Reflections: A Journal of Psi Upsilon History – Psi Upsilon Foundation 2024

IN THIS ISSUE

THANK YOU!

4 | ABOUT OUR FOUNDERS:

Sterling Goodale Hadley Theta 1836 (Union College)

Hadley’s service and accolades extended far beyond the founding of Psi Upsilon, although he was a committed brother all his life.

8 | HOLDING THE LINE RPI Hockey Line of 1985

In 1985, brothers of the Epsilon Iota made national news while waiting in line for 179 to have first crack at hockey tickets...a record that stands today.

10 | A BEACON OF TELEVISION

J. Allison Binford, Omega ‘57 (University of Chicago)

Al Binford has been a beacon of television for decades as a highlight in children’s television during the 1960’s and beyond.

12 | A LIFE IN THE SPOTLIGHT Edward “Ed” Marinaro Chi ‘72 (Cornell)

From star on the field, to star of the small screen, to philanthropist, Ed Marinaro has thrived in the spotlight.

14 | PSI U HISTORY IN THE MAKING

History is always on the move. The Delta Omicron provisional chapter at Purdue celebrates their founding and future!

We wish to recognize brother Cushing Donelan, Gamma ‘05 (Amherst College) & Donelan Family Wines for their generous support of “Reflections: A Journal of Psi Upsilon History”, of the Speaker Series, and of the programs of Psi Upsilon.

HISTORY & ARCHIVES COMMITTEE

CHAIR

Evan W. Terry, Epsilon Phi ‘93 (McGill University)

Jonathan M. Chaffin, Gamma Tau ‘00 (Georgia Institute of Technology)

Gary W. Curzi, Epsilon Iota ‘89 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)

Clifford J. Edmisten, Gamma Tau ‘00 (Georgia Institute of Technology)

John S. Mathews, Eta ‘81 (Lehigh University)

Joseph McCaskill, Chi Delta ‘00 (Duke University)

Joshua Rogers, Phi Beta ‘23 (College of William and Mary)

Alex Senchak, Eta ‘06 (Lehigh)

Paul H. Travis, Gamma Tau ‘01 (Georgia Institute of Technology)

CONTRIBUTORS

Jonathan M. Chaffin, Gamma Tau ‘00 (Georgia Institute of Technology)

Jerilyn Ericson, Gamma Tau ‘23 (Georgia Institue of Technology)

Joseph “JoJo” Fleming VI, Delta Omicron ’25 (Purdue)

Ethan Francoeur, Delta Omicron ‘24 (Purdue)

Bob Dorigo Jones, Epsion Nu ‘85 (Michigan State University)

Joshua Rogers, Phi Beta ‘23 (College of William and Mary)

L awrence Tang, ESQ, Gamma Tau ‘01 (Georgia Institue of Technology)

ABOUT OUR COVER:

The cover is from an engraving reproduced in a Diamond issued for Convention. The symbols represent the chapters extant at the time with elements from their respective coats of arms.

Have feedback? Want to write for Reflections? Email jonathan@psiu.org

PsiU.org/Archives @PsiUpsilon @PsiUpsilon1833/ @Psi_Upsilon

ABOUT OUR TRADITIONS: With Sore and Stricken Hearts We Mourn, Today a Brother Fell.

REVEREND PROFESSOR HENRY E. PARKER, D.D. ZETA 1841 (DARTMOUTH)

By Jonathan M. Chaffin, Gamma Tau ‘00

Psi Upsilon does not “Intitate members into the Chapter Eternal”, “Welcome them to the Chapter Supreme” or refer to their passing in other euphemistic ways as some fraternal and sororital groups do. Throughout our history you will see

the solemn phrase above; With sore and stricken hearts we mourn, today a brother fell. Whence comes this phrase?

As befits a literary society, it comes from a song, “In Memoriam”

Reflections: A

JOURNAL OF PSI UPSILON HISTORY

Reflections: A Journal of Psi Upsilon History is a publication of the Psi Upsilon Foundation focused on researching and highlighting the stories behind the members, buildings, artifacts, and traditions of our order as we approach two centuries of brotherhood.

written by H.E. Parker, Zeta 1841 (Dartmouth). References in the Psi Upsilon “Epitome” published in 1884 suggest it was written “in the last few years” further research is needed to see if it is included in the 9th edition of the Songbook, published in 1881. The original music was published first as “By cool Siloam’s shady fountain” in the April edition of the Christian Observer, 1812, composed by Reginald Heber.

Mr. Mark A. Williams, CFRE, Phi ‘76 (University of Michigan) recalls the phrase in conjunction with the Memorial rememberances section at the Convention in the 90s.

