Like all of us at this point – save maybe Vic Powell, Bill Placher, David Blix – Steve Hoffman “Hoff” was just a wee-bit nervous. It isn’t the crowd and it isn’t the subject. It is overwhelming, when you walk to the podium, that you are standing in the Pioneer Chapel and giving a talk. Legends, superstars, presidents…you are joining the decades of great poeple who have had the privilege of talking in the Chapel.

Hoff’s nervousness lasted but a few seconds and he was off and running. Telling stories so personal and, in his words, “so Wabash”, that he brought repeated laughter from the group – faculty, staff, and students alike. His baseball story, involving a young Steve Hoffman and Mike Raters ’85 (now Associate Dean of Students) had me rolling with laughter. His stories about the courage of Wabash men he had coached came straight from his heart – you could have heard the old pin drop. Going to be tough to follow that one my friend!

Hoff hit a home run, for sure!