University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville's Link to the Late MLB All Star Dick Groat
05.10.2023 | Baseball, General, Men's Basketball
Story Written by Mike Gore
The sports world was saddened recently with the news that former Pittsburgh Pirate all-star Dick Groat had passed away at the age of 92.Â
Groat was one of the greatest athletes during his time as he was a superb basketball and baseball player at Duke before embarking on a great major league baseball career. He also played in the NBA for the Fort Wayne Pistons. As a matter of fact, Dick Groat is one of just 13 athletes to ever play both major league baseball and pro basketball. He had a long major league baseball career and was the National League MVP in 1960 when the Pirates won the World Series. Mr. Groat played for two years for the Fort Wayne Pistons.
And believe it or not there's a tie-in with Dick Groat and the UNC Asheville men's basketball team.
The Bulldogs captured the 2011 Big South Conference tournament championship and then posted a First Four victory over Arkansas Little-Rock squad on national television in Dayton. Asheville's win sent them to the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Washington, D.C. against the South's top-seed Pittsburgh.Â
After retiring from baseball, Groat remained in Pittsburgh and for a long time was the color man on the Panthers radio broadcasts. He was at the Verizon Center that day when the Bulldogs took on Pitt.
Asheville battled the Big East champions close for most of the game as they trailed by just four at halftime. In the second half, the Panthers' size and strength that had worn down most of the teams in the Big East eventually began to take their toll on the Bulldogs. Asheville also had the disadvantage of playing Tuesday night in Dayton and not arriving in Washington D.C. until 5 a.m. Wednesday morning. The Dogs had to play the next day.
But Asheville continued to fight and scrap. With about five minutes left in the game, a loose ball was headed to the sidelines near the Bulldog goal. Junior guard Chris Stephenson dove into the press-row to try and retrieve the ball. He was able to keep it in play but the Panthers were able to get the ball and quickly moved towards their goal.Â
In Chris's determination to save the ball, he dove right into Dick Groat who was sitting courtside on the radio. He knocked the 80-year- old Groat down on the ground. But the former major league All-Star didn't seem to mind as he appreciated Stephenson's hustle on the play.
But Chris Stephenson was worried. He didn't worry about playing defense on the ensuing play. Instead he stayed and helped Dick Groat get up and made sure he was okay before going back and playing. It was a nice moment and later the former Duke basketball star said he felt like he had drawn a charge because he didn't move when Stephenson came barreling toward him.
The story could have ended there but a year later the Bulldogs and Dick Groat would be together again.Â
Asheville won the 2012 championship and that team was one of the best in school history. The Bulldogs won the regular-season title and then steamrolled three opponents in the conference tournament at Kimmel Arena.Â
The Bulldogs were seeded 16th and sent to Pittsburgh to take on top-seeded Syracuse at PNC Arena. The Orangeman entered the NCAA Tournament as one of the favorites to win the national championship. They had dominated a rugged Big East Conference and entered the tourney with just two losses.Â
But Asheville was not intimidated. They had beaten Utah of the Pac-12 handily and had given some top-ranked teams close games throughout the season. The Dogs started four seniors and had been in the NCAA Tournament the previous season.Â
The day before Asheville played Syracuse, they had a chance to meet Dick Groat. Groat was invited to speak to the Bulldogs at the famous LaMont Restaurant in Pittsburgh. It would be a thrill for Bulldog head coach Eddie Biedenbach, a native of Pittsburgh. Eddie was a big Pirates and Dick Groat fan. The two had never met.
After meeting Eddie and before he spoke to the team, he wanted to know: "Where's Chris Stephenson?" Chris was a little surprised to be singled out but when he saw Groat, he remembered their meeting the year before.Â
Dick Groat thanked Chris for his kindness from the year before and wanted the team to know he appreciated what Chris had done for him at the Verizon Center.
He then spoke to the team. The Hall of Famer told the team not to be intimidated by Syracuse.Â
"I've seen you play this year and remember the trouble you gave Pittsburgh last season. You can beat Syracuse. Yes, they're good but not invincible. You have the kind of team that can beat them. Just do the job on the boards and play your game and you're going to have an extended weekend in Pittsburgh. And let me tell you this - those fans will be cheering for you tomorrow. Our fans would love to see you beat Syracuse."
The next day the Bulldogs nearly became the first 16 seed to beat a number one seed. We won't talk about the officials in this story as enough has been written about their performance that day. Everything Dick Groat had told the team was true. The Bulldogs were not intimidated by Syracuse, they did a good job on the boards and came so incredibly close to a long weekend in Pittsburgh. And the fans were behind the Dogs, the 18,000 fans roared for Asheville throughout the game and let the officials know when they might have missed a call that didn't go the Bulldogs' way.Â
Though Asheville didn't get the historic upset, Coach Biedenbach and his Bulldog team earned a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet one of the most famous Pittsburgh Pirates of all time in Dick Groat. And it all started thanks to Chris Stephenson's hustle for a loose ball!
