Grieving Angel with Daddy Mini

I wanted to do a few creative photos and I remembered this statue in Metairie Cemetery...and I placed one of DGs minis in her hand....Scott

All,

Just a quick note: After the memorial celebration service for Dave Griffin aka Big Daddy – we went back to his house and ‘raided’ his golf bag…we each played with a Dave Griffin disc for the entire round…well some of us did…On the web site below are the photos…Please enjoy!

I have also uploaded some oldies but goodies including some shots form Boylan Farms, Smithsonian, and Burke lake etc…

Main Page: http://flickr.com/photos/scottshots1/

Big Daddy set: http://flickr.com/photos/scottshots1/sets/72157612234683479/

Please enjoy!!!

Thanks Daddy

My first memory of Big Daddy was at the Eastern Open at Bull Run Park in the early 1990's. I was probably 13 years old or so, and Ronnie had just gotten me started playing frisbee within the last year. I was so new that Moser out threw me in distance using a mini, just to humiliate me. A moment I remember to this day was Big Daddy doing a freestyle routine there with Jen to the song, "I Am The Walrus," while wearing a triangular hamburger hat. It was hilarious. At the beginning of the routine someone exclaimed, "Let's flip some burgers!" and they proceeded to flip over all of these frisbees pretending they were hamburgers. Man did that silly routine and fun-loving spirit really make an impression on me. I don't think I have ever done a normal freestyle routine since that moment, and probably wouldn't be dressing up as Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny at VA States 17 years later either if it weren't for their routine. Through the years Daddy always had a helpful hint or a reassuring word whenever I needed one, and he always did it with a big grin on his face. He just had a way of making things better. I will do my best to carry on that fun-loving, thoughtful spirit Daddy displayed so often. Thanks Daddy.

An Aussie Thanks

I met Dave through a mutual friend back in August 1997 while I was traveling. The frisbee family is a great thing and amazing how it can bring people together. Dave opened his heart and his home to me. I stayed at his house for a few days after never having met him before. Dave took time out to show me around Washington DC which was great. We played disc golf in a cool private park outside of DC, but one of my coolest memories was playing a pickup game of DDC with Dave right next to the Washington Monument on the Mall. We even were invited to participate in the Wham-O Frisbee Festival in front of thousands of people in front of the Capitol Building. I will never forget that time and the hospitality you showed a frisbee traveling kid from Australia.

Thanks mate for the memories, I will miss you.

Chris Himing
Australia

From the Family: David Lee Griffin, 1956-2009

Hello Everyone!

I would like to first thank everyone for their love and support during this difficult time. My family feels a true sense of peace listening to and hearing all of the stories that have been shared about Dad. This exchange has helped us cope with this incredible loss.

As some of you know, David Lee Griffin passed away on January 3, 2009, at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas from complications due to leukemia. He bravely and courageously fought the cancer since September 2007, keeping his faith and positive outlook during several rounds of chemotherapy.

Dave was born on July 31, 1956, in Lorraine, Texas. He grew up in nearby Roscoe, Texas and graduated from Roscoe High School (he was a proud Roscoe Plowboy!). Dave then joined the United States Marine Corps and proudly served his country while stationed at the barracks at 8th and I, in Washington, D.C. as a member of the Silent Drill Team. While in the Marine Corps, he met his wife Cindi and they were married on May 18, 1978. After he completed his tour of duty, Dave and his family settled in Northern Virginia, where they lived for over 25 years. Dave held several jobs, but was primarily a Direct Sales/Account Representative for Media General Cable/Cox Communications in Northern Virginia.

Second to his family, playing Frisbee was the love of Dave’s life. He played in many tournaments and exhibition events around the country and also competed in world championships in United States, Canada, and Sweden. He held multiple titles and championships on national and state levels. Dave was not just a competitor, but was a true ambassador of the sport. He always made an effort to introduce kids to the sport of Frisbee (including his daughters), and encouraged everyone to participate in tournaments and other overall events. Thus he was popular in the Frisbee community, where he is affectionately known as “Big Daddy”. Dave also had a true love for music stemming back to the early 1980’s when he worked at WAVA Radio Station in Arlington, Virginia as their Music Research Director. This love for music is carried on through his children and God child, Mackenzie Grace.

Dave and his family later moved to Mandeville, Louisiana, where Dave became a franchise owner with Snap-On Tools. Dave worked extremely hard and kept all of his customers in Louisiana and southern Mississippi happy while running the competition out of town. He was a Top 100 dealer in the United States, and received numerous other awards from Snap-On for his achievements.

