Coaches Influenced By Coach Groves Have Good Memories

My recent foray into a 1977 XC meet was met with agreement and embellishment from two other participants that day. No corrections of facts presented and further elucidation of the particulars came from both of them.

Mason, OH State Champion XC Coach Tom Rapp remembers that the meet was mostly a dual meet against powerful Georgetown held on neutral turf in Williamsburg, VA.  He also remembers that our first man had to break up the threatened 1-2-3 finish of Georgetown studs for us to have a chance at the meet and a trip to the NCAA Championships!  This was before the current system of Prelim meets and such.

Then John Ziegler chimed in with the fact that he was in fact the first man battling it out against all 3 of them.  John remembers the games and tactics they used, which weren't always legal.  But John overcame the odds and finished 2nd, allowing our remaining corps of harriers to seal the victory from the favored Hoyas.  Tom also verified my seemingly made up assertion that we ran 18 miles that day.

I forgot to ask both of them if they remember KKOB's GI issues during the whole trip.  But Ziggy does remember singing Earth, Wind and Fire tunes much to the dismay of Mike Wyatt and Coach Groves.

 

1978 NCAA XC Championships

This is a repost of Larry Mangan's post to our Facebook page.  This way even the non-FB readers will get to enjoy the goodness!

On a cold (18 degrees), windy, day back in 1978, on the Yahara Hills Golf Course in Madison, Wisconsin, seven intrepid Penn State harriers jumped off the line to begin the start of a fine, three-year period in PSU cross country history. We finished 4th that day in Madison, and would take bronze in each of the next two years. Each Nittany Lion was of regular college age and from NY, PA and OH. Bordering our corral at the start were the very over-aged Cougars and Miners from Washington State and UTEP. Coach Groves was quite delighted when one of his charges, who will go unnamed, in a fit of anxiety and hypothermia, "politely" asked the folks on either side of us to "speak f***ing english". How did 40 years pass so quickly?

   9 Snyder, Robert 29:48
 54 Ziegler, John 30:36
 61 Mangan, Larry 30:41
 73 Baden, Bruce 30:50
113 Rapp, Thomas 31:11
120 Scharsu, Alan 31:19
129 Wyatt, Michael 31:27

Bob Snyder, running with the Big Dogs!

The Way, Way Back Machine Is Rusty

Sorry for the dearth of posting lately.  Work is a four-letter word that ends in K.

But it was 41 years ago that we first heard of the plane crash that decimated Lynyrd Skynyrd.  I remember exactly where I was when we got the word over the radio.  We were nearing the hotel in Williamsburg, VA on a Friday evening in the cross country van driven by Coach Groves.  I was seated in the next to last row between Ray Krombel and Kevin Kelly O'Brien.

Also in the van were Captain Bruce Baden (in the shotgun seat) and Captain John Ziegler.  Others included Jim Clelland, Frit Cooper, Mike Wyatt, Larry Mangan and his Freshman roommate Tom Rapp.  (Did I miss anyone?)  Of course I did!  Campbell Lovett, Dave Felice and Brian Boyer were there too!  Bob Snyder was injured.  (no wonder the van was uncomfortable. 14 of us was too many!)

We were on our way to a meet with Willam and Mary and Georgetown on the grounds of the insane asylum next to the campus.  Coach Groves told us a few stories of escapes from the place. Nice to know when you were alone in the woods during the race.

Our warm-up that day was to run the entire 10K course.  Then the race.  And then the warm-down turned out to be the entire 10K course!  I actually fainted during the warm-down and, as always, the only person who noticed was Mike Wyatt, my guardian angel those first 2 years. I think we won the meet, but I hope others chime in with more.

Incidentally, I became a fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd that day when I learned they named the group after their mean gym teacher, Leonard Skinner at Robert E. Lee High School.  hee hee hee

"Cuttin' A Mug" Reminds Me Of My First PSU Run

My first Term at PSU was arguably my best one.  At least for running.  (Academics was a different story!)  I was reminded of this because of a photo submission from Tim Backenstose by way of Campbell Lovett.  He titled the pic "Cuttin' a mug", a reference to Robert Snyder's unique ability to make a face everyone would remember forever.

Campbell kindly sent Tim this photo as a way of motivating him for further excellence in the coming years.  He probably had no idea it would motivate me as well.  Both Campbell and Tim were upper-classmen I both admired and marvelled at. (sic)  Maybe, I will some day expound on more of their exploits (like the "Mud Men") which made me both fear and delight in them. I will probably need their help in accurately conveying these stories.

But first, the pic...

Robert "Snid" Snyder taking first in the 800M on the State College Junior High track.

A hideously inferior version of this pic has been featured on this blog before.  This improved version allows the visualization of some additional features.

