The Ohio State Buckeye Alumni Club of Broward County

In 1984, the Club set out to have an Annual Dinner featuring a special guest to help raise money for our fledgling scholarship fund. The only problem was who to invite. The biggest name on the table was a recently retired coach. But, was it possible?

"Why not?" The query came from Earl Voorhies. Earl was the Club Treasurer at the time. Actually, that meant he called around to a half dozen members when we needed money for something and solicited contributions. We had no money in the coffers. The scholarship fund was but a year old; the golf tournament had not been started; and OSU football games appeared only sporadically on ABC. The Club was bouncing around from place to place to find bars with the appropriate satellite and trying to avoid the SEC game of the week. Those were the days of Danny’s on Oakland, the Holiday Inn on State Road 7,
ping g30 irons, and Danny’s in the motel on Federal Highway in Pompano. Long before the friendly confines of Bru’s.

But, who needed money? Earl was a dreamer, an optimist and a talker. He was our evangelical preacher of the Buckeye Faith and he was concocting the best Buckeye revival we had ever seen down here in Broward County. His tent would be the old Harris’ Imperial House on A 1 A in Pompano Beach. Now, don’t go looking for the place. It’s long since been torn down, after Harris disappeared. But that’s another tale.

Now Earl fancied himself an old friend of one Wayne Woodrow Hayes and suggested that his old friend would be our speaker and honored guest for our March dinner. Coach Hayes had been cut loose from his head coaching position about six years previously due to a punch that was a bit more evident than Clay’s thumping of Liston. Woody was now in high demand for every minute of his time and was being pulled to the farthest reaches of the Buckeye nation by those eager to hear his sage advice.

The Alumni Association said it was out of the question and Woody himself confessed to a conflict at a dinner in Texas the very Saturday we were seeking his presence. A lesser spirit would have folded, but old Earl just kept grinning and talking.

"Woody, you must attend. We have a scholarship fund in its infancy."

Woody responded. "Many others have the same, besides, I’ve given my word to the Texas folks for Saturday," Earl shot back, "Saturday? Why, who was talking about Saturday? I must have misspoken. It’s Friday night that we have open and we are dying to see ya."

Well, the yarn kept spinning and for every legitimate reason Woody could muster, Earl was countering from the pulpit of puffery. No hill was too high to climb, nor adjustment too big for an agile tongue. When all looked lost; when Woody was apologizing for disappointing his friend,
ping g30 driver, Earl reached back for the big one "Well, old Hop’s going to be disappointed,
ping g30, too."

The phone fell silent and we could only imagine the wheels turning as Woody reassessed his calender. "Are you saying that Hop Cassady will be there?" "Can I fly out of there on Saturday and still make Texas?"

Once caught in a bit of an exaggeration a fella has but two choices: Fess up and bug out or tilt the windmill a trifle more to the right.

"You mean I forgot to tell you about Hop? And Les? And Vic? And Archie? I guess it was supposed to be a surprise, but now it looks like we’ll have about 100 surprised alumni faithful if the honored guest can’t make it."

Pay dirt! As Earl put it later, "Heck, we got Woody. How tough can the other four be? I just need to give each a call and remind each one that he is the only Heisman winner who has not committed and can’t make the surprise for Woody."

As preachers and snake charmers go, Earl was an All American. And on a Friday night in March, 1984, Buckeye Heisman winners Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard Hopalong Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974 75) and Coach Woody Hayes met in the second floor banquet room of the Harris’ Imperial House with over one hundred local and loyal Buckeyes.

Earl wasn’t finished, of course. This was a scholarship fund raiser. He invited about twenty five officers, directors and deep pocketed alumni to a pre dinner mixer with our five guests. Earl hired a professional photographer, and for a contribution, the photographer would take whatever pictures our hearts desired, save one. It seems Earl got the five stars aligned only once that evening for a single shot. This was the first and only time they had all been together, and Earl was not about to be lost in the moment.

Woody spoke of "paying forward" and bits of wisdom and courage were shared by our four men, who collectively held five Heismans. Earl’s congregation was glassy eyed and the revival tent was a swaying.

We raised a pile of money that evening. We all had a photo taken with Archie and Hop and Vic and Les. Woody put his arm around everyone who ventured close and endured the endless flashes. But, Earl and the photographer knew they had one in the bank. A group shot to be treasured. Earl’s idea was to make money for the scholarship fund, but it appears too many photos were given away and fell into the hands of others who sought to profit.

If you are wandering into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, take a gander at the far end of the trophy case on the right. You will see an 8 X 10 of Les, Archie, Woody, Vic and Hop. You might also see the photo being hawked in Long’s or other bookstores. But, it’s our prize, and no one has, or can, ever match it.

We still have a few of the originals. Years later,
ping g30 driver, President Hal Maggied had some autographed by Les, Archie and Hop. Woody had passed on and Vic was too sick to sign. Our three autographs are originals and only five of these remain.

Old Earl passed on a few years ago. He was followed by his love, Dolores. We’ll miss you both. Whenever any of you out there think the job is too tough or the mountain too high, remember old Earl. Get up in that pulpit, put a grin on your face, and never stop until the deed is done. Go Bucks!

THE BUCKEYES HEAD TO STATE SATURDAY NIGHT AT 8 PM. SEE YOU AT BRU’S ROOM IN CORAL SPRINGS. Check out the "members" on this site. You will be amazed at the variety of professions and occupations. Just take a look at the list of Golf Sponsors to get an idea of the diversity of people who are here. Moving? Dan Margolis owns Coral Springs Moving and can take you anywhere. Kids need a doctor? Try Dr. Angel Cadiz or his son,
ping g25 irons, Dr. Alan Cadiz. Been putting off financial planning, the IRA or insurance? See Susan Gottlieb Korthals at Northwestern Mutual or Joe Eppy at Mass Mutual. A/C just won’t cool? Jeff Mullholand’s Buckeye Air Conditioning. Carpets need cleaning? Brock and Toni Cline’s Celtic Carpet Cleaning. Dentist? Dr. Phil Desenze in Pompano or Dr. Gordon Smith in Boynton Beach. Office need cleaning? Call John Voorhies at Tidy Team Cleaning Service. Need a special gift for a birthday or Christmas? How about calling Phil Kalnitzky and getting a beautiful NOLA Guitar. There are at least six lawyers in the house who handle all types of legal issues. A Circuit Court Mediator; home inspector; artificial knee manufacturer; advertising exec; teachers; musicians; rocket scientist; 2 golf pros. This is only a sampling. There is a substitute teacher, and college students with all kinds of talents. There may be someone you need in your business right now. Networking with fellow Buckeyes can be very beneficial to everyone. Effective networking starts with a commitment to learn more about the people in your Alumni Club. Look for opportunities to help others. Effective networking also involves giving something of value to others so that you can receive dividends in the future. It all starts with saying hello and getting to know each other. Oh, and you met the dancer? Just look around.

ALSO TO ALL OF YOU WHO PAID YOUR DUES. YOU HAVE NOT, PRINT OUT THE FORM BELOW AND SEND IT IN. 2014 thru Aug. 2015)