MSU Cross Country Study

	At left: Mike Rummel (MSU cross country '65-66) and his musical idol Mike Love, June 2013. Here's part of Mike Rummel's story: Cosmic Tumblers. Most of us spend our lives in pursuit of what we think we want, or what is expected of us. There may be direction in our mind's view of our lives, maybe not. But we put one foot in front of the other, doing what we feel we have to do, often reacting not proacting. When those cosmic tumblers click into place we know it. There is a memory that never fades because it sustains us, makes us feel good ... gives us something to go back to whenever our thoughts take us there for whatever reason. Fate has blessed me with such memories. They are usually spur-of-the-moment because none of us knows how to manually click those cosmic tumblers into place. We recognize them as they open to us because our path in life has moved us to them whether we know it or not. But we do recognize them ... and remember them. They are often shaped by the vision of hindsight as our experiences in life help us to bring the parts of our lives together. One of my sustaining cosmic memories took place in the middle of campus at Michigan State University in the Fall of 1965. Distance running had at that time already become an expected part of my life. I tried out for and was accepted as a member of the Freshman Cross-Country Team [In those days Freshman were not allowed to compete in Varsity events. I suspect it was another tentacle of that long-abandoned concept of In loco parentis.]. But we always worked out as a complete team. Coach Fran Dittrich was a man of smaller physical stature -- like me -- but he coached the 1965 Track and Field Team to its first Big Ten Championship. That Fall I came under his tutelage. He was not a man of a lot of words. Each day he'd tell us what he wanted and sent us off to do it. The only regular workout was every Tuesday afternoon when he timed us in a 2-Mile run on the track. I dreaded Tuesdays because I was always the slowest member of the Team. And I always felt pressured to show my improvement by beating at least one member of the Team who would be having an off-day. I do not think my best day then ever overtook another's off-day. So ... it was probably not a Tuesday that day when the sun shone brightly on the Red Cedar River, the air was calm, the temperature still warm without being oppressive. I loved those afternoons when the 45,000 student body seemed to be out and about all at the same time enjoying what was left of Summer before the snow and cold winds forced us inside. There were a dozen of us on a long, slow distance workout. Years later it would be referred to as an LSD workout. And that was the only type of LSD I ever needed as I could not get much higher than the effects of such a run with my teammates. But Fate had more in store for me that afternoon. At the same time I came to love distance running I also came to love the Beach Boys. I was never down or blue when I heard their surfing and car music. Little Deuce Coupe got me hooked as soon as I heard it in the Summer of 1963. I was told I had to "go away" to college because it would be a growth experience for me. I chose Michigan State because it was a top school then for Police Administration -- what they call Criminal Justice today. I came to love Michigan State from the outset. It did not hurt that our Football Team was Number One in the nation that year, thanks to many All-Americans, such as Bubba Smith. MSU was the darling of the nation's sports writers. Home cross country meets were sometimes held the morning of a home football game. The most recognition our Team ever got was a "filler" announcement during a break in the game when the results were announced to the Stadium as a whole. If we had won that day's meet there would be a feint attempt at a cheer by anyone listening, but never much. But I did not care. I was having the time of my life as three loves were coming together. We were heading West along the major sidewalk through the middle of campus on the South side of the Red Cedar River equi-distant from the all-male Shaw Hall on our left. Students were everywhere, but they parted ways for us when they saw who we were. It was a good day for me to run. Later, the Team Captain, Dick Sharkey, and the fastest Freshman, Dean Rosenberg, would both compliment me on how good I looked running that day. We were in the middle of Shaw Hall's presence on campus when out of one of the dorm rooms came blasting Little Deuce Coupe. The song itself is only a minute, 38 seconds, but the snippet I heard that afternoon was "it." All the tumblers had clicked into place. I can still picture that scene in my mind's eye as I have thousands of time in the past 48 years. Whenever I was running in the years thereafter and felt good my mind would go back to that special day between the Red Cedar and Shaw Hall. It became as much a source of inspiration as it was a special, lifetime memory. And Mike Love was the Lead Vocal. Mike recreated his epic 1965 cosmic tumbler run on 15 October 2015 (50 years later). It was captured by the State News: http://statenews.com/article/2015/10/mike-rummel-run-down-memory-lane

Three generations of Spartan cross country runners at the 2012 Big Ten Championships. Standing from left: Katie Kelly Noble (2000s), Crawford Kennedy (1950s), Herb Lindsay (1970s), Martin Schulist (1970s/80s), and Ron Smeltzer (1970s). Sitting/kneeling: Andy Barnhart (1970s) and Mark Havitz (1970s). Photo from the personal collection of Katie Noble.	Katie Kelly Noble and her "personal coach" Forddy Kennedy (personal collection of Katie Noble)		Three of Michigan State's best: Crawford Kennedy, Herb Lindsay, and Martin Schulist get acquainted at the 2012 Big Ten Championships (personal collection of Katie Noble)