SCAN TO LISTEN

Instrumental air of Siloam, air for “In Memoriam”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZaB332J0k8

Example of song as sung with original lyrics “Cool Siloam’s Shady Rill” Four-part congregationalstyle singing by The Table Singers, directed by Glenn Lehman. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HesKfcKECk

ABOUT OUR FOUNDERS: Sterling Goodale Hadley Theta 1836 (Union College)

By Christopher Lawrence Tang ESQ, Gamma Tau ‘01 (GeorgiaTech)

A letter arrived on the desk of Psi Upsilon headquarters in late 1957 appealing on behalf of a gravestone. Brother Jeff C. Becker, Sr., Psi 1903 (Hamilton) described the sad state of affairs at the local history cemetery where one of the original founders Sterling Goodale Hadley, Theta 1836, (Union College) laid to rest in a poorly marked grave.¹

Sterling Goodale Hadley arrived in this world on August 26th, 1812 in the town of Goshen, Connecticut. Born to Stephen Hadley and Laura Hadley nee Goodale, the young man spent much of his youth moving from place to place.²

He attended Egremont Academy, the equivalent of a high school, then embarked upon higher education at storied Union college.

President of our society. Such esteem by his fellow founders earned the moniker of being the “Father” of the fraternity and one can scarcely imagine what shape our society would have without his commitment and energy.

Upon graduation from Union as Phi Beta Kappa, Hadley taught for a year, but soon he would read with the Representative Samuel Birdsall.¹ Possibly as part of his service to Birdsall, Hadley delivered a speech to the village of Waterloo, New York at their Independence Day Parade in 1937.4 Hadley settled into that humble village of Seneca Valley as his home for the rest of his life.

“We have had no occasion to regret our, start or growth, or the character of the men who have belonged to the society at Union and elsewhere.”

Upon arriving at Union, young Sterling took up association with uncle (oft called cousin) Samuel Goodale, Theta 1836. Samuel soon introduced him to his coterie including Merwin Henry Stewart, Theta 1837, and George Washington Tuttle, Theta 1836. Sterling joined the Delphian society, as did most students of Union college, but found the goals of the Delphians at odds with their stated goals. Though the Delphian society claimed to be a literary society of friendship, Hadley recalled in later years that the Delphians in practice constituted a “political” establishment in which “we younger members were mere pawns.” ³

-Sterling Goodale Hadley, The Epitome of Psi Upsilon (1884)

The New York Bar admitted Sterling Goodale Hadley in 1939 and soon he opened a law practice. In that same year, on October 2, he wed Ann Wells and their love bore the fruit of a long and happy marriage as well as many children. Over the next forty years, Hadley served and developed Waterloo in numerous capacities including multiple stints within various positions of government and committee for every public service whether it be railroads, gas lighting, or school boards. As a man of great business and industry, Hadley worked as a lawyer with various partners along the way and opened an insurance agency. He would serve as a judge also.

Soon, discussion began among the young men of founding their own society whose purpose would conform to the ideals of friendship and literary enlightenment. Hadley contributed in ways large and small, from coining the rejoinder “Good night thine always” to serving as the first

Hadley’s service and accolades extended beyond the environs of Waterloo. In 1861, he helped assemble the Wright Guard to serve in the Civil War. Near the end of his career he served as state assessor and in so doing visited every county in the state.

Along the hurrying years, Hadley’s bond with the brotherhood only grew stronger with age. Hadley frequently

attended Psi Upsilon conventions later in life and served as honorary President twice. He remained close with his fellow founders, especially his kinsman Samuel Goodale who attended Hadley’s 50th wedding anniversary festivities in Waterloo.

Sadly, a lifetime of remunerative industry did not save Hadley from cruelties of misfortune and references later in life note him having lost a fortune and returning to work. In those later years it is also noted that he had a particularly strong relationship with the brotherhood.

Sterling Goodale Hadley left this Earth in 1902 and lays interred a few plots away from his beloved wife Ann. A representative from the Psi Upsilon executive council attended the ceremony and flowers were sent.

Fifty-Nine years later, in the fall of 1960, a gathering of brothers convened at Hadley’s grave. Responding to Becker’s letter, the executive council approved of funds to refurbish and restore the grave marker for the beloved father of the fraternity. Verses of Dear Old Shrine echoed through the tombstones that sunny afternoon showing once again that no time can part the brotherhood.

Below, the new marker established by Psi Upsilon, and the clasped hands wreath laid at the graveside during the dedication.

Footnotes:

1. Diamond of Psi Upsilon Vol 1 No 47 (1961) https://psiu.org/wpcontent/uploads/2023/06/Diamond-of-Psi-Upsilon-1961-1.-Vol047-Num2-Win.pdf

2. Potrait and Biographical Record of Seneca and Schuyler Counties , New York (1895) https://www.mygenealogyhound.com/New-York-Biographies/Seneca-County-NYBiographies/sterling-g-hadley-genealogy-seneca-county-new-york-waterloo.html

of Sterling Goodale Hadley on his front porch in 1900 in Waterloo, New York Photo by John E. Becker, Phi 1903

3. The Epitome of Psi Upsilon (1884) https://psiu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/1884The-Epitome-of-Psi-Upsilon-reprint-w-cover.pdf

4. A History of the Village of Waterloo by John E. Becker (1949) a Psi 1903 (Hamilton) https://www.seekingmyroots.com/members/files/H007443.pdf

5. https://psiu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/1884-The-Epitome-of-Psi-Upsilonreprint-w-cover.pdf

John F. Bush Jr, Upsilon 1922 (Rochester) reading the dedication address.

