Congratulations to Jeff Grill, our October Alumnus of the Month.
When did you play?
In 1967 I transferred to Michigan from Lansing Community College to study architecture and played from 1967 to 1972. I pledged Phi Kappa Psi my first year and two of my brothers suggested that I try out for rugby since I was athletic, big (6’ 0”, 225 lbs.), and I liked to have a good time. Having never seen a rugby game, I played that season as tight head prop on the “C” team. I think my value was mostly that I could jump 3’ and not that I knew what to do aside from holding up the hooker. Oh ya, the parties on Friday nights and after the game were highlights as were the songs.
What are your favorite memories/teammates?
1 Playing in the Missouri game in The Big House will always be my #1 thrill. Beating Missouri after the football team lost, with a few “thousand” fans cheering us on, was really something!
2 I played all 7 games on the tour of England and Scotland. The flight over was a 12 hour affair leaving Detroit at 7pm via Iceland and arriving in London, what seemed like, 2 days later. Everyone went out to explore the city together that night and closed the pub at 10:30pm! They closed the pubs at 10:30!! We were all awake by 3am GMT (8 EST) that morning, onto the train and arriving in Hartlepool at around noon to play the English county champions. They chauferred us to the pitch in 8 or 9 black Roles Royces! They played in a 3,000-4,000 seat stadium that must have had 2” deep grass growing on peat moss. We had our Tartan Turf cleats on and Hartlepool sported 2” aluminum studded boots. They pushed us half the length of the field for a try on the first kick off! Mike Johnson kicked a penalty for our only score in our 72-3 loss, the first of 7 losses.
New Years eve in Edinburgh was memorable too, but I won’t go there. Oh, and you might not know that Max Gail (Wojo on Barney Miller) was on that team, played somewhere in the middle of the line of backs and played the piano. I recall being the song leader and only had a few pints poured on my head!
Teammates I remember: Hank Lukaski, Tom Raboine, Bob Jagunich, Max Gail, Tom Fagan, Ryk Ward, Mike Johnson, Jacque Passino, Quent Lawson, and Pete Hendrickson.
Any honors or awards?
I was elected to the Druids my last year. I was told that I was the first Club Sport inductee ever. (Not sure if that was true or not.)
What have you done since Michigan Rugby?
I was an architect (retired) working in healthcare.
I married Vivian Wright (’71 grad)
I have 2 sons:
Matt (dentist); played water polo at MSU
J Brett (sculptor) Bo Schembachler, Pres. Gerald Ford (https://www.jbgsculpture.net/gal/), captain of U of M water polo team
Final Thoughts?
I still enjoy the parties, but take it in moderation.
Attending the University of Michigan and playing rugby was one of the highlights of my life.
Congratulations again to our October Alumnus of the Month Jeff Grill. Well deserved!
