Times change so you can find updates at the Huntington (IN) YMCA Swimmers Group on Facebook (see link on right).
Please join us there for all the "latest" although it's hard to come up with news about a team that has not been coached by Glen S. "Butch" Hummer since 1979. If this is your 1st visit here hopefully you will enjoy the posts. This blog has been running since 2007 and there have been 3531 page views to date. Be sure to click the links on the right for past years' postings. Feel free to add a comment and thanks for having a look around.
Monday, July 8, 2013
It's All Happenin' Now Over on Facebook
Times change so you can find updates at the Huntington (IN) YMCA Swimmers Group on Facebook (see link on right).
Please join us there for all the "latest" although it's hard to come up with news about a team that has not been coached by Glen S. "Butch" Hummer since 1979. If this is your 1st visit here hopefully you will enjoy the posts. This blog has been running since 2007 and there have been 3531 page views to date. Be sure to click the links on the right for past years' postings. Feel free to add a comment and thanks for having a look around.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Hummer alumni reunion June 16,2012
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Pretty nice piece here, the legend of Butch lives on...
YMCA Press Release - The 2010 Glen S Hummer Huntington Mile will take place on Saturday, June 19th at Lake Clare in Huntington, Indiana. The 1 mile cable swim will run throughout the morning with a 5K swim being held in the afternoon. Over 400 swimmers participate from the across the midwest.
For more information and registration for the 2010 Huntington Mile, please visit http://www.huntingtonmile.org.
Glen Hummer coached Huntington YMCA swim teams from 1933 to 1977. He had receive many accolades in swimming and some called him a pioneer of Open Water Swimming. Hummer’s teams entered thirty-three of the championship meets winning ten firsts, nine seconds, five thirds, one fifth, two sixths, and five other places. During the 1960’s the Huntington YMCA teams won the national title seven times and finished second, twice. Glen won the first National YMCA Coach of the Year Award in 1969.
As the Huntington YMCA teams racked up wins and honors, Glen’s reputation as an outstanding swim coach spread. In 1970 the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States honored Hummer by selecting him to coach the United States National Team for an extended tour. While on tour he conducted swimming clinics and exhibitions in Alaska, Japan, Guam, the Philippines, and Hawaii. Hummer was nominated for the coaching staff of the U. S. Swim Team for the 1971 Pan American Games, and in 1972 he was again selected for the coaching staff of the U.S. Swim Team for the Olympic Games in Munich. In all, Glen attended four Olympiads: Rome, 1960; Tokyo, 1964; Mexico, 1968; and Munich in 1972. Two of Hummer’s swimmers went on to win Olympic medals. Gary Dilley earned a silver medal in the 1964 Tokyo Games, and Matt Vogel won two gold medals in Montreal in 1976.
Huntington Y teams won twelve national long-distance swimming championships, with thirty-five of his swimmers becoming National AAU All-Americans. Glen was elected AAU Long Distance Swimming Chairman for 1968 and 1969 and was re-appointed for 1975 and 1976. He rewrote and updated the AAU long distance rules which contributed to renewed interest in that phase of swimming. Glen was meet director for six National AAU Senior Long Distance Swimming Championships held in Huntington and for one in Grove Oklahoma. In 1978 the Glen S. Hummer Award was established and named in Glen’s honor. The award is presented annually by the Open Water Swimming Committee to the person or group making the greatest contribution to open water (long distance) swimming.
For more information and registration for the 2010 Huntington Mile, please visit http://www.huntingtonmile.org.
Glen Hummer coached Huntington YMCA swim teams from 1933 to 1977. He had receive many accolades in swimming and some called him a pioneer of Open Water Swimming. Hummer’s teams entered thirty-three of the championship meets winning ten firsts, nine seconds, five thirds, one fifth, two sixths, and five other places. During the 1960’s the Huntington YMCA teams won the national title seven times and finished second, twice. Glen won the first National YMCA Coach of the Year Award in 1969.
