Happy Birthday Coach Groves

"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 Best Race In This Year's Penn State National Invitational Was Named After Penn State Great Barney Ewell

"Ewell probably would have been the most decorated Olympian in the history of the games.”

-Bill Lyon, Philadelphia Inquirer

(The 1940 and 1944 games were cancelled.)

Barney Ewell.

 A Legacy of Greatness

Usually, the Mile has been the highlight of the Penn State National Invitational meet.  Occasionally the 800M has been great too.  But this year, the sprints outshined the middle distance races..  At least in my humble opinion.

An honorable mention has to go to the 400M effort of Penn State Junior Dan Chisena.  His PR of 46.27 got some Penn Relay-like ooohs and ahhhs out of the crowd.

But the best race of all was the Mens 200M.   This year's race was named after PSU great Barney Ewell to celebrate his 100th birthday.  With PSU stars Malik Moffett and Xavier Smith in the Finals, it was bound to be good!  Here's the race captured by 1979 Penn Relay Marathon victor Tim Backenstose's cell phone...



But who was that flash in the outermost lane?  It wasn't Malik or Xavier.  It was Penn State Freshman Terrance Laird in 20.79, from the same Coatesville area that brought us both Tim Backenstose and the Dawson brothers!  Wow!

This Gem Brings Me Both Joy And Shame

Our superb William and Mary Connection and current coach of Gettysburg High School, Brian Mount somehow dug up a gem of an article from the Centre Daily Times from the days before color was invented, 1978.

This article includes me and gives me both joy and shame at the same time.  As most of you know, I am not afraid to point out my poor performances whenever I can, but this one probably can't even be called one of them!  This was during my "great groin pull" (now known in medical circles as a high ankle sprain, I believe?) of 1978 from a stupid choice of fencing as a Phys ed class.  (I did end up taking second place in the class tournament with a superb 3-phase parry and thrust to win my Semi-Final and earn an "A" in the class. Can't remember the world renowned fencing coach who ran the class, but he said it was a great showing that last day.  So I got that going for me anyway.)

Joys:

• The mentions of great friends Ted Lyon, Jim Clelland, Kevin Kelly O'Brien, Pete Bortolotti, Brian Boyer, Gary Black and Tim Backenstose. Both Glenn Chumley and Mark Stephenson were friends, but I did not know them as well as the others.
• Only the second race that I can confirm beating Gary Black.
• The mention of my daughter's namesake and great friend Martha White (Collins) and Nittany Lion great Kathy Mills (Parker).

Shame:

• Again losing out to Kelly, Jim, and even Ted.  I swear I beat them some of the time, but no one ever produces evidence of those times!   hee hee hee
• Placing right behind Glenn Chumley, An HALF-MILER!!!  Glenn was famous for running a 1:53 half on Wednesday at practice and then 1:55 for the meet on Saturday. (hee hee hee)  That, AND making the front page of the Collegian by streaking during a snow storm.  Coach could never prove it was him because the photo was from behind, but we all knew just by his running style.  One time years later, I saw him ahead of me jogging in Fairmount Park.  I caught up with him and it was certainly him.  I recognized him by his distinctive running style even after a few years.  Someone out there will comment on just what this was.  I can't seem to place it in words right now.  Anyway, Glenn, I tip my hat to you for beating me in an XC race.

Long Ago And A Galaxy Far Away

Our Chief Morale Officer brings us this "new" pic (via Jim Crossin) from the days of yore in Fairmount Park.

That's Tim Backenstose in the lead of the 1979 Penn Relays Marathon. It shows him on Kelly Drive nearing what we used to call a narrowing of the sidewalk near the boat houses, "the stenosis" when I ran there every day in Podiatry School.

I was somewhere behind him in the pack, laboring with my left full-foot blister caused by my new Nike racing shoes. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. Tim was "in the zone" that day.  Coach Groves' policy of training Division I capable walk-ons as if we were all scholarship athletes paid dividends that day.  It is a shame that Title IX has been reinterpreted since to make teams shun people like Tim and I.  It has even morphed recently to the extent that it is now residing only in the political world. A way to punish one innocent group in favor of another, for political benefit.

