foot off.  

Teammates Are Forever

I have had a couple of submissions about some teammates of mine, from teammates of mine, that I wish to pass along.

First up, roommate Doug "Do Right" Kent dug up his copy of the 1980 Penn Relays Program including this photo of the 1979 Marathon winner.  I know Tim Backenstose frequently checks in.  He'll be pleased to see this again.  As was I!

And Larry Mangan sent this announcement along from a Houston friend of Marc Dunmire.  Marc was a teammate of both of us and a long time PSU Football seat-mate of Larry's.  Let's help Marc get his memorial paving stone!

Dear Friends and Family of Marc Dunmire,

Marc had and
always will have a special place in each of our lives.

A day doesn't go by
without thinking of Marc. Many times I find myself picking 
up the phone to tell him about an upcoming sporting event,
to play golf or just to tell him about a
comic situation that only Marc's humor would understand.

Marc influenced our
lives in so many ways.  I wanted to create some way to 
memorialize his memory for all of us.  Marc spent a lot 
of time at running at Memorial Park. The
running center is a brand new facility at Memorial Park 
which offers pavers for individuals names. These pavers 
are for purchase in two sizes,
12" x 24" of 24" x 24".

If you are interested in participating in a paver for
Marc please email or call me for more information or 
questions. Also please forward this to friends, co-workers, 
or others not included in this email. The cost of the 12"x24" 
paver is $2500, the "24 x 24" is %5000. 

Mike
Krakower
mhhk@sbcgloabl.net

I Hate The Pagoda

Our Keeper of the Cup Harry Smith will not be joining us this year at the Golf Outing due to his coaching duties. Volleyball coaching duties!  He reports that The Harry Groves Memorial Cup will be updated with the new engraving and dropped off in time for our tourney, however.

And he dug into his dusty archives to come up with a way of tormenting me.  Turns out we ran in the same race back in 1978, with 3 other teammates.  I'd rather forget the Pagoda 1/2 Marathon Classic in Reading PA.

The Pagoda sits on top of the mountain above Reading, so probably all of you have seen it without the shivers I get every time.  The race started in downtown Reading and the Pagoda was the turn-around spot.  In other words, the first half is all uphill and the second half is all downhill.  I was a pretty good uphill runner, but not very good at running downhill.  That meant a splendid turn-around place every year and then watch as people passed me the whole second half.

Turns out that 5 PSU runners were there, including the winner, "Noisy" Jim Clelland!

1. (1)    Jim Clelland     1:07:17
2. (14)  Dave Baskwill  1:12:30
3. (20)  Harry Smith      1:13:26
4. (30)  Doug Kent        1:14:48
5. (35)  Rich Prann        1:15:10

I'll just add that this race was a very difficult one, so quit criticizing the times!

Some say that's me on the right of the pic next to the bushy-haired Mark Amway!

"Noisy" Jim Clelland breaks the tape.

The Victors Enjoy the Spoils! The Winning Foursome

Owen Dawson, Doug Kent, Artie Gilkes and Curt Allison.

These guys managed to best the rest of the field with ease at 3-under par in the wet conditions.  I'm pretty sure that Clark Haley's friend Curt Allison was a ringer, but at least Clark isn't getting on The Cup (tm) again!

With the random format fully in place, Artie Gilkes and Owen Dawson, who tell me they aren't golfers, lucked on to The Cup on the backs of Curt Allison and my ex-roommate Doug Kent.  And I couldn't be happier.  Doug is one of the greatest guys I have ever met and one of the best golfers to have ever slashed the greenery of Happy Valley with us.  We're actually lucky to have him, as each year he has to leave early for another Real Golf Tourney the next day!  Artie keeps telling us he can't golf, but now his name will be displayed forever on the trophy alongside other non-golfers like me and Brian Boyer!