As the Huntington YMCA teams racked up wins and honors, Glen’s reputation as an outstanding swim coach spread. In 1970 the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States honored Hummer by selecting him to coach the United States National Team for an extended tour. While on tour he conducted swimming clinics and exhibitions in Alaska, Japan, Guam, the Philippines, and Hawaii. Hummer was nominated for the coaching staff of the U. S. Swim Team for the 1971 Pan American Games, and in 1972 he was again selected for the coaching staff of the U.S. Swim Team for the Olympic Games in Munich. In all, Glen attended four Olympiads: Rome, 1960; Tokyo, 1964; Mexico, 1968; and Munich in 1972. Two of Hummer’s swimmers went on to win Olympic medals. Gary Dilley earned a silver medal in the 1964 Tokyo Games, and Matt Vogel won two gold medals in Montreal in 1976.
Huntington Y teams won twelve national long-distance swimming championships, with thirty-five of his swimmers becoming National AAU All-Americans. Glen was elected AAU Long Distance Swimming Chairman for 1968 and 1969 and was re-appointed for 1975 and 1976. He rewrote and updated the AAU long distance rules which contributed to renewed interest in that phase of swimming. Glen was meet director for six National AAU Senior Long Distance Swimming Championships held in Huntington and for one in Grove Oklahoma. In 1978 the Glen S. Hummer Award was established and named in Glen’s honor. The award is presented annually by the Open Water Swimming Committee to the person or group making the greatest contribution to open water (long distance) swimming.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Dates set now for 2010 Hummer Mile
Be there June 19, 2010, for the Hummer Masters Mile! 8 weeks to triumph, er, well, just finishing maybe. No matter, come on up, down or over and get back in the swim and visit the fantastic new Parkview Huntington YMCA, oh what a thrill it would have been to have her back in da day, but, oh well, we managed. It'd be lovely to see you again, my friends....
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Memories by Craig Alyn Ruse
To my teammates-
Believe it or not, it has been 2 years since we all met in Huntington, In. to celebrate Glenn Hummer. Our dedication dinner was for the soon to be built YMCA featuring a "state of the art" swimming pool to be named in honor of our memorable coach, "Butch". It was great to see both familiar and new faces of legends, with our common bond being one of respect for a man who helped mold all of us. We were all older, plumper, definitely a little more wrinkled and most of us had less hair.
It had been more than 40 years since I laced up my "Speedo" & swam in Big Blue, Lake Clare and our forever over-chlorinated YMCA pool. Does it really seem that long ago? Now, here we were, all of us rubbing shoulders once again. I was there with my teenage son, Julian, eager to see my old friends and teammates. I had not seen most of you since graduating from High School in 1965, & some I had never met, until that night.
As we convened there were generations of guys (& some gals) that had all swam for Butch spanning a period of over 50 years. The agenda for the evening was chaired by Gary Dilly and included appearances by the "big guns" from the history of our team. As much as it was appropriate for the dinner to feature our champions, I felt that the honor we paid to Hummer could have been better if we might have shared some personal stories that had enhanced our teams endurance over the years and fortified generations of Hummer's wunderkinds.
I respected the agenda & kept quiet as the program evolved, but I felt that there was so much more to be shared that could have been said to underscore all of our respect & honor which we were paying to Butch that night. We were an amalgamation of swimmers. I think we have all felt special about ourselves since Butch said to each of us at some point, "you're on the team!" How many lives did this man, and what he stood for, impact us all in many different ways for a lifetime?
Hummer touched more lives than the trophies and medals that his teams won collectively. Butch was more than just a swimming coach. He was a high school biology teacher, gentleman, mentor, respectful/respected, dedicated proud man with an authoritative manner. He was driven to "coach" and made a difference in the lives of all of those who swam for his teams. All of this was capped off with a sense of style, purpose & a persona that exceeded the city limits of the small Midwestern town, Huntington, In.