Herb Lindsay, coach of the 2008 Fremont High School cross country team, poses with his charges after a pre-season workout at Pyramid Point, Leelanau County, Michigan (personal collection of Herb Lindsay)	Steve Sherer (#227) leading the pack at the 2009 Prefontaine Classic, Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon (personal collection of Steve Sherer)		Captain Ron Smeltzer with one of his planes, 2010 (personal collection of Ron Smeltzer)

Coach Al Duncan, in vest and tie, with his 1973 Dundas, Ontario Parkside High School Cross Country teams (personal collection of Al Duncan)	Fast company: Steve Sherer sandwiched between Alan Webb and Bernard Legat at the 2008 US Olympic Track and Field trials (personal collection of Steve Sherer)		Ron Smeltzer demonstrating a pre-race intimidation strategy from the old days? (personal collection of Ron Smeltzer)

Andrew Barnhart ran for Michigan State in 1976 (right). His career was cut short by a Labor Day 1977 accident which has since confined him to a wheelchair. Andrew began racing again in 1993 and has completed, among other events, 36 marathons since that time. His PR is 2:40 in the 2001 Detroit Marathon. Andrew recently won the 2009 Sun Trust Richmond (left) in which he overcame, with assistance from his twin sister, a flat front tire which plagued him from miles 9 through 18 (personal collection of Andrew Barnhart)	Janet Julien donned her best green and white for the 2009 Walter Payton Cancer Fund run where she ran in honor of Steve Clark, Ann Beaujean's husband who died of cancer in 2008. Janet and Ann were MSU cross country teammates in 1981-1983. Steve was an MSU alumnus and avid MSU sports fan. Janet is posing, age group medal in hand, with Walter Payton's widow Connie Payton (personal collection of Janet Julien).	Just like old times: Tim Proulx and Ted Unold, freshman teammates at MSU in 1977, get re-acquainted some twenty-six years later at a Clarkston area pub (personal collection of Tim Proulx)

Family

Do any of your family members also run? If so, you can immortalize them here.


Competing for the same perennial powerhouse as her father, Tim Kerr's daughter Michelle jumps a barrier for Dearborn Divine Child high school at the 2010 Charlevoix Mud Run. Michelle led her team to 13th place in the 2010 Division II state championship (personal collection of Tim Kerr).	Mark Havitz's daughter Niki, a onetime regional 800 meter relay champion in Ontario, saved a summer 2010 interview with Maurice Horski, MSC's 1942 cross country team captain, by lending her cell phone when dad forgot his digital recorder (personal collection of Mark Havitz).	Martin and Rachele Schulist pose after the 2010 Michigan Division II Regional meet in Portage. Following in her father's footsteps, Rachele is reigning individual state champion in both the 3200 meters and cross country. Martin coaches her Zeeland West teams (personal collection of Martin Schulist).

Mr. and Mrs. Lauren Brown at his retirement party from Michigan State, early 1970s. Brownie was a excellent runner for MSC, longtime coach, and founder of the NCAA cross country meet in 1938 (MSU Archives and Historic Collections).	Terry, Pat, Tom (Sam), Mike, and Tom (Bubba) Irmen enjoying a family run in the 1980s. Sam and Bubba both ran for Michigan State and both captained the track team (Sam in 1949 and Bubba some three decades later). Mike was a standout at Kent State and his brother Terry also ran for the Golden Flashes while Pat chose not to compete after high school. Sam's daughter Jo Dee was also a standout runner (personal collection of Sam Irmen).	Continuing family tradition, Academic All-American Christine Babcock (left) helped lead her University of Washington team to three top-three NCAA finishes -- 1st in 2008, 3rd in 2009, and 2nd in 2011. Older sister Jessica (right) was a stellar performer for Penn State, especially in middle distances. Their mom Kelly (Spatz) had an excellent career at MSU from 1977-1981. (University of Washington and Penn State University cross country Web sites)

Jason Schoener en-route to 14th overall, second American in the 2008 Boston Marathon (Dave Schoener collection)	Dave and Linda Schoener with their sons Jacob (front middle), Jason and Ben. This photo was taken after the Miles for Smiles 5K in Richmond VA. Dave ran cross country for MSU in the early 1980s (Dave Schoener collection)	Jason Schoener crossing the 2008 Boston Marathon line as the second American finisher. His corrected time was 2:19.18 (Dave Schoener collection)

Memorabilia

The MSU Museum and the MSU Archives and Historical Collections may be interested in your MSU Cross Country memorabilia. Please contact Mark Havitz at mhavitz@uwaterloo.ca for additional information.