• Mike Wyatt in second place, wearing Nike spikes he later gave to me for my Junior and Senior seasons.
• Bill Sheskey taking 5th.
• Paul Stemmer lurking in bland grey sweats just off the left shoulder of Mike Wyatt.
• Possibly, Larry Mangan, who ran the pitless steeplechase earlier, cheering on the glory of the 1-2 finish in the actual scored dual meet.

With the mention of Tim and Campbell, my thoughts drifted to my first ever run at PSU.  I went to campus a day earlier than almost everyone else and drifted over to Rec Hall to see Coach Groves and make sure that I wasn't imagining that he had said I could join the team.

I was in the best shape of my life, following my June 1977 talk with Coach and his admonition that 80 miles/week just wasn't enough to cut it.  I ran nearly 100 miles a week leading up to matriculation and prayed for the ability to keep up with the team.

When I arrived at Rec Hall and met with Coach that day, I was dressed to run, just as I almost always was anyway.  It turned out that it wasn't a dream, as Coach welcomed me and told me to go take a run with "those guys".

Everyone who knows me, knows I am prone to some exaggeration or embellishment  (or even "misremembering" facts).  But this is exactly how I remmber that run.  I'm hoping Tim has at least a snippet of confirmation of this! 

"Those guys" happened to include three giants, or at least giants compared to the 5' 10" (now 5' 9") 117 pound (now not quite twice that number...) runner I was in those days.  Each of them were at least 6 inches taller than I, and at least 50 pounds heavier than I.  I remember them as Tim Backenstose, Campbell Lovett and Mark Parker, the current President of Nike, who had just graduated and was heading off to Exeter NH to work for the fledgling Nike brand.  The only one I am 100% sure about is Mark, as Coach addressed him to say that I was joining the group for a "10-Miler".  I never said a word to any of them, and they barely acknowledged me at all.  The only hazing I ever remember occuring as part of the team.

We took off for a run that eventually led to the Pine Barrens west of State College.  In those days, none of us had a running watch, let alone a GPS one.  But the run seemed to be getting longer and longer.  Although it was faster than my usual entirely solo runs, I was delighted to be running well with no difficulty at all keeping up with the "real" Penn State runners.  My fears of fitting in were relieved on that first run and I actually did go on to be our 7th man in three of the season's early XC races. Enough to even earn a letter!  (Robert Snyder was injured that first season until the very end, when I was no longer in the top 7.)

It turned out that the "10-Miler" I was on went nearly 2 hours at 6:00/mile pace.  A foreshadowing of the 18 mile "15-Mile" Mountain runs early in the season.  Forty-one years later, I swear I remmber that run like it was last week.

And if you want to "misremember" some past exploits like me, there is nowhere better than at our Reunion and Coach Groves Golf Tourney on May 18/19th!

One Person options:

Entire Package $205.00 USD    Friday and Saturday $135.00 USD    Friday Reception $45.00 USD    Saturday Reception $105.00 USD    Golf and Saturday Reception Dinner $155.00 USD

For additional family members, add up permutations in post and use snail mail to:
 Harry Smith
            508 Washington Avenue
            Elyria, OH  44035

The Interns Reshuffled The PSU Sub-4 Listing Chronologically!

Now I owe them time and a half and all my leftover Kung Pao Chicken...  But it was worth it!  The effort is always appreciated.

Greg Fredericks          Reading AA                3:59.7      State College            8/05/78

Larry Mangan             Penn State                   3:58.4      University Park        5/16/80

Mike Wyatt                 Philly Pioneers            3:58.0      Philadelphia             5/18/80

Matt Lincoln               PSU Alum                   3:59.39i    University Park          1/27/07

Ryan Foster                 Penn State                   3:58.49i    University Park        1/29/11

Robby Creese              Penn State                   3:59.52i    Seattle                      2/11/12

Brannon Kidder          Penn State                   3:59.48i   University Park        1/26/13

Owen Dawson             PSU Alum                   3:59.74     Philadelphia             4/27/13

Colin Abert                 Penn State                   3:59.51i    University Park        2/03/18

* Someone chime in and let us know the location of Matt's sub-4!  Matt himself and Ryan Foster have chimed in via our Facebook site and corrected this "corrected" version again.  My interns are the greatest!

And Now There Are Nine!

Colin Abert won the Mile at yesterday's Sykes and Sabock Challenge Cup at the Ashenfelter Track.  With his 3:59.51 time, he has become the ninth Nittany Lion and Alums to break the 4-Minute barrier for the imperial distance.  Congrats Colin!

Colin Abert.