That night many of us recalled in dinner conversations at our individual tables personal memories that we all enjoyed hearing. However; what was lacking in my opinion, were the stories that I would have liked to have heard from the other people that were there. That is why I am now sharing with you what I would have liked to have said that night to everyone. I hope my words may strike a chord with some of you and that you might feel compelled to share some of your memories and email them to us. I would enjoy hearing your stories. If not, I appreciate your indulging me by reading my words.
I, like most of you, did not receive a college scholarship, but I applauded those that received this honor based on their exceptional swimming abilities. Butch helped spearhead into enumerable colleges and universities many of our teammates with scholarships and financial aid. How cool was that? However; even without alot of accolades, I was still a member of the team and Butch always made me feel special. I believe he did that for each of us.
My favorite memories were about riding in Butch's new cars, which he always seemed to have, along with the best swimmers on the team. I was with them, not because I was one of the best swimmers, but because Hummer always fell asleep at the wheel and he would sit me next to him so I could keep him awake with my nonstop jabbering! Obviously, I'm still talking alot! I was so proud to be a member of his team and the lessons I learned from all of my many experiences have lasted a lifetime.
As I think back upon my formative years in Huntington I can't help but constantly remember the faces and personalities of so many people on our teams. You were my peers, mentors & teammates, that to this day still represent a benchmark in my constant evaluation of people that have passed through my life and those that I continue to meet. Here's a snapshot of remembrances that I still use to compare others:-
Steve "Peanuts" Ware- The Natural
Eddie Glick - Rich Kid
Gary Dilley - Olympian
Van Rockefeller - Modesty
Bill & Mike Hays - Brothers
Jack & Mark Hiple - Trouble-making Brothers
Dick Gretzinger - Smooth Operator (In the pool & with the ladies)
Lynn Rickert - Reserved
Roger Hosler - Life long best friend
Gary Kincaid - Chunk that could
John Marks - Doctor's son
Steve Folk - Bronze Bod
Steve Diamond - Rebel
John McDonald - Bashful
John Muncie - All Smiles
John Beaver - Determined
Bill Grey - Strength
John Hoover - Funny
Alvin Sutton - Intellect
David Roush - Congressman's Son
Jerry Herzog - Nice Kid
David Ruley - Rogue
Steve Herendeen - Athlete
Dick Coyle - Handsome
Kent Mick - Each others best friend
&
Pat Callahan
Alan Dilley - The "younger" brothers
&
Rod Rockefeller
And there were 3 families that really stood out in my memory:-
Ware's- Peg - dedicated Mom
Ann - real beauty
Nancy - sweetest sister
Folk's- Bill & Carleen- dedicated parents
Carol- - cutest sister
Rockefeller's- Faith
I apologize to all of these aforementioned people who might not like my "pigeon holing" of them as to what they represent in my memory. Obviously, all of you were, and are, more than my one-word adjectives can explain. I say this with the utmost respect to all of you. In addition, I apologize to those of you that I did not mention because everyone was memorable.
Ours was a simpler time. We traveled & bunked together, cheered and rallied around each other. We celebrated others victories and supported those of us when disappointing performances prevailed. Along the way we became friends. We were privileged to have visited other towns, cities, colleges, universities, country clubs and all the while, meeting new people from different places. We supported one another before we could call on a cell, use the Internet, email, Google, Face Book or Twitter each other. We actually talked face to face. How wonderful!
Like most of you, my visits to Huntington are seldom and in the past number of years, not always under the best of circumstances because they have been about certain closures that are a part of everyone's life. As some of you may recall, I had a younger brother Tyler, with Downs Syndrome. He lived well beyond his plausible years and finally died 3 months ago at the age of 54. He was buried in Huntington next to my parents.
After the funeral I went to the new YMCA that had been completed & was now open. There aren't a lot of buildings in Huntington that are new, let alone contemporary, as this one is. It's a very cool place & it was bustling with people of all ages. As I entered the building it was a much different feeling than those memories I had of walking into our old "Y" downtown, which no longer exists as the building has been leveled & a big empty lot stands in it's place!
