Stabley's Top 12 Chippewa Moments
6/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | General
June 24, 2005
Longtime Central Michigan University Sports Information Director Fred Stabley Jr., is retiring on July 8 after 23 seasons as a Chippewa. The public is invited to a reception honoring Fred on Thursday, June 30, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., in the Student Activity Center NIRSA Room.
By Fred Stabley Jr.
Sports Information Director
When you've been around Central Michigan University athletics as long as I have been, people are always asking for my fondest memory.
How do you boil down 23 years into one event?
I simply can't.
I have covered more than 1,350 Chippewa baseball games, more than 750 men's and women's basketball games, and exactly 253 football games.
And, that's not to mention the countless other home events (and occasional away events) I watched and covered throughout the years.
However, one quiet night this past spring, I put down on paper my fondest memories and came up with my Chippewa 12.
So, in no particular order, here they are:
Herb Deromedi
Fred reviews the two-deep with then head coach Herb Deromedi before CMU's 1987 game at Minnesota in the Metrodome.  | |
He was an outstanding assistant coach under Roy Kramer, serving as the defensive coordinator on CMU's 1974 NCAA Division II national championship team.
His 16 years as the head coach for the Chippewas (from 1978-93) produced three Mid-American Conference titles and what are still the most wins in MAC history -- 110.
And, what Herb has accomplished as CMU's AD is unparalleled. Chippewa teams set school records with six MAC titles in 2002-03 and then bagged seven more in 2003-04. Teams have captured 34 conference titles during his reign.
What may be more remarkable are the new facilities that have been built during his tenure, including the new Theunissen Stadium, the expansion of Kelly/Shorts Stadium (adding 10,000 seats and a two-tier press box), the new Indoor Athletic Complex and the new Lyle Bennett Track.
If the economy hadn't been so shaky, I'm sure he'd have the final piece to the puzzle built, too - a new basketball/all-events facility. As it stands now, nobody in the MAC has better facilities than CMU. Period!
The Majerle Era
Fred preps CBS' Billy Packer on the Chippewas before the 1987 NCAA Tournament game against UCLA in Salt Lake City. | |
The young lad with the chiseled body and good looks from Traverse City played with a certain ferocity that led the Chippewas to their only winning seasons of the decade in 1987-88 (22-8) and 1987-88 (19-13).
CMU won the MAC title in 1987 before falling in the opening round of NCAA action at Salt Lake City to UCLA, 92-73.
Majerle took his rim-rattling dunks and deft three-point shot to the 1988 Olympics and then to the NBA for 14 seasons.
All-American Brian Pruitt
The Saginaw tailback was a solid player in 1992 and '93 for the Chippewa football team. In 1994, he was an All-American.
The powerfully built Arthur Hill product shattered school records with 1,890 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns to become CMU's first and only Division I first team All-American. He was honored by the Associated Press.
Pruitt rushed for 356 yards and scored five touchdowns in a 45-27 home win over the Toledo Rockets that still stands as the greatest individual effort I've seen on the football field. Brian may have broken the 400-yard mark but was tripped near midfield when it looked as though he was in the clear once again.
Wins at Michigan State
Fred celebrates on the field of Spartan Stadium after CMU's 20-3 victory over MSU in 1991. | |
Very few people in Spartan Stadium in 1991 figured that the Chippewas from 70 miles up the road had much of a chance against 18th-ranked Michigan State from the football-proud Big Ten.
If you did, you most likely had a helmet and shoulder pads on and were wearing Maroon and Gold.
It really wasn't much of a game, though, as CMU romped a 20-3 win before a stunned MSU crowd of 71,629.
To prove it wasn't an aberration, the Chippewas turned the trick again in 1992 by a 24-20 margin.
I remember walking on the field before the game, as was my custom, to visit with head coach Herb Deromedi.
"What do you hear," Herb said.
"I hear you don't have a chance," I said. "Everyone thinks you caught George (Perles) by surprise last year and it'll be a different story this year."