Dave leaves behind his wife, Cindi Frenger Griffin, and two daughters Jennifer (30) and Lauren (26), who will always have fond memories of him and of their time together as a family. He is also survived by his mother, Mrs. Charles (Anna) Griffin, a brother, Steve Griffin, a sister, Frances Griffin, and brothers Russell Stone, Robert Stone, and Mark Griffin. Dave was very proud of his family, especially his wife and two daughters who ran the Snap-On business while he was in the hospital.

Dave Griffin’s Celebration of Family and Life will be held at St. Timothy’s Methodist Church in Mandeville, LA on Saturday, January 17th 2009 at 11:00am. There will be a Pre-service and family visitation starting at 10:00am so that you may give your condolences to the family. There will also be a reception and lunch to follow the service.

A Memorial Fund/Foundation will be established in Dave’s honor to continue his legacy. Dave was a very generous and hard-working man who was always ready and willing to help his family and the community. He was extremely passionate about his work and connecting with others, to the point where friends, his Snap-On Team, and his customers became family. Dave will be deeply missed by all who knew him and whose lives he touched.

Thanks again for all of your support. We are looking forward to seeing you all in the next week. Your presence is truly appreciated.

Cindi, Jennifer, and Lauren Griffin
(504) 416-7985 or (805) 509-8742

St. Timothy’s Methodist Church
335 Asbury Drive
Mandeville, LA 70471
(985) 626-3307

Holiday Inn Suites
501 North Hwy 190
Covington, LA 70433
985) 893-3590

If you need hotel accommodations, we have reserved a block of rooms at The Holiday Inn in Covington, LA. Please mention that you are attending Dave Griffin’s Memorial Service for the discounted rate of $109 per night. The final day to secure this rate is Sunday January 11th. You may contact them via email at spears.holiday@gmail.com or call at (985) 893-3590. If you have any problems please contact us.

The Real Aspen Story!

Mike's story of Big Daddy at Aspen / Kiss the Sky does not go far enough. He may have been in that lead OPEN division group that only got to experience a little bit of the drama. I was in the MASTERS group (more fun AND we win sometimes) that got to live through one of the most amazing 3 golf holes I have ever witnessed.But as Mike did write, through it all, Big Daddy showed that it is just golf after all.Here it is in all it's glory:

Hole #10, a down hill shot to a basket perched right in front of a grove of trees. Too short and you are putting down hill towards the trees, too long and you are in the trees. Not too long a shot but hard to judge. Daddy throws something and it looks perfect. There is a large group of folks on the next tee box who all should be seeing his shot. Somehow, Big Daddy's disc hyzers out, gets up on that roll edge that hyzers often do, and threads it's way THROUGH this huge group and down, and down, and down, across the path of the next hole AFTER the next hole (#12 mentioned in Mike's story) and into a huge bowl. We ask, we search, finally finding it WAY down there. True to the professional golfer he is, Big Daddy hoofs it down there and plays it back up. Maybe an 8 on the hole if I recall correctly. And he was in contention prior to that!! And all that hiking up wore him out just a bit.

Hole #11, down a longish path that runs across a slope. Teeing off on a hill, too wide to the left and you are way up a rocky hill with a tricky shot to a basket perched at the end of the path. Too far to the right and you are off a huge drop off into trees. Many a disc that goes there is never seen again. Big Daddy is ready to get back in the game, he takes one of his cherished Aviars and drives it to . . .Grip lock and it is WAY out there to the right on a perfectly straight line to that never seen again place. I mean totally pulled. He goes to the convenient drop zone, takes another Aviar, and then somehow pulls it right again. Silence in the group. I think Dave said something to break the ice and try to put all the rest of us at ease. We felt so bad. Not as bad as Big Daddy I am sure. He ends up with another ridiculous score. An 11? Who knows.