There I was, standing front & center, facing a bigger than life photo of Glenn Hummer. It was at least 6 feet tall in black & white with "Butch" standing there in his sartorial splendor about to board a commercial flight to Tokyo. I had never been on a plane before this photograph was taken! He was on his way to see our man Gary compete in the 1964 Olympics. Butch looked bigger than life, & I believe he was. Standing there with his overcoat draped over his arm & smiling with that blazing white mane of hair shinning in the sun. The memories of Hummer lives on in our minds & hearts. I was so proud to see him up there on the wall for all to view and for new generations of youth to contemplate.
I'm sure that most of you know that following those Olympics the Tokyo Swimming Pool was renamed and dedicated in Hummer's name. I believe some of the effort behind this honor was influenced by George Haines, the most famous of us all. His Santa Clara Swim Club teams were legendary. He attained "superstar" status as an Olympic coach (7) and then as head coach (4). He was a prodigy of Butch and proud of it.
Two years ago, as we all said goodbye to each other that night in Huntington, I realized once again that I had been a part of something special. As I walked to our car with my son he started asking me questions about the team and me. We went back to our hotel room still talking & before the lights were turned off, he said to me, "Dad, I'm proud of you." As you all know, it's not always easy to impress your kids. My son saying that to me, that night, was priceless.
I still appreciate "Butch" and all of you for being a great part of my life.
Thanks for the memories!
Sincerely-
Alynn (High Pockets)
6/25/09
Believe it or not, it has been 2 years since we all met in Huntington, In. to celebrate Glenn Hummer. Our dedication dinner was for the soon to be built YMCA featuring a "state of the art" swimming pool to be named in honor of our memorable coach, "Butch". It was great to see both familiar and new faces of legends, with our common bond being one of respect for a man who helped mold all of us. We were all older, plumper, definitely a little more wrinkled and most of us had less hair.
It had been more than 40 years since I laced up my "Speedo" & swam in Big Blue, Lake Clare and our forever over-chlorinated YMCA pool. Does it really seem that long ago? Now, here we were, all of us rubbing shoulders once again. I was there with my teenage son, Julian, eager to see my old friends and teammates. I had not seen most of you since graduating from High School in 1965, & some I had never met, until that night.
As we convened there were generations of guys (& some gals) that had all swam for Butch spanning a period of over 50 years. The agenda for the evening was chaired by Gary Dilly and included appearances by the "big guns" from the history of our team. As much as it was appropriate for the dinner to feature our champions, I felt that the honor we paid to Hummer could have been better if we might have shared some personal stories that had enhanced our teams endurance over the years and fortified generations of Hummer's wunderkinds.
I respected the agenda & kept quiet as the program evolved, but I felt that there was so much more to be shared that could have been said to underscore all of our respect & honor which we were paying to Butch that night. We were an amalgamation of swimmers. I think we have all felt special about ourselves since Butch said to each of us at some point, "you're on the team!" How many lives did this man, and what he stood for, impact us all in many different ways for a lifetime?
Hummer touched more lives than the trophies and medals that his teams won collectively. Butch was more than just a swimming coach. He was a high school biology teacher, gentleman, mentor, respectful/respected, dedicated proud man with an authoritative manner. He was driven to "coach" and made a difference in the lives of all of those who swam for his teams. All of this was capped off with a sense of style, purpose & a persona that exceeded the city limits of the small Midwestern town, Huntington, In.
That night many of us recalled in dinner conversations at our individual tables personal memories that we all enjoyed hearing. However; what was lacking in my opinion, were the stories that I would have liked to have heard from the other people that were there. That is why I am now sharing with you what I would have liked to have said that night to everyone. I hope my words may strike a chord with some of you and that you might feel compelled to share some of your memories and email them to us. I would enjoy hearing your stories. If not, I appreciate your indulging me by reading my words.