I could see the steam rising from underneath his ball cap and the wheels churning. I walked away chuckling to myself because the only person who said that was my father-in-law -- a lifelong Spartan. I don't know what he said in the pregame talk but CMU was definitely ready again.
A Grand Slam
Probably the one single moment that sticks out most in my memory bank was Mike Cowdrey's dramatic walk-off grand slam homer that vaulted the Chippewas into the 1995 NCAA regionals at LSU.
It came in the finals of the MAC tournament at Bowling Green against arch baseball rival, Kent State. Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the ninth of the final game, Pat Mahoney homered to make it 4-3. CMU then proceeded to load the bases and Cowdrey unloaded them.
The ball disappeared into the pine trees in left center, and I watched the ensuing celebration at home plate with tears welling up in my eyes.
It's a Pin
A close second for a single moment would have to be CMU's first MAC wrestling championship in school history in 1986.
It came in Rose Arena by one-quarter of a point over Ohio when Mount Pleasant's Steve Adams pinned his man in the consolation heavyweight finals. It provided Chick Sherwood and the Chippewas with the narrowest of championship margins.
What sticks out was the lady in purple who carried on throughout the match and then charged the mat in anger when her son was pinned.
Touchdown ... Fischer?
Maybe the most amazing run I ever saw by a Chippewa came from punter Craig Fischer in the final game of the 1994 season at Bowling Green that paved the way for CMU's last MAC football championship.
It seemed like it took an eternity (sorry, Craig) for the former walk-on from Rochester Adams to cover that 73 yards but the 6-3, 230-pounder did it with some nifty footwork and great blocks.
The Falcons held a 25-21 lead with 11:02 to play in the winner-take-all contest.
Fischer, a first team Academic All-MAC selection in 1993, and long snapper Robert Hadacz were the only people at Doyt Perry Field who knew what was about to happen.
That's probably what sold it because even the Chippewas took off in punt coverage. The only Falcon who knew the ball wasn't coming was the return man who Fisher neatly sidestepped at midfield.
Head coach Dick Flynn couldn`t believe his eyes when the less-than-speedy Fischer faked the punt and took off running.
"What the ...," Flynn recalled saying. And, then he started yelling, "Run, run, run!"
Fischer did run - all the way to the south end zone to give CMU the 29-25 lead en route to a 36-33 win and the right to play in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Bowl Games
Fred poses with some members of the football team during a photo shoot in 1989. | |
Even though the Chippewas took it on the chin in both Division I bowl games, reaching them was most of the fun.
CMU had the winningest program in the MAC in the 1980s but never made it to the California Bowl. The Chippewas did win the MAC crown in 1980 ... but the MAC's tie-in with the California Bowl did not begin until 1981.
Herb Deromedi's teams were oh so close. They were 67-34-4 during the decade, finished second once, third four times and fourth twice after the 1980 campaign.
The Chippewas wasted little time in the next decade when they tied Toledo for the title at 7-1 and got the California Bowl bid based on a 13-12 home win over the Rockets.
CMU lost a 48-24 verdict to San Jose State but the week in Fresno was special and the monkey was off the Chippewas' back. The wait for bowl big No. 2 wasn't nearly as long coming in 1994 to the Las Vegas Bowl. It was Dick Flynn's first year as head coach and CMU won the title in dramatic fashion with a 36-33 win at Bowling Green in the season finale.
Even though UNLV won the game, 52-24, it remains such a special season because CMU has had just one winning season on the gridiron since.
Winter Dominance
The winters in Mount Pleasant tend to be a bit long but the incredible successes of the gymnastics and wrestling teams have definitely made the time go by quicker.
What Jerry Reighard has done for the Chippewa gymnastics program is one of the great stories in MAC history in any sport.
Since taking over in 1985, CMU has a record of 301-154-3 with 10 MAC titles. He's been MAC "Coach of the Year" six times and has sent five teams to the NCAA regionals.
The success of the wrestling team under head coach Tom Borrelli has paralleled that of the gymnasts.
He was just named MAC "Coach of the Year" for the seventh time and his teams have a dual meet mark of 158-77-5 since taking over prior to the 1991-92 season.