Hole #12, here is where Mike's tale comes in. That severe drop and bowl to the left is where Big Daddy had been on his tee shot for #10!! So he is going back across the hill in the opposite direction from the recently completed #11. Basket is reachable and right under the gondola. Yes, he hyzered terribly. And not only did it hyzer (this is where the true story differs a bit from Mike's recollection, I think he merged two of the holes together) but this one also skipped and stood up and started to roll. It rolled down the tree line, which was WAY down there on the left, coming a bit back towards the tee but at the same time going away, and then took a little turn around a corner to that never to be seen again place. We declared it a lost disc, would anyone really make someone go and find it? He took another drive, finished the hole and true to Dave Griffin / Big Daddy's game at all times, he moved on.NO ONE, and I do mean not even the nastiest, crankiest, biggest pain in the butt golfer you have ever known, deserved all that. Certainly not Dave. But he always got a huge lift out of every telling of the tale. He is legend at Kiss the Sky. We'll return there this summer and tell the story once again.

Can't say what the loss of Big Daddy means to our sport in general. To me, it is a loss of someone who was always there with a great spirit for the game, who never gave up, and through it all kept that big smile on his face.

Harvey

Mike Randolph and Aspen

My favorite memory was on top of Aspen Mountain.
Hole 12 is about 400' across the mountain, with a severe drop to the left. I believe the run is a black diamond... Experts only. Well, Big Daddy being the expert he was musta thought that looked good, 'cause his drive hyzered early... And waaaayyyy down the hill.
He could have taken the old unplayable lie and re-teed, but that wouldn't do.
I have no idea how long it took him to hike down the 800' or so to his disc, and bomb it back up the mountain 'till finally holing out, but I do know he "conquered" the mountain that day!

Hi gamesmanship and spirit live on in the hearts of his children, but we'll have to wait awhile to play some disc with him again. I'm sure he'll be ready...

Michael Randolph,

Big Daddy Memorial on Facebook

To any of you who also use Facebook, I set up a group page called "Remembering Dave 'Big Daddy' Griffin" on my account.

You can search for me, Jack Cooksey, or the group, by name and that should get you there. When I have more time, I will migrate some of the remarks from FB to here and vice versa.

Video from Donnie

Nice tribute to DG

A Family Legacy

There is no better tribute to a man than the legacy he leaves behind.
So many of us have our own personal memories of Dave that we will share over the weeks, months and years to come and many of mine are woven into the fabric of the Virginia State Frisbee Tournament. They are dominated by his devotion to and love of family.
I will never be able to think of Dave without thinking about Jen and Lauren because they never existed separately. When Lauren was playing, Big Daddy was there. When Jen was winning, he was there. When Dave was playing the girls were there. That did not happen because of any theoretical concept of family or any belief that this is what families do. They came, and they played and they encouraged and they enjoyed together because none of them wanted it any other way. You could see it in the way Jen reacted when she won. The truly special moments were the silent ones as they embraced and shared the pride of accomplishment as a family. I could see it in Lauren who every April would be by her Daddy's side.
Dave's love for the Virginia State Frisbee tournament was a natural extension of the man. We are, above all else, a family and it is no wonder that this man whose life was so dominated by family, would nurture and thrive in ours.
April will come and it will never be the same at Shelter H.

A few pictures

Here are a couple pictures! I will be posting more later...enjoy!

Jenn

MY DADDY!

Hello Everyone!

I would like to first thank everyone for your love and support during this difficult time. I feel a true sense of peace listening to and hearing all of the stories that have been shared about my father. This exchange has helped my family cope with this incredible loss.

Secondly I would like to let everyone know that I am working on all of the details for the Celebration of Family and Life for my Daddy! I will be sending out an email to a few of you, in hopes that you can assist me in getting the word out to the Frisbee Family. Here is a brief overview of the email that will be sent:

Dave Griffin’s Celebration of Family and Life will be held at St. Timothy’s Methodist Church in Mandeville, LA on Saturday, January 17th 2009 at 11:00am. For those arriving early or for individuals that would like to share thoughts or stories about Daddy, there will be a Pre-service at 10:30am so that you can be given the necessary information about the agenda and ceremony. There will also be a reception and lunch to follow the service. If you need hotel accommodations, we have reserved a block of rooms at The Holiday Inn in Covington, LA. Please mention that you are attending Dave Griffin’s Memorial Service for the discounted rate of $109 per night. The final day to secure this rate is Sunday January 11th. I am also making arrangements at another hotel so that information will be coming soon.

Thanks again, and I will be in touch will all of you soon with other updates. I am looking forward to seeing you in the next week. Your presence and support is truly appreciated.


