Groundhog sheds shadow on Diamond Lions
Mike Givler
Capital Times Staff
To some, he's known as "Groundhog."
To Penn State Harrisburg, he’s the new
baseball coach. To the team, he's just one
of the guys.
Wayne Geist, the college's newest
coaching addition, has been playing
baseball since the age of seven. But it was
his love for field maintenance that earned
him the name of "Groundhog.” Geist said
the name's has stuck with him ever since.
"I got this nickname because I like to
play in the dirt," he said, chewing on a
Profile
hunk of Dubble Bubble gum. "Working
on ball fields relieves the inner tensions. I
forget my problems when I'm on the ball
field.”
Geist, who served as groundskeeper for
the Harrisburg Senators for three months
in 1987, said he puts a lot of thought and
preparation into the fields he prepares.
"You can see the groundskeeper's
personality in the infield," he said. Geist
said his style includes "cut-outs," or
special trimming, around the bases and
well-constructed catcher's box, where he
once played.
Geist said he hopes to one day
purchase his own triple-A baseball field
he'll keep "his way." He said he'd also like
to build a softball complex, because he
believes it's a growing sport.
Prior to obtaining his current position,
Geist has coached American Legion
baseball in the Harrisburg area, as well as
basketball, soccer and football. He is
currently C.D. East's Junior High field
hockey coach. Geist said he's happy to be
at Penn State Harrisburg because he's
never coached higher than the legion level.
Geist is hoping for a winning regular
season, as well as a successful run in the
playoffs. He sees no obstacles in the
team's path and is looking forward to the
upcoming season.
"At this level, you play to have fun,
but you're still learning,” Geist said. "But
it's not just fun, it's about winning and
losing with honor. The goals for the
season will be reached while maintaining
the highest scholastic level the young men
can reach."
Geist's said his philosophy of not just
learning how to play baseball, but
learning from playing the game will be
passed on to his team.
"Baseball teaches you about life and
being a member of a team," Geist said.
"Learning sportsmanship goes farther in
life than most people think. It helps you
in dealing with people."
Athletic Director Duane Crider, who
served on the committe of two faculty
members and three baseball players, said
the group picked the former locomotive
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engineer because he was the best for the
position.
"We felt Wayne was the best match
for the campus and the team," Crider said.
"We are hoping he will give us a good
mix."
Lion pitcher Bob McDonald, who also
served on the selection committee, said
Geist is like one of the players.
"He's always walking around
instructing and helping players learn,"
McDonald said. "He's more like a
teammate than a coach."
McDonald added that Geist may be the
person who points the team in the right
direction,
"He has the right stuff to turn this
group into a winning team," McDonald
said. Last year the Lions finished with an
overall record of 9-13, and their 3-4 district
record earned them fourth place.
"I am looking forward to the
opportunity to work with the adult men in
a sport that I love" Geist said. "I see a lot
of enthusiasm in the , 'mng men."
Geist is looking forward to working
with the new players and hopes to have a
"long and successful relationship with
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Penn State baseball." He said he hopes he
has the opportunity to assist in guiding a
player's baseball career some day.
"I would like to help any young man
that has the ability to play the game, get
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Help choose next year's
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an opportunity at a higher level," Geist
said. "I just want to give back to the game
what it gave to me."
Geist said his love of baseball started
with his position playing for the Cub
Scout team. His love for the game even
cost him the opportunity to go to the
1960 World's Fair in Queens, N.Y., Geist
passed on the Fair for a little league
baseball game.
Now 44, Geist said he learned at a
young age that there's more to the world
than baseball. In 1966, the Coplay High
School senior catcher turned down a
$5,000 baseball contract with the New
York Mcts. He also turned down an
opportunity to be a groundskeeper at the
Mets' home park, Shea Stadium.
Geist opted to turn down the Mets'
offers and go into the Coast Guard, to
avoid the Army. Geist said the Vietnam
War was in full swing at the time, and he
knew he would be drafted into the armed
services following his high school
graduation in 1965.
"I didn't want to lose my life in a rice
paddy,” Geist said. "I volunteered so I
wouldn’t get sent to Vietnam."
He said he's regretted turning down the
Mets' offers his whole life.
"I have suppressed my desire to play
baseball ever since," Geist added.A resident
of Harrisburg, Geist is married and has
two children, Kcriannc, 14, and Jason, 16.
Kcrianne is a three-sport athlete and Jason
has been an ASA umpire for three years.
Geist said he enjoys umping with Jason as
a team, and would like to see both his kids
attend college.