The Gophers lost a great fan this week when John Fitchette of Minneapolis passed away at age 92. John, or Jack as most of his friends called him, rooted for all the Gophers teams but particularly football and basketball.
Jack followed coach Bernie Bierman’s national championship teams in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Years later, when the wins became fewer, he looked at a successful Big Ten team that had more speed than the Gophers and wondered why Minnesota coaches couldn’t develop that in their players. A chef by training, it seemed like he thought the coaches could cook up an ingredient or two and make those Gophers faster. A few times I suggested speed was something a player pretty much possessed, or didn’t. After awhile Jack stopped bringing up the topic but I never knew for sure if I convinced him.
Jack may have just given up talking about the speed issue. He wasn’t a confrontational or critical guy. In his last years he was disappointed by the lack of football and basketball success. But he seldom spoke a critical word about the team, certainly not a specific player and very infrequently a coach. A disappointed shake of the head was the usual reaction to another Big Ten loss.
For about 50 seasons Jack was a basketball season ticket holder. He was no expert on the sport but appreciated a good play and commonly uttered “Wow!” at a spectacular one.
But Jack was no admirer of showboating. He didn’t approve of that from players, or media types. The bigger the ego, the less in common the person had with Jack, a humble bachelor from south Minneapolis who spent much of his retirement years caring for others and working at volunteer organizations.
About 11 years ago Jack said he hoped the Gophers could return to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1962. He was at that game between Minnesota and UCLA. Health allowing, he wanted one more trip to Pasadena.
The Gophers couldn’t come through but that didn’t stop Jack from being a fan. His loyalty never faltered.