My inclusion on the team, and others that became my best friends in the world, is the main reason I honor Coach Groves every day and continue to do my best, via this humble blog, to make PSUTF/XC Alumni the most active and largest group of its kind in the world.  I hope you find these efforts worthy, enjoyable (and perplexing at times!).  Help spread the word, and send me anything to include in our efforts.

Here's the surprise and precious gift Tim presented to me at the latest Reunion and Golf Tourney.  It shows me and a few others chasing him in the final lap of that race. It is the only pic I have of me running for PSU.

 

More Coach Visits Including A Pit Bull!

"That's my kind of dog."

-Coach Groves, about Blanche.

Coach Groves continues to get more visits than the All-Sports Museum!  (And he has better stories!)

This time out, the Backenstose clan delighted him with an opportunity to be surrounded by pretty ladies (am I allowed to say that?) and a pit bull!

Hunter Backenstose with Coach Groves.

Holly and our daughter, Amanda, on the outsides, Julie – Hunter’s girlfriend left of Coach, and Jackie, Amanda’s former college roommate right of Coach

Hunter, Holly and Blanche hanging out with Coach.

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.

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.  

A Very Good Day At The Penn State National

I had the pleasure to spend a long amount of time with some of my favorite people yesterday at the Penn State National Indoor Meet.  Having to be dropped off nearly an hour early for the meet so the girls could attend the PSU Student Housing  Expo at the HUB, I was pleased to see that Greg Fredericks brought Coach Groves early too!

I had the pleasure to speak with Coach and Greg for an extended time.  It is wonderful to see that Coach is happy in his new residence, relates the food as "good" and only occasionally gets into trouble.  About exactly as any of us would figure.

Greg also delivered the raw materials that will become the ultimate PSU Track Alum Annual Award at our Reunion and Coach Groves Golf Tourney weekend.  Coach Bill Whittaker is commended for donating the item for our cause.  You all will enjoy the item's unveiling at the next Awards Dinner.

I also got to talk to Steve Shisler. whose son Alex Shisler finished 3rd in the 400M Invitational!  Beth Shisler could not be there, as she had traveled "for work".  That same excuse becomes mine next week when I miss the Sykes and Sabock Challenge and Coaches Reception.  I will be at the meeting of the Association of Miserable Curmudgeons while the rest of you enjoy yourselves.

Tim Backenstose made a surprise appearance and got to see a very fine 800M with Brannon Kidder and 3 other top NCAA finalists duke it out on the Ashenfelter Oval.  Brannon topped them all with a 1:47.01 time, near the top of this year's qualifying marks.  We both also witnessed a school record 1-Mile by Tori Gerlach with a 4:37.83, eclipsing Bridget Franek's previous record.

But my favorite part of the day was convincing the energetic dynamo Billy Francis Cvecko to become a contributor to the blog!  With his criss-crossing of the Continent and his millions of friends, he can't help but be a boon to our efforts. He isn't our Undersecretary of Fun for nothing!

I always thought there was a chance that Billy WAS the Lion until I finally saw them both in the same room.

 

The Very Top

Thanks to Bob Radzwich and our very own Golden Putter Attendant for alerting me to another high honor to one of our own.

I've told the story before about how my very first run after matriculating at Penn State was with Mark Parker (I'm certain), Tim Backenstose (I think) and Campbell Lovett (I'm pretty sure).  Each of these guys were 6' 4" at least and every one of them were at least 60 pounds heavier than I was.  I was scared to death and didn't utter a peep as they took me on a 10 mile tour of the pine barrens that lasted for 2 hours at 6:00/mile pace.  Even my lowly math skills alerted to me that I might have bitten off more than I could chew!  None of them would remember me at all, but they left an indelible mark on this Freshman.

Mark Parker was just named Fortune Magazine's Business-Person of the Year.  Congrats Mark.  But can you golf?  (Hint: You're a better golfer than I .) Hope to see you one day at the Coach Groves Golf Tourney and Reunion!

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

More Old-Timey Goodness From All Over

We've had an influx of new members to our group, and some increased activities from "old" members too.  We've also had some nice notes of encouragement from other Alumni Groups wondering just what the heck are we up to.

