University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Hall of Famer Grutchfield Passes Away At 68
December 28, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2006
By Aaron Wasserman
Fitchburg Sentinel
FITCHBURG -- UMass Hall of Famer Douglass P. Grutchfield, Fitchburg High School's former athletic director and varsity boys' basketball coach, who led the team to 21 league championships, died Sunday of pancreatic cancer. He was 68.
Grutchfield coached the basketball team from 1970 until his retirement in 2002, winning 588 games, the state's second-highest total all-time. He is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, among several others.
"In watching his teams play and talking to his players, he always somehow got his players to play at their best," Ray Cosenza, Grutchfield's successor as athletic director, said Monday. "He got them to utilize their different talents like no other coach I've ever seen."
The city school district honored Grutchfield on two separate occasions earlier this month.
The School Committee named the high school's fieldhouse after him and the athletic department hosted an appreciation night during a boys' basketball game at Academy Middle School's old "Brickyard" gymnasium.
"I just want to say in closing that this cancer that has hit this body has opened up my eyes to all the wonderful, wonderful people who take the time to write the letter or make the phone call. It's just incredible," Grutchfield told the Brickyard's audience just six days ago. "I have never once said, 'Why me?' because whatever happens, it's God's will."
A 1961 graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Grutchfield began his coaching career that year at Amherst Regional High School.
He arrived in Fitchburg in the fall of 1970 to teach physical education and coach basketball. He was promoted to athletic director in 1984, a position he also held until his retirement.
During his coaching career, Grutchfield led the Red Raiders to 21 league championships, seven district championships, five state semifinal appearances and two state championship appearances.
He was selected as the State Athletic Director of the Year and the National Athletic Director of the Year in 1994.
He is a member of the Fitchburg High School Hall of Fame, the Massachusetts State Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, the Quincy High School Hall of Fame and the University of Massachusetts Hall of Fame.
In his final weeks, former colleagues, players and students offered nothing but praise for Grutchfield.
"Coach Grutchfield was the embodiment of preparedness. He's a role model for all the kids," Marcus DiNatale, a school committee member, said on Dec. 4 when the committee voted to name the fieldhouse after Grutchfield. "I can't think of a better way of honoring this man."
"It was a great run, a great ride and thank you for letting me come along for the ride," John Cordio, a former assistant under Grutchfield, said at the appreciation night. "You are my best friend and I love you dearly."
Cosenza, the athletic director since 2002, said Monday he considered Grutchfield to be his mentor.
"His passing, for me personally, is just a sad, sad day," Cosenza said.
"He was a very intense coach. He wanted his players to play with great intensity. But he had a big heart -- as big as the fieldhouse that's named after him. With all his accomplishments, that's what I'll remember him for."