Picture

Sterling Goodale Hadley CHRONOLOGY

Sterling Goodale Hadley CHRONOLOGY

Born: August 26th, born in Goshen Connecticut

Died: 1901 (aged 86) Waterloo New York

1812 | August 26th, born in Goshen Connecticut

1833 | Graduates from Egremont Academy

1836 | Matriculates to Union college, co-founds Psi U, first President

1836 | Graduated from Union Phi Beta Kappa, teaches at Avon Springs academy

1837 | Reads/interns with a Representative Samuel Birdsall

1838 | Delivers speech at the Waterloo 4th of July parade

1839 | Sdmitted to the New York Bar and forms a law office with Samuel Birdsall 1839, Oct 2 | Marries Ann Wells

1843 | Declines invitation to Psi U Decennial due to court conflict

1840 | Founds an insurance agency in Waterloo

1845 | Co-founds Delphian Lodge house chapter in Waterloo

1853 | Elected to NY state legislature for the 1854 session

1855 | Mother Laura Goodale Hadley (sister of Samuel Goodale) dies at Egremont, MA - appointed to investigate gas and gas lights for Waterloo.

Construction began the following year

1856 | Elected Judge, Surrogate, and Register in Bankruptcy, served four years

1860 | Headed campaign to build an Episcopal church with a subscription list “6 feet long”. Become one of the first Wardens of St. Paul’s Episcopal church.

1861 | Helped recruit troops for the Civil War for Capt. John F. AIkens “The Wright Guards” - Formed law office with Weaver to be Hadley & Weaver

1863 | Survey of the water rights of Seneca county

1865 | Appointed to the founding board of the Willard Asylum and Hospital, serves for over 30 years. Hadley Hall named after him, appointed to help revise the Waterloo, NY village charter

1867 | Delegate to the NY Constitutional convention

1871 | Founding member of the Board of the new Waterloo Union School (primary school)

1873 | State assessor of NY, serves till 1880

1875 | Buys the first typewriter in Waterloo - Board member of the Waterloo Historical Society

1878 | Recounts to the Diamond his account of the founding of Psi U, serves as honorary president of the Psi U convention -elected president of Waterloo Historical Society

1883 | Serves on the Board of Hobart College till 1893 -attends the Psi U Semicentennial Convention

1884 | serves as honorary president of the Psi U convention

1889, Oct 2 | 50th wedding anniversary celebration attended by Samuel Goodale, Theta 188X

1892 | Hadley Hall built at Willard Asylum

1895 | Retires

1898 | Attends Psi Upsilon Convention with the two other surviving founders. This will be the last time all three will be in the same room together.

1899 | Convention sends a telegram of greeting To Martindale, Tuttle, and Hadley as the 3 surviving members

1901 | death & funeral

THE STORIES YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOUR CHAPTER WOULD AMAZE YOU. THEY WILL ENTERTAIN AND INSPIRE AN INTEREST IN YOUR FRATERNITY AMONG OTHERS IN A WAY THAT YOU COULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED.

By Bob Dorigo Jones, Epsilon Nu ‘85 (MichiganStateUniversity)

This is a story about stories. Fraternity stories. We know you like fraternity stories, or you wouldn’t be reading this publication. But this story isn’t for you. It’s for your wife, girlfriend, mom, dad, son, daughter or best friend. Well, ok, it’s for you, too. You see, your friends and family are tired of hearing the same old stories you always tell them about the good old days in college. You need some new material. And we’re here to help.

Until I became active in the alumni association that manages our chapter, the Epsilon Nu, I had never heard any of the following stories. They were buried in the memories of my brothers who were in college when they happened. And that’s a shame. Because after I

MSU for drinking in his dorm room. You can look this up and verify it by reading his book, “Lords of the Sunset Strip.” It’s written by Blackie Dammett, the name our fraternity brother took for himself after moving to Hollywood. You’ll find out that he wasn’t exactly a model parent when Anthony was growing up, but according to my high school prom date who coincidentally appeared with Blackie in Mel Gibson’s movie, Lethal Weapon, he was “a really sweet guy.”

in our chapter during the 1960s (see it at http://EpsilonNu1960s.com), we learned about the following hilarious story involving Danny and Duffy.

THE STORIES WE’RE GOING TO SHARE HERE INVOLVE LADY GAGA, THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, ONE OF THE MOST LEGENDARY COACHES IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY, AND A WORLD-RENOWNED FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR.

discovered them, I’ve used them over and over to entertain visitors to our chapter house who would otherwise have regarded our chapter as just another group of “frat boys” with the same old stories about parties they didn’t want to hear. Little did they know. Now, it’s time to let the cat out of the bag about how the individuals above are connected to our fraternity.

The Psi U house in East Lansing is a stately looking Italian Renaissance style mansion built in 1928. It exudes tradition and formality, so when I found out that John M. Kiedis, Epsilon Nu ‘61, fathered the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, it made me smile. Yes, Anthony Keidis’s dad once partied at our house with the brothers. He knew our handshake. Learned the same history you did. Then, he was expelled from

Another one of my favorite stories about the house involves Lady Gaga’s dad, Joe Germanotta. Did you know he also attended MSU? Neither did we until one of our brothers shared this story at the EN/Phi Founders Day in Detroit. When Joe was a college student, he never actually joined Psi U, but that didn’t stop him from hanging out at our house on a regular basis and acting like a brother. Why he never joined, we’ll probably never know, but tell your daughter or girlfriend that Lady Gaga’s dad used to party at our house, and it will generate the kind of smile and “are you kidding me?!” Did Lady Gaga visit our house on some summer day with her dad when he showed her around his college? We’ll likely never know that, either.