I, like most of you, did not receive a college scholarship, but I applauded those that received this honor based on their exceptional swimming abilities. Butch helped spearhead into enumerable colleges and universities many of our teammates with scholarships and financial aid. How cool was that? However; even without alot of accolades, I was still a member of the team and Butch always made me feel special. I believe he did that for each of us.
My favorite memories were about riding in Butch's new cars, which he always seemed to have, along with the best swimmers on the team. I was with them, not because I was one of the best swimmers, but because Hummer always fell asleep at the wheel and he would sit me next to him so I could keep him awake with my nonstop jabbering! Obviously, I'm still talking alot! I was so proud to be a member of his team and the lessons I learned from all of my many experiences have lasted a lifetime.
As I think back upon my formative years in Huntington I can't help but constantly remember the faces and personalities of so many people on our teams. You were my peers, mentors & teammates, that to this day still represent a benchmark in my constant evaluation of people that have passed through my life and those that I continue to meet. Here's a snapshot of remembrances that I still use to compare others:-
Steve "Peanuts" Ware- The Natural
Eddie Glick - Rich Kid
Gary Dilley - Olympian
Van Rockefeller - Modesty
Bill & Mike Hays - Brothers
Jack & Mark Hiple - Trouble-making Brothers
Dick Gretzinger - Smooth Operator (In the pool & with the ladies)
Lynn Rickert - Reserved
Roger Hosler - Life long best friend
Gary Kincaid - Chunk that could
John Marks - Doctor's son
Steve Folk - Bronze Bod
Steve Diamond - Rebel
John McDonald - Bashful
John Muncie - All Smiles
John Beaver - Determined
Bill Grey - Strength
John Hoover - Funny
Alvin Sutton - Intellect
David Roush - Congressman's Son
Jerry Herzog - Nice Kid
David Ruley - Rogue
Steve Herendeen - Athlete
Dick Coyle - Handsome
Kent Mick - Each others best friend
&
Pat Callahan
Alan Dilley - The "younger" brothers
&
Rod Rockefeller
And there were 3 families that really stood out in my memory:-
Ware's- Peg - dedicated Mom
Ann - real beauty
Nancy - sweetest sister
Folk's- Bill & Carleen- dedicated parents
Carol- - cutest sister
Rockefeller's- Faith
I apologize to all of these aforementioned people who might not like my "pigeon holing" of them as to what they represent in my memory. Obviously, all of you were, and are, more than my one-word adjectives can explain. I say this with the utmost respect to all of you. In addition, I apologize to those of you that I did not mention because everyone was memorable.
Ours was a simpler time. We traveled & bunked together, cheered and rallied around each other. We celebrated others victories and supported those of us when disappointing performances prevailed. Along the way we became friends. We were privileged to have visited other towns, cities, colleges, universities, country clubs and all the while, meeting new people from different places. We supported one another before we could call on a cell, use the Internet, email, Google, Face Book or Twitter each other. We actually talked face to face. How wonderful!
Like most of you, my visits to Huntington are seldom and in the past number of years, not always under the best of circumstances because they have been about certain closures that are a part of everyone's life. As some of you may recall, I had a younger brother Tyler, with Downs Syndrome. He lived well beyond his plausible years and finally died 3 months ago at the age of 54. He was buried in Huntington next to my parents.
After the funeral I went to the new YMCA that had been completed & was now open. There aren't a lot of buildings in Huntington that are new, let alone contemporary, as this one is. It's a very cool place & it was bustling with people of all ages. As I entered the building it was a much different feeling than those memories I had of walking into our old "Y" downtown, which no longer exists as the building has been leveled & a big empty lot stands in it's place!
There I was, standing front & center, facing a bigger than life photo of Glenn Hummer. It was at least 6 feet tall in black & white with "Butch" standing there in his sartorial splendor about to board a commercial flight to Tokyo. I had never been on a plane before this photograph was taken! He was on his way to see our man Gary compete in the 1964 Olympics. Butch looked bigger than life, & I believe he was. Standing there with his overcoat draped over his arm & smiling with that blazing white mane of hair shinning in the sun. The memories of Hummer lives on in our minds & hearts. I was so proud to see him up there on the wall for all to view and for new generations of youth to contemplate.