Cynthia DeBello displaying her father's MAC letter sweater. Carl "Bunny" Warren captained the 1919 MAC cross country team after returning to MAC following World War I military service (photo personal collection of Mark Havitz)	Earl Sheldon's 1912-13 racing spikes at the Ogemaw County Historical Museum in West Branch (personal photo collection of Earl's granddaughter Kim Gilder)	Delmer Gene Parker with his class numeral sweater, earned for freshman cross country in 1951.(photo personal collection of Delmer Gene Parker)

Walter Beardslee's varsity letters and medals from the late 1930s and early 1940s (photo personal collection of Mark Havitz)	David Lean, on the deck of his Benzie County home, with his MSU green and white Adidas track spikes, October 2009 (personal collection of Mark Havitz)	David Lean displaying his Olympic silver medal, Melbourne 1956, and British Empire Games gold medal, Vancouver 1954 (personal collection of Mark Havitz)

Dick Frey's (captain of our 1939 NCAA champion team) racing spikes (personal collection of Barbara Frey)	"What? $4.00 for spikes? That's outrageous!" Shoe order placed by MSC's Gerard Boss in 1935, probably while attending the Penn Relays in Philadelphia (MSU Archives and Historic Collections)	Fred P. Aldolph Jr. (right) displays his father's almost 90-year old mint condition MAC varsity letter winner's blanket in August 2010 (Fred Adolph Jr. collection).

Lauren Brown's 1929 IC4A medals -- 3rd place individual, 2nd place team (MSU Museum collection).	Lauren Brown's letter winner's blanket (MSU Museum Collection).	Lauren Brown's track spikes and Penn Relays medalist watch after he became the first American collegian to break 10 minutes in the steeplechase (MSU Museum Collection).

Forddy Kennedy sits above with his IC4A, Big Ten, and NCAA medals, three All-American plaques, and the inaugural MSU Athletics Hall of Fame poster at right which includes likenesses of him and his brother Henry. The Kennedy's are in the lower right hand corner, just below Magic Johnson and beside Bubba Smith and Gloria Becksford. Henry's wearing the 1956 diagonally stripped singlet while Forddy is in the1958 uniform (Mark Havitz collection)

Reunions


Members of the 1995 men's team, August 2015 at their annual northern Michigan camping reunion. From left: Ryan Kennedy, Chris Lett, Chris Crosby, Bill Crosby, Todd Richman, Jim Marcero (Jim Marcero collection)	MSU's 1958 NCAA individual cross country medalist Crawford "Forddy" Kennedy flanked by early 2000s stars Jamie Krzyminski and Michelle (Carson) Tegenkamp; all on campus for the B1G Championships (Mark Havitz collection)	Dozens of alumni attended the B1G meet including these four notables. Between 1967 and 1977, MSU's indoor two-mile record was broken multiple times by them (from left to right): Dick Sharkey brought it to 8:56.2 in 1967, Rob Cool lowered it next, then Randy Kilpatrick, and finally Herb Lindsay who clocked an 8:39.2 in 1976. As that distance is no longer run, Herb's record still stands (Mark Havitz collection)

MSU ace Ken Popejoy and 1971 XC captain Randy Kilpatrick visit Beaumont Tower prior to the Big Ten Track and Field Championships in May 2015 (Mark Havitz collection)	2015! A truly awesome MSU graduating class of cross country athletes: From left, David Madrigal, Ben Carruthers, Alex Wilson, Drake Veitenheimer, Leah O'Connor, Julia Otwell, Sara Kroll, Jennifer Drenth, Melanie Brender (Julia Otwell collection)	Leah O'Connor, MSU's best ever, with Associate Head Coach Lisa Senakiewich in Europe, summer 2015 (Lisa Senakiewich collection)

Jim Gibbard with MSU Cross Country alumni at his 87th birthday celebration in July 2011: From left: Chuck Starkey, Ron Smeltzer, Fred Teddy, Ken Popejoy, Jim Gibbard, Crawford Kennedy, Randy Kilpatrick, Mark Havitz, Doug Kurtis. Photo taken at the Gibbard cottage on Six Mile Lake near East Jordan, MI on July 23, 2011. Several other cross country men arrived later that afternoon and are not in this photo, including Art Link, Mike Demko, Bob West, and Rob Cool (Mark Havitz Collection)	Track and Field and Cross Country men at Jim Gibbard's 87th Birthday: Bottom row from left - Bill Wehrwein, Bob Casselman, Chris Casselman, Das Campbell, Jim Gibbard, Mick Gibbard, Roland Carter, Randy Kilpatrick. Back row from left - Bob West, Mike Demko, Rob Cool, Doug Kurtis, John Spain, Charles Pollard, Ken Popejoy, Gene Washington, Bob Steele, John Wilcox, Chuck Starkey, Fred Teddy. (Bob West Collection).	Current MSU Track & Field/Cross Country Coach Walt Drenth and Ken Popejoy converse at the Gibbard event. Popejoy was MSU's first sub-4:00 miler. Bob West Collection.