You can also tell your friends about the connection you have with the 1960s college football coach who led the way in integrating football and coached what many still call “The Game of the Century” against Notre Dame. His name is Duffy Daugherty, and if you haven’t heard about how he changed football in America, read “Through The Banks Of The Red Cedar,”by former MSU and NFL football star Gene Washington’s daughter.

Daugherty’s son, Danny, became a Psi U brother in the 1960s (‘68 to be exact). Certainly, with a dad as well known and beloved as Duffy, he could have joined any fraternity, but he chose Psi U. When we were creating a website about life

One day, Danny invited a Psi U brother over to his house to secretly sample some of his dad’s beer. They replaced each can they drank in an effort to avoid getting in trouble, but when Duffy returned home, he still discovered what they had done. How? He noticed that the cans in the refrigerator didn’t have the “old-fashioned” fully removable pull tops that his cans had. The boys had purchased the same brand, but their cans had the then-new-style openers that stayed attached to the can. The kind we have today. The brothers had looked all around town for cans with the old pull tops to no avail and hoped Duffy wouldn’t notice. Sorry, guys.

Finally, did you know that more than 100 years ago the East Lansing literary society which became a chapter of Psi Upsilon in 1943 was the first fraternity to move off campus? The president of the college wasn’t happy about that and threatened to expel anyone who moved in. The state attorney general said he couldn’t do that, though, and the rest is history. Less than 10 years later, the president’s own son, LeMoyne Snyder, EN 1919 , joined and moved into our house, too! Snyder eventually became a forensic investigator who was featured on a national TV show, and he gave the keynote speech at the induction ceremony when we became a chapter of Psi U on April 17, 1943. He also officially became a Psi U brother.

These stories never fail to delight friends and family, and we have more little-known facts than we have space here to share. Your chapter does, too. It just takes the right people in the right place at the right time to mine these jewels so they can be shared with others. That’s one reason why getting involved in helping the chapter after graduating can be as much fun as it is work. It’s also why Founders Days and other reunions are so important in preserving the history of our fraternity. Cheers, brothers!

“I don’t think we can get out of this...”

THE 1985 RPI HOCKEY LINE

Did you ever start something as a joke and realize now you’re in too deep? That thought passed through the mind of Brother Reuben Hull, Epsilon Iota ‘86, (RPI) on March 31st, 1985, as he executed what was supposed to be a prank revealed on April 1st. Little did he know at the time that this harmless stunt would continue for the rest of the Summer: making national news and college sports history.

In 1985 the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) hockey team, the Engineers, won the NCAA Championship. This was the climax of a tremendous season where the Engineers went undefeated following a previous championship win in 1984. Most enrolled students on campus found themselves at bars or other celebrations that Saturday night. Some brothers of Psi Upsilon celebrated and during that night conceived a plan.

For decades, RPI students observed a tradition of standing in line for hockey tickets when they went on sale. The purpose of “hockey line” was to get tickets (before they sold out) to seats that were not obscured by columns that held the roof in place. Renovations in 1985 included removing those posts, so it is unlikely that this record will be broken. The longest streak up till then boasted thirty three days. Reuben Hull suggested the brothers get mattresses from the house and stand in line for a day, and the day after, on April 1st, reveal the joke. Together Brother Reuben and a handful of brothers brought the mattresses out from the house and some laid down to rest. The next morning, Sunday, two more arrived to relieve them and share the joke.

By midday Sunday the student paper, The Poly, and the local TV news arrived to interview and celebrate their dedication to

By Christopher Lawrence Tang ESQ, Gamma Tau ‘01 (GeorgiaTech) with detail from Gary Curzi, Epsilon Iota ‘89, James Hinsey, Epsilon Iota ‘86, and the Epsilon Iota Image Gallery

HOW IT STARTED

Photo by the Polytechnic/The Epsilon Iota Image Gallery

DAY 18

Photo by Elisa Barney Smith, Epsilon Iota ‘88 / EI-376/The Epsilon Iota Image Gallery

DAY 75

Photo by Michael Kendra, Epsilon Iota ’73H /The Epsilon Iota Image Gallery

DAY 179

Photo by Elisa Barney Smith, Epsilon Iota ‘88 / The Epsilon Iota Image Gallery

the team. Brother Hull recalls realizing at one point during a local news interview, “I don’t think we can get out of this.”

Over the next 179 days the brothers held their first place in line becoming both an at campus and National phenomenon. Multiple articles ran in “USA Today” and “Sports Illustrated”. While Brother Hull worked over the Summer and could not continue maintaining the line a dedicated cadre of brothers maintained their place. Speakers for music and a kiddie pool in the Summer joined the ensemble as the wait continued. Some opposition emerged with a few students deciding to throw eggs or flip over tables at night.