I'm sure that most of you know that following those Olympics the Tokyo Swimming Pool was renamed and dedicated in Hummer's name. I believe some of the effort behind this honor was influenced by George Haines, the most famous of us all. His Santa Clara Swim Club teams were legendary. He attained "superstar" status as an Olympic coach (7) and then as head coach (4). He was a prodigy of Butch and proud of it.
Two years ago, as we all said goodbye to each other that night in Huntington, I realized once again that I had been a part of something special. As I walked to our car with my son he started asking me questions about the team and me. We went back to our hotel room still talking & before the lights were turned off, he said to me, "Dad, I'm proud of you." As you all know, it's not always easy to impress your kids. My son saying that to me, that night, was priceless.
I still appreciate "Butch" and all of you for being a great part of my life.
Thanks for the memories!
Sincerely-
Alynn (High Pockets)
6/25/09
Friday, August 15, 2008
Glen had a plaque made for my dad's grave stone
Perhaps it's because it's Olympic swimming week, but two new folks have contacted me this week after googling "Glen Hummer" and coming across this blog. My mind has also gone back this week to those swimming days, with special pride in the two Olympians, Dilley and Vogel, who we were fortunate to know and blessed to swim along with the tutelage of that great coach, teacher, mentor and man, Glen "Butch" Hummer. Their Emails are reproduced below. Click also on Pam (Rudig) Rhoades'(Jerry Rudig's daughter) 2 comments in the post "Click here, yes, right here on this blue print, for link to You Tube video of "Back in Da Day" :
--- On Wed, 8/13/08, RICHARD RHOADES
From: RICHARD RHOADES
Subject:
To: swimjfd@yahoo.com
Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2008, 5:44 PM
Hi,
My name is Pam (Rudig) Rhoades. I am the daughter of Jerald Rudig. I have some pictures of my dad and I believe I may have one of his brother Don. II will check to see if I have one of my dad with Glen. If I do I will have them scanned and I will email them to you. I think this is a wonderful sight. I stayed in touch with Glen after my dad passed away in 1977. Glen had a plaque made for my dad's grave stone (Pilgrim's Rest Cemetery) in memory of his participation in the 1936 Olympic Trials. I am attaching a picture of that plaque.
Thanks,
Pam (Rudig) Rhoades
From: Jenny Blatz
Subject: Glen Hummer
To: swimjfd@yahoo.com
Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2008, 12:39 PM
I came across your blog http://hummeralums.blogspot.com/ by searching "Glen
Hummer" in Google.
Though I am not an alum, I am a member of his family. Glen was my Great Uncle
on my mother's side of the family. Fannie Hummer (Harris) was my
mother's grandmother, I believe. Though I was young when my uncle Glen was
alive, I do have some memories of him. When I was a child, I enjoyed swimming a
lot. Uncle Glen used to call me "The Little Swimmer." In fact, he
would send me post cards addressed to "The Little Swimmer" from around
the world while he was traveling. The funny thing about that is I have several
siblings (5 in fact) and many cousins. I was the only person he would send the
post cards to. From what I remember he was a sweet man. Very funny and everyone
loved him. I can remember going to visit him when he lived in Illinois. We would
visit his sister Dot and her husband Len as well.
I was overjoyed to see this blogsite. Who knew that my Uncle Glen had such
fans? It warms my heart. I really enjoyed seeing everyone's photos and
reading the stories. Thanks for making my day.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Blatz
Great Niece of Glenn Hummer
Los Angeles, CA
Formerly of Wabash, Indiana
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Click Here, Yes, Right Here on this Blue Print for Fantastic Futuristic Video of the New and What Went Before
You Tube video of how the new Huntington YMCA will look. Plan to swim the Hummer Mile this summer at Lake Claire. A hard hat tour will be provided for interested alums.
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