Crawford Kennedy, captain of the 1958 and 1959 national champions; Jim Gibbard, assistant coach under Fran Dittrich with those teams; Gene Washington, NCAA Champion hurdler in the 1960s. Mick Gibbard Collection.	Reconnecting for the first time in over 30 years, Bob West, Mark Havitz, and Mike Demko were rookies on the freshman dominated 1977 team. (Mark Havitz Collection).	Art Link, Rob Cool and Ken Popejoy all ran for powerhouse MSU cross country and track and field teams in the 1960s and 1970s. (Mark Havitz Collection).

Randy Kilpatrick, captain of the 1971 Big Ten Champion cross country team, greets his coach Jim Gibbard in July 2011. Mick Gibbard Collection.	Forddy Kennedy makes a point while Doug Kutis looks on. Since leaving MSU, Kurtis has run more sub-2:20 marathons (70) than any man in the world (Mick Gibbard Collection).	Former team captain Fred Teddy greeting his coach. (Mick Gibbard Collection).

Brownie and his Champions: Representatives of Michigan State's five IC4A national champion teams from the 1930s pose prior to being recognized at an MSU football game in the early 1980s. Front row from left -- Arthur L. Green, George "Dick" Grantham, Kenneth A. Waite, Lauren P. Brown, Coach, Richard D. Frey. Back row from left -- James H. Wright, Robert W. Hills, J. Nelson Gardner, Harold L. Sparks, Thomas C. Ottey, John M. Hammer, Charles B. Dennis (personal collection of Jann Krupa, daughter of Robert Hills)	Gaylord Denslow and Henry Kennedy at a reunion (Forddy Kennedy collection)	Jim Horan, Forddy Kennedy, Jack Crowell, Bob Lake and Tony Smith at a reunion. David Lean seated in foreground (Forddy Kennedy collection)


Jim and Martha Bibbs with Jim Gibbard at the MSU Varsity Alumni Club Reunion, September 2009 (personal collection of Mark Havitz)	Forddy Kennedy, Jerry Young, Ed Graydon, Bob Bond, Jim Horan, Tony Webb, and David Tate pose with Sparty at a reunion of 1958 and 1959 NCAA championship teams, September 2009 (personal collection of Mark Havitz)	Walt Drenth, current varsity coach, speaking to attending members representing MSU's eight national champion cross country teams in September 2009 (personal collection of Mark Havitz)

Still the consumate captain: Forddy Kennedy introducing members of seven national champion cross country teams spanning 1948 to 1959 at the September 2009 Varsity Alumni awards gathering (personal collection of Mark Havitz)	JIm Horan visiting the site of his wedding St. John's Catholic Student Center MAC Avenue, East Lansing (personal collection of Mark Havitz)	From left, Ed Graydon, Bob Bond, Jerry Young, Tony Smith, Ron Berby reminisce while standing near Old College Field, site of the start and finish lines of NCAA cross country championships from 1947 through 1957 (personal collection of Mark Havitz)

Walter Beardslee (red shirt) with six Miller brothers at a 2009 Northwest Michigan College reunion. Walter coached three of the Miller brothers in the 1950s and Bill (at Walter's immediate left) later ran on MSU's 1955 National Championship team (personal collection of Walter Beardslee)	Still identical after all these years: Don and Ed Makielski model their 1954 Rose Bowl medallion bolo ties in 2010. Don is also holding his gold NCAA cross country championship medalion from either 1948 (MSC won both years) or 1949 (personal collection of Mark Havitz)	Mel Buschman, MSC Track & Field hurdler in the early 1940s, and Finish Liine President Eric Zemper swapping stories at the MSU Faculty Club 2010 (personal collection of Mark Havitz)

Crawford Kennedy and Anthony Hamm (personal collection of Crawford Kennedy)	David Lean (seated at left). Standing from left: Jim Horan, Crawford Kennedy, Jack Crowell, Bob Lake, Tony Smith (personal collection of Crawford Kennedy)	David Lean and Bob Lake (personal collection of Crawford Kennedy)

From left: Crawford Kennedy, John "Mickey" Walters, John Cook, and Heather Dafoe (personal collection of Crawford Kennedy)	From left: Claire and Selwyn Jones, Jane and David Lean, Tony and Pat Smith (personal collection of Crawford Kennedy)	From left: Henry Kennedy, Shoanna and Jack Crowell, Crawford Kennedy (personal collection of Crawford Kennedy)