When the final day in late September arrived the hockey team themselves came out to bring coffee and donuts to the famous queue holders. The president of RPI, Daniel Berg, following his predecessor’s tradition, arrived to congratulate the students on their success and patience.

“It was a lot easier to study on line than in the frat house.”

On the line, rules abound: no tents, no cooking, no heaters (and September nights can be nippy in Troy). Power outlets may be used only for lamps, clocks, televisions, and calculators, and only with approved extension cords. And then there’s the rule on stereos (battery-operated): They mustn’t be played between Sundays and Thursdays, and even on Fridays and Saturdays a party permit must be obtained from the dean of students’ office.

-Bryan Basham, Epsilon Iota ‘87

While the brothers were on line they had been soliciting donations based on the number of days they stayed there. Their long wait paid off in dollars. When the hockey line disbanded, the brothers of Psi Upsilon had received a total exceeding $500 (about about $1,451.36 today), which they promptly divided and donated to four Troy charities: Pahl House, Sunnyside Center, Unity House, and Joseph House. Unity House, a social service organization serving lowincome people in the Troy area; Joseph House, an independent nonprofit temporary shelter for the homeless located in downtown Troy; Sunnyside Center, a day-care program for the youths of Troy; and Pahl House, a residential treatment program for people ages 15 to 21 who are abusing drugs or alcohol.

In addition to all the comforts of home, Psi Upsilon also had a lot of company when tickets went on sale. There were enough people to surround the Union once and start a second lap on the patio ledge. With all the people came lots of sunbathing, Frisbee throwing, and, of course, studying. The majority of campus and the community supported the effort with local businesses donating money and the chapter used this momentum to raise money for charity¹. Waiting line produced other benefits as then junior Bryan Basham, Epsilon Iota ‘87, stated, “It was a lot easier to study on line than in the frat house.”²

UPON REFLECTION

Since that time, the legend persists and the record remains unbroken. Students stand in line for days for their tickets but none ever attempt the brazen feat accomplished by the brothers of the Epsilon Iota chapter almost 40 years ago.

Footnotes:

1. https://psiu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Diamond-of-Psi-Upsilon-1985-3.Vol072-Num4-Autm.pdf

2 “Hold the Line” Sports Illustrated, October 14, 1985 https://vault.si.com/ vault/1985/10/14/scorecard

From The Boston Globe, October 04, 1985, p. 26. James Sarkisian, EI-343/The Epsilon Iota Image Gallery

Turn to page 16 for more RPI hockey line pictures and articles!

25 weeks and 4 days, spanning three seasons of the year—or 179 days. The previous record was 33 days.

After a thorough forensic investigation and reconstruction of the events of 3/30/85 – 3/31/85, I have reached the following conclusion. The gang of four that started it all was me, Br. York the Elder (James York III, Epsilon Iota ‘85), Br. Carroll (Bruce Carroll, Epsilon Iota ‘87), and Br. Grimm (Jeffrey Grimm, Epsilon Iota ‘87). (Br. James Kochanski, Epsilon Iota ‘86 previously confirmed to me that he was not part of the downtown crew.)

Br. James Hinsey, Epsilon Iota ‘86 assisted us in getting the mattresses from the garage, or at least did not deter us when he had the chance. Br. York and Br. Carroll initiated Hockey Line ‘85 as the first two overnight while Br. Grimm and I went back to our apartment and returned the next morning. By mid morning, newspapers and TV crews started showing up and the rest is history. Armed with a 98% certainty on this account, unless I hear otherwise, this will now be the official story for future generations.

- Brother Reuben Hull

By Joshua Rogers, Phi Beta ‘23 (CollegeofWilliamandMary)

J. Allison “Al” Binford Jr, Omega ‘57 (Chicago) has been a beacon of television for decades. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Binford became a focal point in children’s television during the 1960’s, with him being best known as the host of What’s New?, a popular children’s television show during that era. In addition, Binford was an avid producer and programmer for public television for many years. His legacy in this realm still stands to this day.

J. Allison Binford Jr. is a native of Long Beach, California. Born in 1930, his father worked as a fisherman and an onboard bookkeeper for a canning company.¹ The Binford family was unfortunately hurt by the great depression. Once Al’s father lost his job, the family was forced to move in with Al’s grandparents back in Aurora, Illinois.

Unlike many other families during the great depression, Al Binford Sr. was able to secure a long term job as a manager at the Texaco gas station, where he remained until his retirement. In addition, J. Allison Binford Jr also had a positive transition from the sunny skies of Long Beach to the landlocked midwestern city of Aurora. While in high school, Al became

J. ALLISON BINFORD, Omega ‘57 (Chicago) A BEACON OF TELEVISION

the president of his class, was a star basketball player and was a member of the National Honor Society. ² In addition, while at West High School, Al fell in love with the English language.

Al was successful enough to enroll in the University of Chicago. As a Liberal Arts student, Binford fell in love with literature, specifically becoming enthralled in American novels and creative writing. This would later play a part in his career. While he was a student, Binford was active on the University of Chicago’s campus. As a student athlete, Binford played both Baseball and Basketball for the Maroons. In addition, Binford served as president of the Omega Chapter of Psi Upsilon. Binford was somehow able to balance two sports and a presidency while working multiple part time jobs.