CMU has won the MAC regular-season title and the MAC tournament championships seven times each. He has produced 18 All-Americans and was named national "Coach of the Year" by two organizations in 1998 after the Chippewas finished fifth in the nation.
Spring Dominance
Fred covered baseball all 23 seasons at CMU and he enjoyed the spacious press facility at the new Theunissen Stadium in recent years. | |
When it comes to success stories, few in MAC history can match the dominance of softball and baseball at Central Michigan University.
When you consider CMU is the northern most school in the conference and it's an outdoor sport ... that makes what the Chippewas have accomplished truly amazing.
CMU wins because it has a great tradition, excellent facilities and superb coaches.
While there have been four head coaches in baseball since I arrived in 1982, there's been just one head coach in softball ... 26-year veteran Margo Jonker, a Chippewa treasure.
A member of four Hall of Fames and national "Coach of the Year" in 1987, Jonker is among the winningest coaches in NCAA Division I history. She's led CMU to 11 MAC titles and nine more conference tourney championships.
Every year, people figure this is the season the Chippewas will slip backwards. Tain't to be with Margo at the helm.
I've always been kind of partial to baseball as a spectator sport - even before showing up in Mount Pleasant.
However, watching Chippewa baseball has been one of the great joys of my professional career.
CMU won five straight MAC titles from 1984-88 to advance to the NCAA regionals under head coaches Dave Keilitz and Dean Kreiner. The Chippewas have 11 MAC crowns since joining the league in 1973, second only to a pair of schools in the loop since 1948.
I've been to eight NCAA regionals including the one CMU hosted in 1984 that needed an ark to complete.
Chippewa baseball has gone 777-467-4 in my 22 years working with it for a winning percentage of .624. I've seen just two losing seasons.
The really neat thing about being around softball and baseball, as well as wrestling and gymnastics, is that they expect to win ... and, most often, succeed.
The Golden Years
The phone rang in my hotel room in McAllen, Texas early in the morning of March 13, 1983.
I was with the CMU baseball team (tough duty) for its annual spring junket to the University of Texas-Pan American.
It was Fran Koenig, CMU's associate women's athletics director, telling me that the Chippewa women had just won their first MAC basketball championship the night before with a 78-73 win over Miami University.
The victory meant the Chippewas had qualified for the NCAA regionals and that I had two days to get to College Park, Maryland for CMU's game with the University of Maryland.
It was a wonderful climax to head coach Laura Golden's second season in Mount Pleasant even though CMU lost to the Terrapins by a 94-71 margin. The Chippewas finished 21-9 record, recording the most wins in school history.
It also served as a prelude to the greatest season in CMU basketball annals for the men or women when the 1983-84 team went 27-3 and posted a perfect 18-0 MAC mark.
The Chippewas, led by Latanga Cox, Sylvia Odum, Denise Tower and Betsy Yonkman, won 26 straight games to earn the right to host the first round of the NCAA tourney.
A crowd of more than 4,000 in Rose Arena saw Alabama trim CMU by a 78-70 margin.
Golden rode the fruits of her labor, a record of 48-12 in her last two seasons, to a job at the University of Illinois and the Chippewas have not returned to the NCAA tourney.
And Smart Too
To close out his career, Stabley threw out the ceremonial first pitch during CMU's final home series against Eastern Michigan on May 21. | |
What's truly been amazing is that CMU's success in athletics has been rivaled by the accomplishments of its student-athletes in academics.
So much for the "dumb jock" stereotype.
CMU has won the prestigious MAC Academic Achievement Award for seven of the past eight years. It's given annually to the school with the highest GPA among its student-athletes.
The Chippewas shared the award in 1996-97 with Ball State with GPAs of 2.92 and then won it outright in 1997-98 (3.01), 1998-99 (3.00), 1999-2000 (3.07), 2001-02 (3.12), 2002-03 (3.10) and 2003-04 (3.09).
Hats off to Herb Deromedi and his academic staff headed by assistant AD Pat Podoll and academic advisor Deb McAlpin for their incredible work here.