| Gustavus chain gang has combined 145 years experience |
By: Kurt Hildebrandt
|
Posted: Thursday, September 25, 2008 9:33 am
|
 Email  Print
|
| |
Harry Frey, Mike Torkelson, Joe Peterson and Pat Hix keep the chains moving.
|
|
ST. PETER — While many football players, coaches and other personnel have come and gone on the opposition’s sidelines at Gustavus Adolphus home football games, for a little more than two decades there remains one constant on that side of the field.
Harry Frey and his co-horts Pat Hicks, Mike Torkelson and Joe Peterson have roamed the sidelines at both Gustavus’s old and new Hollingsworth Fields for a combined 145 years operating as the Gusties’ official chain gang. Doug Miller serves as the substitute for the group as needed, which hasn’t been that often over the years.
No first down is awarded or ball given to the other team on a failed fourth down attempt at any Gustavus home game without the input of this fearsome foursome.
“There’s a lot of responsibility that goes with this job, but there really is no pressure on us,” Frey said. “We’ve had some coaches say things to us, but its mainly in good fun. You just have to make sure you pay attention to what’s going on out on the field. It’s also nice to have the other three along side.”
The Gusties’ chain gang kicked off another season on Saturday journeying up and down the sideline during Gustavus’s 21-14 triumph over Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe Hamline.
Frey, the elder statesman of the crew with this year being his 48th on the crew, realizes that while his crew may be getting up there in age, the veterans of football measuring skills haven’t waned over the years, but they still enjoy it all the same.
“We all figured we’d keep doing this as long as we are having fun, and going into this year I think we’re still enjoying it,” Frey said. “It’s great because we’ve got some of the best seats in the house and you really get to know the players and coaches pretty well.”
During every Gusties home game Harry operates the down indicator box, while Hicks and Peterson run the chain and Torkelson is in charge of the clip which marks a spot on the chain to the nearest five-yard marker on the field. (Per the Wikipedia website, Frey’s position is referred to the “box man” and Hicks and Peterson are referred to as “rod men.” Unfortunately, Torkelson’s position doesn’t have a name.)
The group’s beginning as the Gusties’ chain gang began back in 1960 when Harry was attending a football game that season.
“Moose Malmquist, who was the athletic director back then, came up to me and some friends of mine at one of the games and asked if we’d like a job,” Frey said. “I started working with the old postmaster here in town, Poopsie Monahan, for awhile until he got hurt after falling off a ladder and we had some others who came and went early on.”
Hicks joined the ranks in the mid 1960s and together with Frey brought some stability to the chain gang for the next decade or so when the group picked up Torkelson and added his talents to the mix. Another decade later, Peterson came on board and for about the past 22 years those four have stayed together as a tight-knit group.
As their bodies have aged, the strain of going up and down the sidelines for four quarters, with the occasional overtime game tossed in, have taken a toll on them. However, a move from the old Hollingsworth Field to the new artificial surfaced field has been a blessing.
“The turf on the new field is much easier on my back and legs and it’s really a fun place to work a game,” Frey said.
As “high-profile” position as these four have on selected fall Saturday afternoons, their pay level definitely doesn’t match that and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We get to go to games for free and we have some of the best seats in the house, what more could you ask for?” Frey said. “We’ve gotten to see some really good football players on both sides of the field play here and there are also coaches like (St. John’s famed coach) John Gagliardi who we’ve gotten to know quite well.
“I remember one game John coming up to me and saying, ‘you guys are still here?’ and I had to remind him he has been around a lot longer than even I have, which we both got a laugh out of.”
Show Comments | Hide Comments
Login and voice your opinion!
|
|