While a student, Binford opted to leave college to volunteer for the draft during the height of the Korean War. He was an instructor in the Third Armored Division Signal School, and finally to the Kure Signal code center in suburban Hiroshima, Japan, where he served as a cryptographer until the end of the Korean War. ³

After returning to the University of Chicago, his friend gave him an opportunity by helping him receive a job in the mailroom at WTTW, Chicago, Illinois PBS station. This is what became Binford’s first interlude into a long career in television.

For several years, Binford bounced around WTTW, acting in capacities ranging from production crew to a director of several of their shows. However, Binford decided to make the jump to WMVS, the PBS affiliate station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is where he received his introduction to children’s television. While he was initially hired to be a writer/producer, the network decided to hire him as a host of Children’s Fair, a daily TV show for Milwaukee’s children. Binford’s hosting of the Children’s Fair caught national attention. National Educational Television (predecessor to PBS) asked him to be the host of the show, What’s New?. It was here that Binford became a national face on public television. Along with Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, Binford helped round out the PBS children’s line up as well as two of the most prominent shows on children’s television in the 1960s.

While working as the host of What’s New? Binford decided to move back to Chicago and returned to WTTW, his original station. He and frequent collaborator Lois Brooks worked on several shows together, including Our Two Cents Worth and Den Mothers Workshop, which won the pair several Emmys.

Despite being well known for his work on Children’s television, Binford also decided to branch out into the documentary field. During his time at WTTW, Binford produced several documentaries including The Battered Child, the first national documentary on child abuse, The Urgent Quest of Stuart Struever, a story on Northwestern University archeologist’s attempts to preserve the Cahokia Indian Mounds, and Regional Report, a documentary on Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Empire.4 He also wrote “Stand Up for Counting”, a story about two teenage boys, one black and one white, confronted by racial values in America.5

Following his lengthy stint at WTTW, Binford served as Director of Television Production for the State of Illinois Office of Education as well as Vice President for Programming for the statewide Connecticut Public Television network. During this time, Binford became known for his stories on professional sports, and received several more Emmy’s for programming he helped implement.

Al Binford served as a face of Children’s television in the 1960’s. His imprint on local and national television in the United States serves as a reminder to those in Psi Upsilon, whether you work in front of thousands, or behind the scenes, we can all strive to make the impact that Al Binford did.

1. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e5ab47ee925e0699b7ad04e/t/5e5bcbd4af79a531e0d47e17/1583074281951/Binford_Jr.pdf

2. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e5ab47ee925e0699b7ad04e/t/5e5bcbd4af79a531e0d47e17/1583074281951/Binford_Jr.pdf

3. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e5ab47ee925e0699b7ad04e/t/5e5bcbd4af79a531e0d47e17/1583074281951/Binford_Jr.pdf

4. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e5ab47ee925e0699b7ad04e/t/5e5bcbd4af79a531e0d47e17/1583074281951/Binford_Jr.pdf

5. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e5ab47ee925e0699b7ad04e/t/5e5bcbd4af79a531e0d47e17/1583074281951/Binford_Jr.pdf

6. https://www.foxvalleyartshalloffame.org/inductees/j-allison-al-binford-jr

TV HALL OF FAME TRIVIA ⁶

•Served at four Public Broadcasting Stations over 25 years

•Produced and appeared on hundreds of PBS programs

•Produced the first national documentary on child abuse

•Hosted the What’s New series nationwide for more than a dozen years

Binford (second row 5th left)

Edward Marinaro, Chi ‘72 (Cornell)

A LIFE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

By Jerilyn Ericson, Gamma Tau ‘23 (GeorgiaTech)

On the first day of his first career, there was a car. Brother Edward “Ed” Marinaro, Chi ‘72 (Cornell), had bought it with the $25,000 signing bonus he got from the Minnesota Vikings, and his teammates did not hold back from poking fun at him for pulling into the first day of practice in a beautiful purple Porsche.¹

One day, he noticed the car was missing and called the police. The officers that arrived quickly found the car, in Ed’s own words, “...under the goal post on the practice field. [Teammates] stole my car and put it under the goal post.”1 As it turned out, he had forgotten his keys in the ignition–the perfect lure for a bunch of Vikings looking for a laugh.

Before his run in the NFL, the New York City native got into Cornell University, where he joined the Chi chapter of Psi Upsilon and launched an illustrious career in college football. He started gaining attention early on, with a sophomore-year season that saw him gain the second-most yards in the country, at 1,409 yards, and run the highest pergame average in the country, at 156.6 yards.²

When asked in 1970 whether Cornell would put him on the field as much as in his previous season, offensive coach Carmen Picone quipped, “He’ll be carrying the ball plenty. You don’t use a cap pistol when you’ve got a cannon.”5

And a cannon he would prove to be, shooting high enough to claim the Maxwell Award and the second place spot for the Heisman Trophy for his 1971 season.³ For such a run–all 4,715 rushing yards of it–he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991.4 All this coming from an Ivy League athlete long after those universities put much less emphasis on football–a seriously impressive feat.