He joins 6 other Americans and 2 Alums from foreign lands.  I include Matt Lincoln and Ryan Foster as honorary Americans for several reasons:

• Matt is from Canada.  The English speaking part!  I have always said that Canada is like America's Attic.  We rarely go up there, but when we do we discover that it is filled with wondrous things and we can't wait to come back again.  He also coaches American high school students well enough for National Honors!
• Ryan comes from Australia, which also is predominantly English-speaking.  With a cool accent. Even bettrer, he is from Tasmania.  He has also never had a single Foster's Lager, which he says is only sent to America! He has also golfed in our Tournament and performed a "Happy Gilmore" drive.  He has rejuvinated the XC/Track program at Division II Edinboro University.
• Both have married Americans. And any of us male reprobates who are married realize that all of us "marry up".

Penn State Athletes and Alumni Breaking the 4-Minute Mile:

Greg Fredericks (Reading AA)

3:59.7 (2)

University Park

August 05, 1978

Larry Mangan (Penn St)

3:58.4

University Park

May 16, 1980

Mike Wyatt (Philly Pioneers)

3:58.0

Philadelphia

May 18, 1980

Robby Creese (Penn St)

3:59.52(i)

Seattle

February 11, 2012

Brannon Kidder (Penn State)

3:59.48(i)

University Park

January 26, 2013

Owen Dawson* (unattached)

3:59.74

Philadelphia

April 27, 2013

Colin Abert (Penn State)  3:59.51   University Park  February 3, 2018

Canada      Matt Lincoln 3:59.39(i)  2007
Australia   Ryan Foster (Penn State)  3:58.49(i)   University Park  January, 2011

* Owen Dawson became the first ever to run a sub-4 minute mile wearing a Penn State Track Alumni Singlet.  He will forever be enshrined as a barrier-breaker of the first order.

Owen Dawson Sub-4 Penn Relays 2013. Photo by Matt Groves.

Here's a great map showing where athlete's first ever sub-4 were run. The dot at State College just got a little larger!

Throwback Thursday With An Update

From an anonymous source I have results from the always welcome Dogwood Relays back in 1980.  Dogwood was always the beginning of Outdoor Track and a great respite from the cold weather track workouts in University Park (or Westerly Parkway Junior High in 78 and 79!).

Of note are great performances from 2 of my great friends that day...

Jim "Noisy" Clelland with a splendid early season 14:10 5K to win the Open race (with Charlie McGuire not far back!)  and Mike Wyatt with a second in the Invitational 1500M in 3:44.05!  PSU was also second in the 6000M Relay to Georgetown (with John Gregorek and Kevin Byrne) in 15:14.86.  (Not sure who was on that squad, but Larry Mangan, Tom Rapp, Bob Snyder and Alan Scharsu were among those available at the time.  Does anyone have the info on that?)

1980 Dogwood Relays

And another old school activity back in the day was running races in costume.  Nobody did that better than Philadelphia's Gary Fanelli, who ran some great times dressed as a NY Met and a Blues Brother!

Elwood Blues (the one with the harmonica) in Paradise.

 Well, original Penn State Track Alumni Golfer Bill Malchano replicated the feat recently in a half-marathon.  He relates he wasn't in good enough shape for a real race so he wanted to have a little fun.  By the looks of things, he did!

Bill Malchano.  (I remembered the "a" again Bill!)

Now let's ask him about the chafing!

Painful Memories!

Greg Fredericks sent me this listing from the days of yore.  I have talked about it several times before but didn't have the entire listing before.  Remember, this was an "extra" race/training run including many milers.  Nothing like this ever happens today. There are numerous things to note:

• I "coached" the 5th, 6th and 7th runners to their first ever run over 15 miles.  I coached them so well that they all beat me when I hit the wall at 20 miles. I made them start slowly and pick it up at each 5 mile mark.  We were in third place behind Alan Sharsu when I dropped like a rock.  Larry Mangan, Mike Wyatt and Tom Rapp all had incredible range from 800M to marathon.
• I managed to stagger home ahead of Liz Berry, hearing the cheers behind me as she set the team record.
• This is the only race where I ever defeated Gary Black.
• Seeing Marc Dunmire defeat Coach Groves with curses in the air was great! (RIP Marc.)
• Psychology Prof Hersh Leibowitz ran 3:25:01 at age 53! (RIP Hersh.)
• The weather is listed as 50 degrees with no wind.  That is a lie.  There was snow on the roads and we all had windburn!
• Greg Fredericks did not run! Just for the record...
• The high number of non-finishers may be due to the 800M guys running only 15 miles???
• The combo of Jim Clelland and Kelly O'Brien gave Alan Scharsu a run for his money!
• Bruce Baden was an animal!

Hall of Fame Accolades For a Lion: With a Twist!

Our very fine Laundry and Morale Officer alerted me to the recent induction of Michael Wyatt to his High School Hall of Fame in Suburban Buffalo.

