Winter 2014 - MSU Varsity S Club

partan
entinel
Michigan State University Varsity ‘S’ Club
N E W S L E T T E R
VOL. 57 ISSUE 1
A Spartan Moment for the Ages
The top center Spartan in this photo is Kyler Ellsworth, who along with Taiwan Jones, Corry
Brown and Micajah Reynolds, smothered Stanford fullback Ryan Hewitt and ended the
Cardinal’s chances on New Years Day. Ellsworth, who replaced starter Max Bullough, was
named Defensive Most Valuable Player of the game. (More pictures on page 3)
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Michigan State University
Varsity ‘S’ Club
535 Chestnut Rd. - Rm 276
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 355-8523
Fax: (517) 355-7708
Email: Staff@MSUVarsitySClub.org
Website: www.msuvarsitysclub.org
2013-2014
Varsity ‘S’ Club
Executive Committee
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Past President
Cheryl Gilliam ’81
Wally Dobler ’58
R. Paul Vance ’01
Mike Vorkapich ’94
David Brogan ’56
Colin Cronin ’94
Board of Directors
Don Behm ’67
Ian Clutten ’07
Dave Thomas ’01!!
Don Weatherspoon ’67!
Tim Bograkos ’04
Sue Selke ’76
David W. Thomas ’75
Young Alumni
Lauren Aitch ’09! !
Erica Mann ’11
Office Staff: Marilyn Bria (Office Hours: M-Th, 12-4; F, 12-3)
Newsletter Editor: Ron Berby
We value your opinion and want to know what
you think about the Varsity ‘S’ Club Newsletter.
Send us an e-mail, call or fax with items or
topics you would like to see included in future
newsletters. If you have suggestions on how to
improve the publication, let us know.
Elections for the Board of Directors of the Varsity ‘S’
Club are held each spring. If you would like to serve
on the Board, simply visit our website, click on the
application tab, print the form, complete, and mail to
the the club office.
President’s Message
Dear Fellow Spartans and Friends,
Congratulations to our Winter Sports Teams on an outstanding job. They performed well in the
classroom as Champions, and gave it their all in Sport. Thanks to our coaching staffs for focusing
on keeping STUDENT first in Student-Athlete. They are creating future leaders who we can be
proud of for decades to come.
Also, congratulations to our 2014 Major Award Winners, and welcome to the Club to our Class of
2014 Honorary Members. You will learn more about them at our Golf Outing and during the
summer. Folks, 2015 is right around the corner and we will celebrate 100 years. Take time to
honor your teammates and nominate those who are qualified for our 2015 Major Awards. And
submit support letters to the Athletic office to nominate them for consideration for the Class of
2014 or 2015 MSU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Thanks again for this remarkable experience as serving as your President, my term ends June
30th and Paul Vance will start his term as your President on July 1, 2014. We look forward to hearing
from you often. Your comments are encouraged and much appreciated. Tell us how we can serve
you better, especially those members not in the Michigan area.
Go Green and Remember: we are SPARTANS FOR LIFE!
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Pictures from the 2014 Rose Bowl
Top two photos by Eric Zemper
Bottom three by Erica Mann
A Gathering of Champions
They travelled to Madison to watch the Big Ten Wrestling
meet, and few in the crowd knew of their greatness. Grady
Peninger, MSU wrestling coach from the ‘60s to the ‘80s, was
joined by Dale Anderson, Don Behm, Mike Bradley, Dale Carr
and Jack Zindel. In 1967 all had been Big Ten Individual
Champions on a Spartan Big Ten Championship team. All
had been NCAA Individual Champions on an NCAA
Championship team. And all had been named All-American.
Behm admitted to being the weak link. “I was the only one
who was All-American only twice. The rest had been AllAmerican in all three of their varsity eligible years!”
Front row: friend of MSU wrestling Bob Lebrant, Peninger, Behm
and Carr -Back row: Bradley, Zindel and Anderson
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Fall 2013 Letterwinner Graduates
Baseball - Andrew Waszak
Field Hockey - Molly Cassidy & Adelle Lever
Football - Maxwell Bullough, Denzel Drone, Fouimalo Fonoti, Daniel France, Derek Hoebing, Jairus Jones,
Nathaniel Klatt, Andrew Maxwell, Kevin Muma & Blake Treadwell
Golf - William Morris
Ice Hockey - Zachary Golembiewski & Trevor Nill
Rowing - Alicia Dimauro & Heather Holliday
Men’s Soccer - Kevin Cope, Wesley Curtis, Bryce Dobbins & Ryan Thelen
Softball - Raime Cronkhite
Swimming & Diving - Mark Gammell & Jacob Jarzen
Men’s Tennis - Christian Roehmer
Women’s Tennis - Nicole Herzog
Men’s Track & Field - Christopher Hessell
Women’s Track & Field - Melanie Brender, Meggan Freeland, Amanda Impellizerri
& Megan Rodgers
Volleyball - Amy Dentlinger
MSU Represented on Sochi Olympic Ice
Goalie Ryan Miller (Hockey 1999-02) played for the 4th place American team in this
winter’s Olympics. Canadian Duncan Keith (Hockey 2001-02) played for the Gold
Medal Canadian Squad.