Soon after graduating, he was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings. Despite the car prank, he got along well with his team. Some may say that Ed’s career was disappointing after college, but the man himself doesn’t look back on those days in such a light. In his own words, “I loved being in Minnesota. I played with some great teammates and some great coaches….”¹

Left-Right: November 1st, 1971 issue of “Sports Illustrated” with Brother Ed on the front cover; Brother Ed in “Hill Street Blues” 1981; Brother Ed in “Blue Mountain State”, 2010

BROTHER ED ON HIS ROLE IN BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE: “It’s crazy. I mean, I became so popular with this demographic of 18-to-32-year-old men.”

And any career that includes two stints in the Super Bowl and places in three NFL teams can hardly be called disappointing.

On the first day of his second career, there was another car. As it turned out, his purple corvette had been stolen for real sometime in 1973. It was found two years later in Colorado, but by then, he had already bought a gold Porsche with the insurance settlement money, and that was the car he drove to Hollywood in 1978 when he took the leap into acting.¹

It was slow going at first, but he eventually landed a big spot as Officer Joe Coffey on the Emmy-award-winning show Hill Street Blues. Anyone who watched it at the time is sure to recognize him from the over 100 episodes he appeared in.6 His character was actually supposed to die in his fourth episode, but thankfully Joe Coffey fit well enough with the other characters that the writers evidently decided to keep him.7

In 1987, he participated in a series of ads for Miller Brewing Company, which was noticed at the time for a reason you, too, have probably noticed. From the 1987 issue of the Diamond, “Surely Brother Marinaro feels a bit of guilt in plugging the competitor of Coors, which is headed up by Jeffrey H. Coors, Chi ‘67, and Peter H. Coors, Chi ‘69.”8 You may have also noticed the further layer of humor here, which is that Ed and both of the Coors brothers hail from the same chapter, and though I cannot confirm it, I’m reasonably sure they would have been undergraduate brothers at the same time.

Brother Ed would go on to feature in many other movies and TV shows, including Sisters, Dynasty, Amy Fisher: My Story, and Blue Mountain State 6 The last, a raunchy comedy show, saw him return to football in his role as Coach Marty Daniels. If that sounds much different from his previous shows, the man himself would agree with you. “It got me a whole new audience,” he said in a 2022 interview. “It’s crazy. I mean, I became so popular with this demographic of 18-to-32-year-old men.”¹

And in a strange turn of events, at least from the eyes of

those fans, he is more well known as the football coach in Blue Mountain State than as a college football star, though it doesn’t much bother him.¹

In total, he is credited for 66 acting appearances.6 This, along with his college football career, three NFL teams, and two Super Bowl appearances make for as much an impressive life and it is a varied one. This isn’t even mentioning his charity work, which includes hosting the Boca Grande Classic fishing tournament, which raised money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.9

Despite being in his seventies and no longer needing the money, Ed still does acting work because, in his own words, “... it’s just nice to stay sharp,…. It’s sort of fun. It gets your blood going.”¹ So do not be surprised if you go to see a new movie one day or turn on a new streaming show and find Brother Ed somewhere on the screen, catching the attention of yet another demographic.

Sources

1. https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/22/from-football-to-hollywood-ex-vikings-rb-ed-marinaro-knows-thelimelight/

2. https://psiu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Diamond-of-Psi-Upsilon-1969-4.-Vol056-Num1-Fall.pdf

3. https://web.archive.org/web/20200114065230/https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/page/cfb150players/ the-150-greatest-players-college-football-150-year-history

4. https://cornellbigred.com/news/2020/1/14/marinaro-named-top-150-player-in-college-football-history-by-espn. aspx

5. https://psiu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Diamond-of-Psi-Upsilon-1970-4.-Vol057-Num1-Autm.pdf

6. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0547544/

7. https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/i-just-got-my-ass-broke-all-the-time-an-oral-history-of-hill-streetblues-26881/

8. https://psiu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Diamond-of-Psi-Upsilon-1987-2.-Vol073-Num3-Sum.pdf

9. https://www.redbone.org/2016-boca_grande.html

SCAN TO WATCH

Brother Ed in one of the 1987 Miller High Life commercials

PSI U HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Celebrating a milestone at the Delta Omicron Provisional Chapter

by Ethan Francoeur, Delta Omicron

Current members and alumni of the Delta Omicron joined with brothers Thomas Fox, Omicron ‘00 (Illinois), Dr. Elizabeth N. Andresen, PhD, Chi Delta ‘04 (Duke), and Mike Thibideau, Epsilon Nu ‘11 (Michigan State University) (pictured on the right side of the last row).

‘24

(Purdue)

Distinguished guest speaker Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Andresen PhD., Chi Delta ‘04 (Duke) and her husband Mike Thibideau, Epsilon Nu ‘11 (Michigan State), along with Psi Upsilon Executive Director Thomas Fox, Omicron ‘00 (Illinois) and several family members and friends came to the wonderful venue of the Lafayette Brewing Company in Lafayette, Indiana to celebrate the founding of the Delta Omicron with its current undergraduate members and alumni from across the country.

