February 01, 2010
ARNOLD COPELAND, head coach of 1972 baseball team
Fondest memory of UMSL
Winning baseball regionals and going to the national tournament.
What does being inducted into the UMSL Sports Hall of Fame mean to you?
I was also inducted in 2003 as a baseball coach. I was also very pleased and excited at that time. It made me proud and was the feather in my cap!
Where do you live now?
Owensville, Mo.
Occupation/Job?Career
Retired now, but was a financial planner for 26 years
Hobbies/Interests
Boating on the lake where we live… lots of reading and traveling extensively.
Community Involvement
Teach PE at a Lutheran school part-time. Also active in the Lions Club and building a new sports complex and teaching Sunday school at my church.
Are you still involved in athletics?
I enjoy teaching my grandchildren sports kills and coaching boys and girls in grades 1-6.
Bill Davis, assistant coach of 1972 baseball team
Fondest memory of UMSL
Participating in Division II College World Series.
What does being inducted into the UMSL Sports Hall of Fame mean to you?
It is an honor to be recognized by the University for our achievements.
Where do you live now?
Peoria, Arizona
Hobbies/Interests
Swimming, hiking and photography
Community Involvement
Heavily involved in our adult resort community
How did you UMSL experience help you where you are at today?
It enhanced my communication skills, competitiveness and desire to excel.
Bradford E. Beckwith , member of 1972 baseball team
Why did you choose to attend UMSL?
I wish I could say that UMSL was my first pick. I really didn’t know much better. It was local. It was relatively close and I heard they were going to have a baseball team. College counseling was different back then. I guessed. From my perspective, it was a good guess.
How did playing sports add to your college experience?
Had I not been a college athlete, I would not be a college graduate. Baseball was my first love. I put up with the academics and the coaches, staff, and teachers surrounding the athletic department helped me understand the “student” portion of “student athlete.”
Fondest memories of UMSL?
Too many fond memories to single out, but one of the fondest has to be the day the 1972 UMSL Rivermen baseball team won a triple header to earn a berth to the NCAA Division II World Series.
What does being inducted into the UMSL Hall of Fame mean to you?
It gives me an opportunity to reconnect with a great bunch of guys with whom I shared a very special time. It has been a long time since I’ve seen these guys and when we get together, it seems like just yesterday we were taking the field in those old wool uniforms. (By the way, we were the only team in the World Series that year to still be playing in wool uniforms, which were challenging fashion-wise and unbearably hot!)
Where do you live now?
St. Louis, MO. Since leaving UMSL, I’ve lived in Georgia, Florida, on a sailboat in the Bahamas, Colorado, Lake Tahoe (NV) and Arizona.
Occupation
I earned my doctorate in Psychological Kinesiology at the University of Northern Colorado (The school we beat to earn our berth to the World Series.). I am a Sport Psychologist and I teach at Maryville University and the University of Phoenix. I also teach at the Balls N Strikes baseball academy.
Hobbies/Interests:
I spend most of my spare time supporting my children’s interest in sports. My wife and I travel when we can. I spend a good amount of time reading and playing the piano.
Community Involvement:
I coach the varsity baseball team in the SouthWest Stars organization, which plays in the St Louis Amateur Baseball Association.
Are you still involved in athletics?
I have coached soccer, football, and baseball for the past 10 years. I continue to coach baseball.
How has your UMSL education and experience helped you to where you are today?
Had it not been for the kindness and caring of Coach Copeland and my teammates I would never have graduated. My entire professional career is built on the shoulders of the men with whom I share this honor. They were and remain my UMSL family. I guessed well when I chose UMSL.
Jerry Frick , member of 1972 baseball team
Why did you choose to attend UMSL?
In April of 1971, during my senior year of High School at St. Mary’s High in St. Louis, I was critically injured in a baseball game vs. SLUH High. A collision resulted in a traumatic rupture of my right kidney. I almost died that night at the old St. Anthony’s Hospital and was given the last rights. Fortunately I stabilized and half of my kidney was removed a month later. By now it was July and all of my previous plans for attending college had changed as a result of the injury. As a result I decided to attend UMSL.
How did playing sports add to your college experience?
When I went to UMSL I thought that my baseball days were over. I ran into Dale Westerholdt whom I played against at DuBourg High School. Dale who was a Junior was already a member of the UMSL Baseball Team. He asked if I was going to play baseball. I said I did not have any plans. Dale took me down to meet Coach Arnold Copeland. I tried out 6 months after my surgery and made the team as a Freshman.
Fondest memories of UMSL?
