Before becoming friends with Dick Groat, Pitt's Jeff Capel studied, marveled at his life, career

When Jeff Capel was an assistant coach at Duke in 2014, he accompanied the team to the Petersen Events Center for a game against Pitt.

He walked onto the floor to carry out his duties, but that was only part of what he wanted to accomplish that night.

He also wanted to meet Dick Groat.

“I knew about him before I first ever met him,” Capel said Thursday morning after word of Groat’s death had reached the Pete. “And the reason I knew about him is that his (Duke) jersey was hanging in the rafters at (Cameron Indoor Stadium) when I played there.

“As a player, I wanted to know who he was. So, I looked him up. When I learned about his career, I was blown away with what a great basketball player he was to have his jersey retired at Duke, but that baseball was the thing that he accomplished more.

“Before the (2014) game, when I was doing stuff on the court with the guys, I went over (to the broadcast table where Groat was preparing to call the game with Bill Hillgrove) and I met him and introduced myself. That started the friendship.”

When Duke returned to the Pete a few years later, Capel brought Groat some Duke memorabilia.

“It was really stuff with the (Duke) brotherhood because I wanted him to have some of that because he was a part of it as a former Duke player.

“When I was hired here, I got to know him on an even greater level. I had a chance to spend some time with him, talk to him and ask him questions and listen to him talk about his career.

“He was an unbelievable man, one of the nicest I’ve ever met. He was always so welcoming to me. I’m not really sure why.

“I wanted to know about his life. I wanted to know about his career, what made him go to baseball. I was fascinated with him. I’m fascinated with people, in general, but especially people who are great at something.

“I think great is the most overused word, especially in sports. But he was truly one of the greats.”

Capel said Groat’s Duke jersey was the first to be retired by the Blue Devils’ basketball program.

“You have to be pretty doggone good to have your jersey retired there,” Capel said. “To know he did it at such a high level is pretty cool.”

Even though he doesn’t golf, Capel attended Groat’s golf outing at Champion Lakes in Ligonier. “I literally just sat with him and just talked with him,” he said.

While Groat was a member of the Pitt basketball broadcast team, Capel asked him to speak to his players. He said Groat’s humility and kindness were virtues he wanted his players to see.

“I’m grateful I had a chance to introduce our guys to him,” Capel said. “He came to our practice, and we had a chance to visit with him. I hope our guys were able to see that and to feel that.

“Even though he never wore a jersey here at the University of Pittsburgh, he was incredibly proud of this place, really proud of his association with this city.

“He had been here during the hey day when they were really, really good. Fortunately, he got a chance to see this team and program get back to the NCAA Tournament this year. Hopefully, that’s something that he felt a great sense of pride in.”

Long before Capel became Pitt’s head coach, Panthers basketball great Sam Clancy met Groat as a sophomore. Now, the director of Pitt’s Varsity Letter Club, Clancy said he enjoyed his time with Groat.

“What I love about Dick is, I don’t if he was lying or he was blowing smoke,” Clancy said Thursday, “but he would always say, `Sam, you know, you’re my favorite Pitt basketball player.’

“I appreciate that. It made me feel good coming from someone like Dick Groat, who’s been around and seen many talented players come through this university.”