In Memory

Brian J. Grohnke

Brian J. Grohnke



 
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09/19/22 07:26 AM #1    

James H. Lundquist

Remember Brian very well ,he was in quite a few of my classes throughout high school

Rest in peace 🙏Brian


09/19/22 10:10 AM #2    

Norman R. Miller

I fondly remember many times shooting baskets with Brian in Mark Nordell's driveway.  My success rate was about 20%, Mark's was 90% and Bian's 100%.  A lesson in humility!


09/20/22 01:40 PM #3    

Richard E. (Ric) Hinkie

What a teammate!  We could always count on Brian when the score was close and we needed some points.  He was an amazing basketball player and a pitcher as well.  We teased him with the name Baby Huey, only because he appeared to be this big hulking guy that was humble and unassuming, yet he had the athletic ability and the drive to win.  When I connected with him briefly 20 years after we graduated when we both lived in Northern Virginia--he retired from President Nixon's Secret Service Staff and me working for a Reagan Zealot in DC, we laughed about how for two years my nose was in his armpit during every practice in '63 and '64 as Coach Baglien had me guarding Brian...or should I say trying to guard him.  He laughed away my suggestion that I was really responsible for his outstanding play on the court.   

The team was really a bunch of decent young men.  We were all focused on doing our best, no infighting, no primadonnas,  just how could we help each other develop the skills to move us forward.  

After Brian led the team to an outrageously one sided victory in the district tournament in '64 on our way to Edina's first State Tournament, the Coach of the other team said, "The only thing good about my team is that they are all graduating and I get to start over next year."  Yikes.

I am grateful for having known Brian and especially for the free pizzas the team received in Hopkins after each of our victories.  It was a good run with good people.  The support from our class given Edina's very successful history in Football, Hockey, Tennis, Swimming, Wrestling, Baseball to us "newbies" in basketball success was very much appreciated.  We were 17-7 as I remember it in '63 and undefeated going into the state tourney in '64.  The real victories, however, were in the relationships within and around the team.  

Farewell friend, it was a pleasure.

 


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