The event ran from 6 to around 9 PM, during which time guests got to learn about one another; alumni shared their experiences with undergraduates as they talked over games of pool and cornhole. Following around half an hour of socializing, guests settled into their seats for dinner. Joseph Fleming VI, Delta Omicron ‘25 then gave a presentation on the history of the Delta Omicron, during which we discussed times our chapter had opportunities and challenges, and we celebrated our growth from those times into the group we are today. Dr. Andresen then followed the presentation with her keynote, where she drew upon parallels of her own time as an undergraduate in Psi Upsilon. Using her clinical expertise in neuropsychology, Liz discussed how the brain develops and how humans grow to learn from their mistakes and ultimately grow stronger through their experiences, much in the same way our chapter has changed over time.

She inspired us to all be open to the challenges that life presents us, to be resilient, and to rely on the other people in our lives to be a support group the way Psi Upsilon already is for so many of us. Her speech was followed by more time for socialization, and then a brief senior send-off ceremony in recognition of the chapter’s imminently graduating senior, Ethan Francoeur. All of the brothers concluded the night with a touching rendition of Dear Old Shrine.

This event would not have been such a wonderful success without the generosity of the Psi Upsilon Foundation. The Delta Omicron is grateful for their support in enabling the undergraduates to re-engage alumni of the chapter in a deeply intimate manner that has formed strong connections between our members. The messages that Liz shared with us were invaluable and resonated especially well with the undergraduates of the chapter, and for that we thank her for being such a wonderful guest and the Foundation, once again, for enabling her to travel to Lafayette for the occasion.

Brother Andreson is a Psi Upsilon Social Impact Senior Fellow; she recieved the Dr. Samuel Fager, Tau ‘81 Senior Fellowship in 2022 for her work in as an adult and pediatric neuropsychologist. Applications for the 2024-25 Social Impact Fellowships open in July, contact jonathan@psiu.org with questions and recommendations for the program.

Ethan Francoeur, Delta Omicron ’24, addresses the undergraduates in attendance during a Senior Send-Off ceremony conducted in the later portion of the evening.

Guests, alumni, and current undergraduate members like Ari Engman, Delta Omicron ’27, networked and socialized over games of pool and cornhole throughout the evening.

Dr. Elizabeth Andresen PhD, Chi Delta ‘04 delivering her keynote speech to members of the chapter, alumni, family, and friends during the banquet.

of all ages

together to end the night by singing “Dear Old Shrine”.

THE PRE-HISTORY AND FOUNDING OF THE DELTA OMICRON

By Joseph “JoJo” Fleming, Delta Omicron ’25

Before our chapter’s founding, our predecessors began meeting as the Valknut Society in November of 2015. The Valknut society was a semi-professional but primarily social organization. Our founders began recruiting more and more people, and it soon became apparent that our group worked best as a gender-inclusive organization. The Valknut Society began reaching out to different national and international fraternities that would recognize us as a chapter, but our commitment to gender-inclusivity narrowed choices of fraternities. Psi Upsilon was ultimately the ninth fraternity the Valknut Society reached out to, and it was clear that it aligned best with the Society’s values and desire for inclusivity.

Talks with Psi U Executive Director Thomas J. Fox, Omicron ‘00 (Illinois) ensued to plan the establishment of a colony on the Purdue campus. After the Spring 2016 recruitment season, our organization was large enough to meet the requirement to become a colony of Psi Upsilon, and in May of 2016, we were welcomed as a colony. However, our chapter still required recognition from Purdue’s Interfraternal Council to operate officially on campus. IFC doubted our ability to survive in Purdue’s climate, as we were (and still are) the only gender-inclusive social fraternity on campus. Ultimately, they voted to recognize us as an official chapter when they were posed a question they could not answer: “What is a good argument against being co-ed?”

After a vigorous recruitment semester in the Fall of 2016, our chapter grew to about 15 strong and motivated members. In the Spring of 2019, our chapter was granted provisional chapter status, where we remain today. Though COVID-19 heavily affected our ability to recruit and our membership dipped for a brief period of time, we are currently bouncing-back stronger than ever. Today, our chapter has reached 21 active members, growing by a record-breaking 200% in just 2 semesters. Founding Members as of 8.1.16: Justin Ward, ΔO ‘17, Charles Gay, ΔO ‘18, Hein Sone, ΔO ‘17, Jen Camacho, ΔO ‘17, Madison Turkette, ΔO ‘19, Jinwon Park, ΔO ‘17, Jennifer Nguywn, ΔO ‘19, Patrick Cunningham, ΔO ‘18, Nicole Ma, ΔO ‘17

Brothers

joined

THE 1985 RPI HOCKEY LINE

“I’ve been spending, oh, at least 100 hours a week here in line.”

Allen Mattedi, Epsilon Iota ‘88

As quoted in “The Hartford Courant” September 26, 1985, p. B8.

USA Today / The Epsilon Iota Image Gallery

Photo by Elisa Barney Smith, Epsilon Iota ‘88 / The Epsilon Iota Image Gallery

Robert Corell, Epsilon Iota ‘87/The Epsilon Iota Image Gallery

From the Transit. This image also appeared in the October 2, 1985 issue of the Polytechnic.

The Hartford Courant/The Epsilon Iota Image Gallery