IWB
05-01-2012, 01:16 PM
Sad news out of MU today, Frank Zummach (http://www.sheboyganpress.com/article/20120501/SHE0101/120430209/Sheboygan-Red-Skins-coaching-legend-Frank-Zummach-dies-age-101?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE), who was the oldest living former MU basketball player, died at 101.
Read the link if you have time, pretty interesting story. This is the guy that Jack Harbaugh was so taken with. Jack went to see him a few years back and could not get over how sharp the guy was. Said he thought he would stop in, meet him and leave, and stayed for hours.
A few stories about Frank that I had heard over the years....
He used to drive the guys in the Sports Info Department nuts. Whenever they put out the annual yearbook, he would always call in with corrections. "You had Joe Shmoe listed as having played in '37 & '38, he didn't get to MU until '39 and played for three years." etc etc
A few years back when they had that huge basketball reunion? Well, he had big plans. His was determined to walk out onto the court without his walker (or cane?) and was having no discussion otherwise. Well, one day he was arguing with his daughter about it, so to prove to her that he could do it, he got up and headed off.... but fell, and broke his hip. So, he was unable to attend at all. He was what, 97? 98 at the time?
A big loss for MU basketball, but credit to Frank, 101 is one hell of a run!
Read the link if you have time, pretty interesting story. This is the guy that Jack Harbaugh was so taken with. Jack went to see him a few years back and could not get over how sharp the guy was. Said he thought he would stop in, meet him and leave, and stayed for hours.
A few stories about Frank that I had heard over the years....
He used to drive the guys in the Sports Info Department nuts. Whenever they put out the annual yearbook, he would always call in with corrections. "You had Joe Shmoe listed as having played in '37 & '38, he didn't get to MU until '39 and played for three years." etc etc
A few years back when they had that huge basketball reunion? Well, he had big plans. His was determined to walk out onto the court without his walker (or cane?) and was having no discussion otherwise. Well, one day he was arguing with his daughter about it, so to prove to her that he could do it, he got up and headed off.... but fell, and broke his hip. So, he was unable to attend at all. He was what, 97? 98 at the time?
A big loss for MU basketball, but credit to Frank, 101 is one hell of a run!