Slight Mistake gets Parke a Spartan Career
On seeing his picture on the cover of our Spring 2013 issue (front row far left in
mid-1950s ‘S’ Club group picture) Winnipeg’s Ross Parke sent a note telling of his
hockey career at State as its top scorer from 1955 to 1958. In 1954 he had to make a
decision: to sign with the Red Wings organization and lose his amateur status, or to
go back to school. He decided “school” and headed down to Michigan to join a
hockey acquaintance at the University of Michigan. He arrived at the wrong university,
one called Michigan State! But he reports, “Good old Amo Bessoni (State’s hockey
coach) talked me into staying at State.” Later he played on an Allan Cup winning
senior team and on the Canadian National Team, competing with teams from
Czechoslovakia, USA, Finland, Sweden, Russia and Germany. He’s retired and lives
in Winnipeg. - seen here in a ‘58 State Journal article calling him MSU’s “Mr. Hockey.”
Achievements Mount up for Spartan Teams
Women’s Cross Country-team wins third Big Ten Title in four years, Michigan second each time
Field Hockey-Spartans down 2-0 at halftime, explode to 3-2 win over Iowa and take 4th Big Ten Tourney title
Men’s Soccer-team reaches NCAA final 8 for first time since ’68, Coach Rensing Regional Coach of the Year
Football-offense struggles early, team gels to solid wins in Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl
Women’s Basketball-Injuries plague team in preseason, but Spartans toughen, tie for Big Ten Championship
Men’s Basketball-injuries haunt team for months, but Spartans come through big in dominating wins for the
Big Ten Tourney title, then advance to the NCAA Elite Eight before losing to Connecticut
Learfield Sports-rate teams based on conference and NCAA competitions, name Michigan State as second in
nation (Stanford first) for fall semester sports
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MSU VARSITY ‘S’ CLUB
GOLF OUTING REGISTRATION FORM
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014
FOREST AKERS EAST & WEST
NAME:_______________________________________________________________
ADDRESS:____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
EMAIL:________________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE #__________________________________________________________
$95.00/PERSON $380/FOURSOME----- REGISTERING FOR FOURSOME? LIST ADDITIONAL
GOLFERS:
NAME:___________________________________________
NAME:___________________________________________
NAME:___________________________________________
ONLY WISH TO ATTEND SOCIAL HOUR? $25.00/PERSON
NAME:___________________________________________
NAME:___________________________________________
Method of Payment:
Check Enclosed
Credit card: Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card
CC #_________________________________________________________, Expiration date
______________ cvv#________________________
9:00 AM Registration
10:00 AM Shotgun Start
11:00 AM Lunch
4:00 pm Social Hour—includes cocktails (cash bar), dinner and a short program with special
guest speakers
Mail to: MSU Varsity ‘S’ Club, 535 Chestnut Rd., Rm 276; East Lansing, MI 48824
QUESTIONS? CALL MARILYN BRIA, OFFICE MANAGER, AT 517-355-8523.
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2014 ‘S’ Club Award Winners
Jack Breslin Award
Dean Look
Henry Bullough Award
Mike Vorkapich
Vanspybrook Coaches Award
Jennifer Parks
Nell Jackson Award
Alexandra Wiesner
Gilliam Young Alumni Award
Travis Key
2014 Honorary Members
Robert Cantrell
Jimmy Constandt
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Walt Drenth
2014 Honorary Members - continued
Elizabeth Marinez
Jeff Kovan
Harriet Dean-Kennedy
Varsity ‘S’ Club President Honored for Service
At left is the ‘S’ Club’s Cheryl Gilliam, who has served our club as President for the
last three years, a time marked by greatly increased activity, a merge with MSU’s
athletic department, and preparation for our 2015 100th-Year Anniversary. On March
4th she was presented with the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Service
Award in recognition for her “exceptional achievements and success.”
Young Alumna Recognized in Home Town
At right are pictures of the ‘S’ Club’s Young Alumna Erica Mann.
She’s seen in the left photo in the lobby of her high school, Battle
Creek Lakeview. As part of the Black History Honors program, she
was recognized in the right picture for her accomplishments as a
Lakeview athlete, a sprinter in high school and at Michigan State.
‘WHERE ARE THEY NOW?’