Owen not only got his share of the $200 pay-out for his victory (in the olden days this would have disqualified him forever as a professional!), but he then went and won the Golden Putter (tm) with the longest putt on the 18th green. Here he is with Horace, the Golden Putter (in honor of PSU's Greatest Steeplechaser!) and three previous winners of it.  All four are on record as returning to try to win it again next year! Make sure you join us.

Owen Dawson, Jeff Sanden, Bob Gabel and Che Arosemena, with the Golden Putter (24k)

There's a lot more to come on the Reunion weekend!

Temple: More Perspectives From Real Reporters

I am a Temple Alum.  My Podiatry School was affiliated with Temple in the 50's and 60's, became independent when I was there, but became affiliated with Temple again in the 00's. They even sent me a new diploma with real sheepskin.  So I still get a  phone call asking for help every day from "my alma mater".  This is despite having only one experience on their campus in my life.  I took my MCATs there after getting a ride from former roommate Doug Kent from PSU in 1981 Spring of 1980, (Doug even took his Camaro (or was it a Firebird?) over xx* mph during the ride because I told him I had never been.).  I have a soft spot in my heart for Temple because despite the gunshots and sirens going off right outside our building (I'm not making that up!)  I did very well. The police even locked us IN the building during the exam.  Talk about stress.

With the announcement of the dropping of 7 Varsity sports, the opinions are pouring in from all over. Needless to say, Football in combination with Title IX is a Mens Track and Field nightmare.

The last time Temple cut programs was in 1986, when it eliminated eight sports. The move also gets the school back into compliance with Title IX. The Inquirer notes that the school had been out of compliance for years.

Sporting News report.

An anti-football screed from Deadspin.

* actual number omitted because Doug is a lawyer and I'm not a fool. (Well, most of the time!)

In Praise of My Roommate

In another iteration of the often-asked question "What NCAA Cross Country team was the best ever?", the 1981 UTEP team came out on top.  The entirely foreign team of East Africans placed first, second, third, fifth and sixth in the team standings to score an astounding 17 points.  Only one American runner broke up a perfect team score, (although two other individuals also sneaked in  ahead of UTEP's fourth scorer also.  They didn't count in the team scores.). That runner was Penn State's own Alan Scharsu, my former senior year roommate.

1. Mathews Motshwarateu, Texas-El Paso, 28:45.6
2. Michael Musyoki. Texas-El Paso, 28:46.4
3. Gabriel Kamau, Texas-El Paso, 29:19.3
4. Mark Scrutton, Colorado, 29.22.1
5. Graeme Fell, San Diego State, 29:30.4
6. Alan Scharsu, Penn State, 29:30.5
7. Suleiman Nyambui, Texas-El Paso, 29:32.6
8. Gidamis Shahanga, Texas-El Paso, 29:33.6
9. David Taylor, Arkansas, 29:35.6
10. Richard Tuwei. Washington State, 29:36.7

I have previously extolled the virtues of another PSU roommate, Dudley Doo-Right (aka Doug Kent).  Alan was also a great roommate.  We also lived next door to Don Skerpon that year.  Another pair of people as fine as them would be hard to find.  My only quibble with Alan would be his choice of music, but today's versions temper that quite a bit!

Foursome Number 3

"My" foursome is next.  I actually was responsible for putting together a rather good group.  If it hadn't been for me, we would have challenged for the Cup!

Former roommate Doug Kent brought his "A" game and used the tourney as a tune-up for another tourney on Sunday.  His attempt to ignore the Bird House on Hole 5 was met with skepticism from the other 3 of us, but he managed to cut the corner fantastically.  (Alas, we didn't use the shot.  Cheating isn't in our DNA!)  Coach Groves would have been proud of the effort, however.

Nick K. reminded me often that his game wasn't up to his usual standards, but needless to say, I would never know the difference.  A lot had to do with the saturation of the grounds.  You could actually hear water rushing underground in many places, as if an underground river was just feet below the surface.  It was also good to see that Nick has adjusted well to the shift from Urban to Rural existence.