I tell everyone who asks that question the same thing.  Without any hesitation or hint of doubt, I tell them we are working to become the largest and most active Track and Field Alumni Group in the whole world.  And I have no doubt.  We all belong to the largest College Alumni Group* in the world already, so its only a matter of time.

New member Steve Bratt brings us this great photo of the 1975 Cross country team:

Some great things I see on there are:

1. John Zeigler's glasses!
2. Mark Parker's glasses! (what's up with that!)
3. Bill Sheskey's hair!
4. Tim Backenstose's hair! (and he's as skinny as Ziggy!)
5. That's Steve Bratt next to Bill Sheskey with the same smile as Coach Groves!

Steve also submitted a results page for the 1978 Nittany Valley Marathon, which backs up my previous story of helping three of our better milers to their first run over 15 miles in their lives (actually 17 in the PSU tradition!).  I "taught" Larry Mangan, Mike Wyatt and Tom Rapp to hold back at the start of the race and only increase pace every five miles.  We made it all the way to third place at 20 miles before I faded. (In my defense I had pneumonia only 3 weeks earlier!)  All 3 went on to beat me in quite remarkable times considering the cold and snow-covered roads and the fact that they never ran more than "15" before.  Also note how I had to scramble to beat Liz Berry and Coach Groves! It also may be the only time I ever beat Gary Black! Also note the 53 year-old Hersh Leibowitz running a 3:25 marathon!  He gets more amazing to me every year looking back at things. (RIP Hersch).

 

Here's a pic dedicated Golfer  Bill Malchano dug out of his "Way Back" drawer, showing that like Paul Souza, he once had hair! (Hey Bill, I remembered the "A" this time!)

Bill Malchano in the Ice Palace!

*Ah, heck, maybe Michigan or Ohio State has a larger group.  I'm not even going to look it up. I feel like John Belushi asking "Did we quit when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor...?" (RIP Harold Ramis)

Track Alums At the Opening Football Game

I didn't make it to the game.  I'm almost thinking about returning to the fray now that attendance is down to the levels I last braved in the 90's.  Back in that day, I actually rented an Efficiency Apartment on College Avenue for four years to go to State College anytime I wanted to. It cost less for the full year than it did to have a hotel room for all 6 home games.  Yeah, I think there were only 6 home games then! Those were the days...

But Tim Backenstose sends us some pics from the opening of the Tackleberry, er Hackenbush, no it's right on the tip of my tongue...    Ahh, Hackenberg Era!

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.

Coach Groves Can Still Kick Their A$$es

As I rummage through the photos from the Penn State National via Mark Hawkins, I came across this one from the vast Internetty Thingie.  It is too good not to steal, so here it is...

And in addition, I came across this one from that same "Cloud".  I have a guess as to who it is, but I fear exposing my stupidity for all to see.  Who is this with Frank Shorter?

Nautical Nuts to Possibly Reunite: Which Renowned Aquatic Leader is Most Like Our "Captain Tim"?

It looks like there will soon be a repeat of the "Three Hour Tour" of the Chesapeake Bay with our fearless "Captain Tim".  Details are still being ironed out, but I'm already taking Dramamine IV just in case.

Our next Poll question will be, "Which of these Infamous Leaders does Tim Backenstose most closely resemble?"

The choices will be:

1. Jonas Grumby - "The Skipper" - Captain of the S. S. Minnow out of Hawaii, we are all familiar with his prowess on the seas.
2. William Bligh - Captain of the HMS Bounty prior to a notorious mutiny.  Captain Bligh was a noted authoritarian leader who championed a rather brutal form of governance.
3. Edward Teach - "Blackbeard" - Privateer Captain of the Queen Anne's Revenge.  Scoured the Caribbean, leading his men without the use of force or murder. 
4. Phillip Francis Queeg - Fictional Captain of the U. S. S. Caine and subject of the Caine Mutiny. Prone to outbursts of irrational behavior, some still believe he was actually the victim and not the perpetrator of the Caine's downfall.
5. Merrill Stubing - Captain of the Pacific Princess "The Love Boat" for over 10 seasons of incredible TV drama.