We regret that we’re not publishing this section, the most read part of our newsletter
for many of the last 57 years, because of a lack of submissions (we’ve received only one
since our last issue came out). Part of it is our fault, as the membership renewal forms we
sent out last year contained no spaces for such info. But part of it is with you readers, as
despite our often asking you to let us know how you’re doing, where you live, etc., you
have not responded. We’re going to start sending out emails to some of you periodically,
asking you to bring us up to date, and we’ll have spaces in the next set of renewal forms
so you can tell us how you’re doing. But it’s up to you. Please also let us know of
events and milestones in the club’s history, as some of you have done. Believe us, your
Spartan teammates REALLY like to hear how you’re doing these days. - Editor
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Michigan State University Varsity ‘S’ Club
Merchant Discount Program
The Varsity ‘S’ Club coordinates a program with several campus-area merchants to give club members a
discount on purchases when you present your membership card. So if you live in the East Lansing area, or
when you visit campus, please patronize these fine merchants who support MSU athletics. Listed below are
merchants participating in the program. Discount amounts vary by merchant, so please check with your
cashier or waitperson prior to ordering.
Albert’s Furniture - 32344 Michigan Ave. - Wayne
Applebee’s - 2284 Woodlake Drive - Okemos
Arby’s - 2220 Jolly Rd. - Okemos
Bell’s Greek Pizza - 1135 E. Grand River Ave. - East Lansing
Bravo! Cuchina Italiana - Eastwood Town Center - Lansing
Cosi - 301 E. Grand River Ave. - East Lansing
Dusty’s Cellar - 1839 W Grand River Ave. - Okemos
Emil’s Italian Restaurant - 2012 E Michigan Ave. - Lansing
Forest Akers West Pro Shop - MSU Golf Courses
Grand Traverse Pie Co. - 1401 E Grand River Ave. - East Lansing
Grand Traverse Pie Co - 3536 Meridian Crossing - Okemos
Gilbert & Blake Steak & Seafood - 3554 Okemos Rd. - Okemos
Harper’s - 131 Albert Avenue - East Lansing
Holden & Reid Clothiers - Frandor Shopping Center - Lansing Twp.
Kellogg Hotel - State Room Restaurant - MSU Campus
Kellogg Hotel - Gift Shop - MSU Campus
Leo’s Lodge - 2525 E. Jolly Rd. - Lansing
Leo’s Outpost - 600 S. Pennsylvania Ave. - Lansing
Leo’s Spirits and Grub - 2085 W Grand River Ave. - Okemos
Michael’s (Framing Dept. only) - Frandor Shopping Center - Lansing Twp.
Panera Bread - Frandor Shopping Center - Lansing Twp.
Panera Bread - 4738 Central Park Dr. - Okemos
Reno’s East Sportsbar & Grill - 1310 Abbot Rd. - East Lansing
Reno’s West Sportsbar & Grill - 5001 W. Saginaw Hwy. - Lansing
Spartan Book Store - International Center - Campus
Spartan Hall of Fame Cafe - 1601 Lake Lansing Rd. - East Lansing
Student Book Store - 421 E. Grand River Ave - East Lansing
Trippers - Frandor Shopping Center - Lansing Twp.
Velocipede Peddler - 2758 Grand River Ave. - East Lansing
Woody’s Oasis - 1050 Trowbridge Rd. - East Lansing
Additional merchants will be added as the program develops. For more information about the
program, contact the Varsity ‘S’ Club office at 517-355-8523 or the committee members listed below:
Ron Berby - 517-290-8043, Wally Dobler - 517-372-8096, Eldon VanSpybrook - 248-895-0015
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Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Forwarding Service Requested
East Lansing, MI
Permit No. 21
Michigan State University
Varsity ‘S’ Club
535 Chestnut Rd., Rm. 276
East Lansing, MI 48824
Notices
Passings
Robert “Bud” McCullough, Jr.,
80, Basketball 1952-55 - Died
December 31st, 2013. Played
basketball for famed coach
Pete Newell and was a
successful and respected
salesman, devoted husband,
father and MSU fan.
Bruce Fossum, right: 86 - Died
March 14, 2014 - legendary
men’s tennis coach for 25
years from the mid-1960s to
the late 1980s. He led his
Spartan teams to 16 top- five
Big Ten finishes, 8 in the
conference’s top 3 teams. He
was admired by many, and
was known most of all as a
great teacher.
Does your Varsity Jacket, which fit when you
were twenty, seem tiny these days? Or, do
the moths like it even more than you do?
Take heart. A Varsity ‘S’ Club Replacement
Jacket may be just what you need!
Interested? Contact the Club office at:
517/355-8523
SAVE THE DATES
June 4, 2014 - Annual ‘S’ Club Golf Outing
Sept. 18-20 (Thur.-Sat.), 2014 - Reunion
Weekend - MSU vs. Eastern Michigan
Sept 26, 2014 - Homecoming Parade (‘S’ Club
members, alumni letterwinners and families
invited to march)
Oct. 4, 2014 - ‘S’ Club Young Alumni Tailgate
Party before Nebraska football game
Dec. 31, 2014 - Last day to submit candidates
for 2015 Varsity ‘S’ Club Awards
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