Jeff Sanden took a break from his world travels to lend his Robo-Driver to our efforts.  There are so many buttons and plugs and switches on it I doubt I could even hold it, let alone swing it!  Our foursome ended up in third place, which isn't bad for a threesome and me.  Jeff also managed to earn the Golden Putter.  I'll deliver Horace personally soon, as Gregg Davis has delivered it to me because he couldn't attend this year's event.

It's Reunion and Golf Go Time!

Indoor Track Season has begun, so it's time to turn one's thoughts to this year's Reunion and 9th Annual
Coach Harry Groves Golf Tournament. It promises to be the largest event ever, cementing our group in PSU's Sports universe. Entries have already begun to trickle in. The Early Bird Discount is now in effect. Remember, you can save $25 by getting your entry in by 3/31/10. That will pay your way to the Awards Dinner and Reception following the tourney and leave you with a nifty $10 you can use for the Donation Raffle to help support our group for next year!

This year's Reunion will help celebrate Coach Groves' 80th Birthday as well as other events. There will be cake! It will be held on an off week for the team and we will have current coaches and team members participating for the first time. The union of us old -timers and the young bucks (and women!) will be a tremendous way to help make Penn State Track Alumni (the Golf is optional!) the world's most active and largest Track Alumni Group. Most questions can be handled by perusing the web site, but any additional questions will be easily answered by contacting me by email, dfbaskwill(at)cs(dot)com.

Be alert for the coming email blast and be tolerant of duplicated efforts. I'm no more organized now than I was as a Freshman in 1977. In fact, I'm not quite sure I'm not less organized.

Pictured at the 2009 Reunion are: IT Czar Jeff Sanden '83, some fat guy, legal counsel Doug Kent '80, Don Ziter '81 and Mark Haywood '81. Some of the best friends anyone could ever have. We ran a lot of miles together. Don't miss out on seeing your friends and making many more that share your love for PSU Track.

A Quorom of Idiots!

For the first time since the 2009 Harry Groves Golf Tournament a quorom of idiot officers (CFO Gary Black, Founder Clark Haley and Herder of Cats David Baskwill) was held in Plymouth Meeting at the P. F. Changs. Dinner again centered around Kung Pao Chicken. (I am nothing if not consistent!) The meeting promises some exciting minor tweaks to the 2010 Tourney and Reunion! It will also represent a celebration of Coach Groves 80th birthday.

In 2010, the Friday night reunion evening will be held at Damon's, next to the Hampton Inn. The Awards Dinner will also be at Damon's. A dinner of Ribs and Chicken will be available for a nominal $15 following the golf event. We will still call the event "The Shisler Shindig" in honor of the generous hospitality they have afforded us all these years. The possibility of a few cash events at the tourney, like mulligans, was broached. No final decisions were made. The sacredness of the names on the Harry Groves Memorial Cup cannot be threatened or diluted.

The 2 Philadelphia Outreaches cemented tight bonds among many of us old-timers, as well as generated enthusiasm among recent converts. My former roommate Doug Kent added intellectual heft to the group and provided us with much needed legal advice. PSU mile record holder Larry Mangan updated us on his efforts to negotiate a future Bahamanian Outreach and auxiliary golf tourney with PSU great Mike Sands. Michelle and Brandon Haley provided a family atmosphere to the whole event. Brandon was absolutely the happiest kid I have ever witnessed at a 3 hour dinner at a restaurant. Clark and Michelle are obviously doing something right. Janice Mundy again watched her husband inhale The Great Wall of Chocolate for dessert. Paul Mundy's next meal may be Thanksgiving Dinner! Barb Black again acted as the hostess, allowing me the opportunity to bring PSU Track Alumni Golf to the Masses. I actually attained a 50% success rate in photos this time. It turns out its the camera, not me!