Mike belongs in many more Halls of Fame for his accomplishments on and off the track.  I was always amazed by his range from 800M to the Marathon.  I was pleased to run the first 20 with him during his marathon in 1979, his first ever run over 15 miles. And learning he played tennis in his first 2 years instead of running track is priceless.  Congratulations, Mike!  My high school would confuse me with the janitor nowadays.

Mike Wyatt

Notice the tennis in place of track in his first 2 high school years!

How Could Anyone Mistake Renaldo Nehemiah for Don Paige?

Not really!  It was an honest mistake. I confused two unrelated meets in my fetid Freshman mind. I was injured at the time because of a freak fencing accident.  No kidding either.  It was the worst injury of my running career, and I've had them all.  So when I "remembered" the big dual meet with the Villanova Wildcats, it was actually The ACC Champion Maryland Terrapins.  And it wasn't even a dual meet, it was a Tri-meet with the Pittsburgh Panthers too!  (Villanova did visit State College for the Penn State Open also, so I guess that's where I remember Don Paige, Mark Belger and Anthony Tufariello.)

That's Bob Snyder winning the 800 M race, with Mike Wyatt coming in second.  Bob also won the 1500 M just 45 minutes before the 800.  That's PSU Track Alum Golfer Bill Sheskey  in 5th place, but I'll bet he got 4th at the tape!

Renaldo Nehemiah dazzled the crowd in every race he won, but it wasn't enough to keep the more highly ranked Terrapins from losing a tight meet with the gritty Nittany Lions on the "home field" at the Westerly Parkway Junior High School!

It all came down to the pole vault in a light drizzle, and the Maryland vaulters couldn't come near their 17 ft. PR's. The PSU vaulter Bob Hottle, who topped out at his own PR of 15 feet, clinched the meet for the Lions.

Other notable events in the meet were:

1. Larry Mangan winning the waterless steeplechase in 9:05, with Ray Krombel and Campbell Lovett coming in second and third.
2. Paul Lankford was a double winner in the 100 M and Mile Relay.
3. Gary Williky won the Discus and was second in the Shot Put.
4. Coach Groves was quoted as saying "It was good to beat them."

Remembering Charlie Maguire II

We got a big response to our initial post remembering Charlie Maguire, so I figured I would go back to the well for one more time.  Of all the PSU duo's to have run for PSU, Charlie and Greg Fredericks probably logged the most miles together.  They ran together for 3 years as undergrads and kept it up through intense training for many years afterward. 

Greg emailed another remembrance of the "tough guy" from the days of yore:

We ran the CDT mile in combination with the local summer meets here in the late 70's.  Charlies idea with collaboration with his wife Andi, Peter and myself.  The effort was to give Centre County it's first sub 4 minute mile, still a feat in those days.  We brought in guys and financed it with t-shirt sales.  I believe we did it for 3 years.  Got about 5,000 people out to an August track and field meet.  Not a misprint.... 5,000.  Even had Al Oerter the discuss champ one year.

It was a great promotion and fun time for our beloved sport. 

I remember Larry Mangan, Mike Wyatt and Bob Snyder running those races with Greg and Sydney Maree, although I never even got a stinking t-shirt.  I'm going to ask Greg to make a design for a new t-shirt for the Group Store, "I saw a 4-Minute Mile and I and didn't even get a stinking t-shirt".  What other runners were in those races?

The photo is from the Second Annual Arts Festival 10-Miler.

Cross-Country Season Up Next (The Circle of Life)

Larry Mangan was sent these photos from the 1978 NCAA Regionals at Lehigh.  Penn State won the race  and was 3rd or 4th at the NCAA Championships  three straight years.  I can attest that it was difficult to break into the "starting 7" all 4 years with a cast that included Larry, Alan Scharsu, Bruce Baden, John Ziegler, Bob Snyder, Tom Rapp and Mike Wyatt.

What's really remarkable is that Larry, Tom and Mike were really milers mixing it up with George Buckheit of Bucknell, Sydney Maree and Amos Korir of Villanova.

Sub-4 Memories!

Only 30 years have passed since Larry Mangan's first (of several!) sub-4 mile efforts.  Enough time for two of his children to be participating in the District 1 Track Championships this weekend, thus eliminating Larry from competition in the Golf Tourney.  We understand, Larry.  His daughter Liv will be a Nittany Lion next year in a Field Event, can you believe it?  Congrats, Larry on another fine anniversary.  Good luck, both of you this weekend.

The 30 years ago memory of Larry also heralds the first sub-4 efforts for two other Nittany Lions, Mike Wyatt and Greg Fredericks!  Mike even gave me a pair of his spikes after this.  I wonder if they were the ones that dipped under 4:00?  All three of them broke the magic barrier at around the same time, and I think I saw all three of the efforts, (Larry and Greg at PSU and Mike at Penn Relays?)