• Meeting my wife Joanne who is an UMSL graduate
• Winning the NCAA Midwest Regional and being on the field for the final out.
• Catching Joe Przada’s throw for the final out of Paul Kip’s No-Hitter in Shreveport, LA.
• The jokes and pranks that Frank Tusinski, Ron Edgar and Brad Beckwith played on everybody.
What does being inducted into the UMSL Hall of Fame mean to you?
It’s a TEAM accomplishment. Coach utilized everyone throughout the entire season. We were like glue. That DAY in Rolla, MO when we won three nine-inning baseball games in a row to win the NCAA Midwest Regional. That was the ultimate TEAM effort. We never gave up and it is great to go into the Hall of Fame as a TEAM. I am honored to be a part of this TEAM and by the recognition of the University.
Where do you live now?
Wildwood, Mo.
Occupation
Regional Sales Director, sanofi-aventis pharmaceuticals.
Hobbies/Interests:
Golf and fishing
Community Involvement:
Volunteer work and helping causes that are close to me.
Are you still involved in athletics?
No. Daughter and Son are out of college and out on their own. I coached their teams in grade school.
How has your UMSL education and experience helped you to where you are today?
Before I was injured in 1971 I had plans to attend one of two out of state colleges.
If it was not for my injury, I would have never met my wife Joanne or be the proud father of my daughter Jackie and my son Jon along with being a member of the UMSL Baseball Team. In addition to my education, I have learned many life experiences that have helped me throughout my career and personal life. For that I will always be grateful.
Len Ruemker , member of 1972 baseball team
Why did you choose to attend UMSL?
Back in 1969, UMSL was a pretty well kept secret but they had an emerging reputation for high quality, affordable education. Those were the most compelling reasons.
How did playing sports add to your college experience?
Sports gave me the opportunity to expand the "commuter" education into a broader vibrant experience based on great teamwork, community involvement and great friendships.
Fondest memory of UMSL?
The accomplishments of our 1972 World Series bound Midwest Regional Champion Baseball team and the great leadership of Arnold Copeland.
What does being inducted into the UMSL Hall of Fame mean to you?
It's a great honor to be recognized with our Team by the community and it is a way to preserve fond memories of a tremendous time of my life.
Where do you live now?
My wife, Mary and I live in Carrboro, NC also known as "Paris of the Piedmont". Carrboro is a beautiful community located adjacent to the UNC Chapel Hill Campus and 10 miles from the Duke Univerity Campus where Mary works at the Duke Cancer Center.
Occupation/Job/Career:
I commute weekly from North Carolina to Philadelphia where I work for Boeing Military Aircraft in Supplier Management. We manufacture the Chinook Helicopter and Osprey Aircraft for the US Military and other International customers.
Hobbies/Interests:
Gardening, fishing, general do-it-yourself household projects: spending time with our three children and their families in North Carolina and Kansas City.
Community Involvement?
Neighborhood activities. Employer sponsored charitable events.
Are you still involved in Athletics?
Not in an organized sense. I enjoy watching College sports and work to stay healthy through running and exercise.
How has your UMSL education and experience helped you to where you are today?
The quality business education, teamwork and community spirit that I received or experienced at UMSL established a strong personal foundation that has served my personal life and business career well.
Charles Thurmond , member of 1972 baseball team
Why did you choose to attend UMSL?
It was a commuter school, affordable and gave me the opportunity to play sports
How did playing sports add to your college experience?
Playing sports was my central goal in college. Meeting and making great friends and learning teamwork and dedication helped in future endeavors.
Fondest memory of UMSL?
Of course meeting my wife and developing a life long commitment to each other will always be tops on the list, but the camaraderie and experiences with my teammates and coaches would also ranks towards the top.
What does being inducted into the UMSL Hall of Fame mean to you?
It validates the pride and memories of the experiences we had.
Where do you live now?
Florissant, Mo. and currently in the process of relocating to Columbia, Mo.
Occupation/Job/Career:
I am currently a supervisor of maintenance and training at AmerenUE Sioux Power Plant.
Hobbies/Interests:
I enjoy working with all tools, whatever the project is. Baseball, hockey and of course, my first grandbaby Emerson Grace Fowler (two-years-old).
Community Involvement?
I have worked with Khoury league baseball and soccer teams
Are you still involved in Athletics?
As a spectator… I’m waiting for the opportunity to teach my granddaughter.
How has your UMSL education and experience helped you to where you are today?
My experience with baseball, Coach Copeland and all the guys taught me that with perseverance and hard work, you can achieve anything.
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