Stories and photo courtesy of the IU Foundation. Guback died Oct. 1, 2018, at the age of 91.
Look deeply into every gift to Indiana University, and you’ll see people connecting, creating links, perhaps forming friendships that will last a lifetime.
Take, for example, Steve Guback. In September, this IU alum (BS’50) met with staff from the Indiana Daily Student. Along with his wife, Renie, who passed away in March, Steve had made a gift through the Matching the Promise campaign to the IU School of Journalism. The couple’s goal was to support aspiring journalists like IU alumnus Matt Dollinger.
When Steve and Matt met, their connection was immediate. And it didn’t hurt that both are sports writers: one a veteran, the other aspiring. Here’s a bit of the conversation that ensued.
Steve Guback: So how was your experience this summer? You were in New York interning with Sports Illustrated?
Matt Dollinger: Right. It was great. I’d never been to Manhattan before. Being in New York City—well, it’s pretty different from being in Bloomington.
Steve: It can be challenging and daunting, I know. But it can also be a lot of fun.
Matt: That’s right. You feel like you are at the center of the world. You look out the window, and something amazing is happening right there.
Steve: One of my favorite memories was taking the subway to 161st Street. You could see Yankee Stadium from the train just coming up on you.
Matt: Yeah! We were there, at the old one, and we had seats for a game in the upper deck. But for the last inning, we snuck down to the lower level. It was crazy. And then they played Sinatra’s “New York, New York” at the end of the game. I got goose bumps. You know, they’re building a new stadium right across the street.
Steve: Well, there’s so much history in that place. I covered the so-called “Greatest Game Ever Played” between the Baltimore Colts and the NY Giants there. In those days, you wanted to get to the locker room after a game as soon as you could.
Matt: That had to be hard with the crowd and all that excitement.
Steve: Exactly. So, I started going down the stands and through the crowd before the whistle. And then Steve Myra kicks a field goal to send the game into overtime. I really had to fight hard to get back to the game.
Matt: Did you ever cover any boxing in Yankee Stadium? I always wish boxing was still in its Golden Age. These days…
Steve: Yeah, you used to be able to recognize everybody. Now, you have all these sub-weights, and you can’t tell who anybody is.
Matt: Exactly! I mean, who’s the champ these days? It’s really hard to figure out.
Steve: When I was a reporter in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, I talked the newspaper into letting me spend three extra days in the New York area. I wanted to do a series on heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano. So I went up to the Catskills to his training camp. His manager told me Rocky boxes six days a week and wasn’t there. I had to be back home the next day, so he called Rocky, and the champ agreed to meet me halfway. I think we met at the intersection of State Roads 64 and 98. We got out of our cars and sat in the grass and did the interview. Anybody who would do that for me is number one in my book.
Matt: That’s amazing.
Steve: Journalism is a great life. You have these unforgettable experiences. It can be hard, but you really get to see a lot. You know, I almost didn’t go to IU. I was from Connecticut, and I didn’t think I could apply. But when I got here, I knew this was the place for me. And look at what it gave me.
Matt: Well, I’m glad you went to school here. I’m glad you’re back here now.