Yanomamo Nearly Take Over Tournament

When I relented and allowed a foursome to enter the tournament for the first time in the history of our event, I had no idea what forces I had unleashed. I first garnered the scorn of Founder and Keeper of the Beer, Clark Haley. My 2 yearly beers (one on Friday night and another after the first 9 holes of the tournament! Kelly O'Brien can verify) were placed in jeopardy. Only when the organizers realized how many extra entries it caused was my alcoholic allotment restored.

The Yanomamo foursome of Tim Backenstose, Campbell Lovett, Dave Spears and Bob Snyder ended up last in our tourney, but then golf isn't the best sporting outlet of The Fierce People. It is also their rainy season, making them underestimate the speed of the greens. Golfing with bows and arrows is also notoriously difficult.

It turns out that their were many more Yanomamo there than just this foursome. Three second generation tribesmen also joined us; Hunter Backenstose, Nate Lovett and Chris Snyder. I'm not positive about the status of Ian Smith or Seth Balkey, two other second generation participants. There is probably Yanomamo blood coursing in their veins too.

It also became apparent that I shared my foursome with 2 other Yanomamo adherents. Doug Kent and Kelly O'Brien have credentials that may even exceed the other foursome. Kelly was even there at the beginning of the Mifflin Mile (or what ever its called). There may even be a record of this with the campus police!

The Big Tent that is Penn State Track and Field Alumni Golf can easily accept any crazy group Penn State Track has ever accomadated, EVEN FROM THE NINETIES AND 00's!!

And I swear, Results will be coming some time soon! My day job isn't allowing me to blog according to my wishes. And Harry Smith needs to supply me with them, as my muddled intellect will mess them up, causing The Blog Laureate to berate me.

Stay Safe Out There

In a review of triathlon related deaths, cardiologist Dr. Kevin Harris has noted that sudden death is twice as likely during a triathlon as during a marathon. I had two good friends die in triathlons in the past 2 years, 2 of the 15 cited in the study. Bob Potts, York PA, died at a triathlon at the Jersey Shore last year and Dr. Mike Conte died this past year at a triathlon in Allentown PA. Barb Black will be running in the first annual Bob Potts Marathon on the Heritage Rail Trail in York on the day after our golf outing.

The critical factor in the whole phenomenon appears to be the swimming event, (or possibly knowing me!). In particular, it is the coldness of the water and its effect on the heart. Advice is to train in the same kind of water that you will compete in, not just in a pool. All but 2 of the deaths were during the swimming phase, and most involved oceans or lakes. Also, never enter an event that doesn't have defibrillators on hand. Many of the deaths are due to arrhythmias and can be readily treated.

Addendum: Doug Kent, Juris clan member of the Yanomamo Tribe, and Hunter Backenstose, 18 year-old son of Tim Backenstose, Yanomamo Chieftan will be golfing with the rest of us nuts in May. Let's hope they bring clothes.

Errors of Omission and Moonbats Welcome:

Mark Haywood checked in to confirm another Certified True -"Did You Know"(registered trademark of this blog!). He did in fact win a bet with Doug Kent by eating two Wendy's triples with everything. He added that he ate both his fries and Doug's fries to seal the victory! In addition, he relates that even if he can't golf with us, he will most probably attend the Friday night get-together. And Doug Kent is on the "Most Probably" list for attending our event. It is lining up as a hootenanny to beat all hootenannies.

Remember, anyone with PSU Track ties is more than welcome to add to the festivities. You would practically have to be a tin-foil hat wearing cat to NOT attend. Get your confirmation in (right here on the web site!) before 3/31/09 to save 10% on the complete package. And even if you aren't golfing, get your confirmation in by 3/31/09 to save $5 on the reunion and Shisler's Shindig (Post-Tournament Celebration).

If you need somewhere to stay and Bernie Madoff made off with all your cash, you can still arrange for a room at the Hampton Inn (Official Hotel of PSU Track Alumni Golf since 2002). Make reservations right on the blog page, and save more than $40/night!