St. Timothy’s Methodist Church
335 Asbury Drive
Mandeville, LA 70471
985-626-3307

Holiday Inn Suites
501 North Hwy 190
Covington, LA 70433
985-893-3580

Back in the Day with Dave

I met Dave when I was 13 or 14 in the Virginia overall disc scene. Big Daddy, PDGA #1414, was one of the hot-shit golfers and distance throwers around the state and East Coast. I was riding with Dave the weekend he qualified for his first World Frisbee Championship (would have been '80 or '81) after a North American Series meet in Rochester, NY. (Could have been Amherst, MA, though -- can't quite remember.) I just remember Dave letting me ride back to Virginia with him and him having to put me up for a night in Northern Virginia before sticking me on a Greyhound back to Richmond the next morning. He was excited about going to the Rose Bowl and proudly exclaimed to Jen, who was just a diaper-wearing tot in a play pen, "Daddy's going to the Frisbee Bowl, Jenny!"

I looked up to Dave -- he was an older, strong guy who was a great thrower and an intense competitor. When I was a kid, I was a big Nick Nolte fan, and Dave Griffin had all of that same swagger and confidence that I thought was so friggin' cool.

As I sought to break into the upper ranks of our disc scene, I began to regard Dave as a pretty staunch competitor. Dave was constantly trying to refine his throwing technique and his mechanics. In 1984, I was at the PDGA Worlds in Rochester -- by then I was 16, 17 -- and I was out alone on the course between rounds. Dave came trotting along -- he was powering through the holes -- and we played together. He was on fire with this new approach to his tee shots -- he was just going to step up and throw. "You gotta get the mind out of the way," he kept saying. He was in the middle of this big discovery and just consumed with the new idea. Those little things about Dave have always stuck with me -- I identify with that guy who has such a big heart that he feels everything so deeply and strongly. He wasn't satisfied with anything but his best -- again, something I find true in my own disc-throwing career. I am cast in that same mold that Randy mentioned -- Dave could be his own worst critic if he didn't execute to his potential.

And in 1991, when Dave was in the strong running to win the Virginia States overall title, he approached my brother and me about teaming up for freestyle. It was really an honor and a pleasure to play with him because he was so happy during that routine. I look back on it now, and I can just remember how he had a spring about him. This thing he had worked for so hard was coming true. It means a lot to me now that I was able to share a piece of that journey with Dave.

As Randy says, he was a proud champion. I never remember Dave being cocky or totally ego-fueled, but he was a happy, joyful winner when he wore the crown. No apologies, no regrets. I love that. And that same happiness was something that seemed to float around him simply when he was with his daughters at States, just hanging out. We've got the pictures to prove it. Jen, Lauren, Cindy, all of us -- we're gonna miss our Big Daddy in person, but his spirit will always be there to prop us up. We've got an angel on our shoulders. Never forget it. Keep him flying with us, always. We love you, Dave.

Daddy's 1st visit to the Woodshed...

One year in January (1996 or 1997)I convinced Daddy to go with me to the Ice Bowl that Dave Steger was holding in Paw Paw (this was also Daddy's first visit to the Woodshed). The whole day was a comedy of errors. It was slightly above freezing that day so coming in was a little slushy, yet nothing to worry about.

Apparently, I drive way too fast on Detour Road coming into the woodshed or at least that is what Daddy said. He was so nervous that I was going to drive off that mountain road...I'm sure there are still fingernail marks on the "oh jesus bar" of my Honda Civic. Every time I would take an right hairpin turn, Daddy's weight in the passenger seat, caused the tire to rub in the inside of the wheel well and Daddy would punch me in the arm and tell me to slow down! He punches really hard! I was laughing so hard I was crying trying to look for the next right turn to scare him agian! To this day I thank God I'm left handed, because my right arm was jelly when we arrived.

Shortly after arriving the temps started to drop and everything froze up, the round was just silly. Discs would not stay where they landed and Daddy was getting quite frustrated. On hole 12 his approach kept sliding down the hill and didn't stop until it cam to rest in the swale next to 17's tee. We were using 4 discs to sled on...one under each hand and one under each knee, this would allow us to side across the crust at lightning speed! Except Daddy, his weight would cause the discs to crack through the crust and he would just sit there, again getting frustrated by all the fun we were having slipping around...poor Daddy he doesn't get to have any fun! Dave Steger also lost his car keys somewhere on hole 13's sledding run (to this day those keys haven't shown up) and Spencer had to hot wire Daves car so he could get home, not sure whether he had to use a fork to start his car, as that is how I had to start my truck for a while after Spence hot wired that one!

Needless to say that Daddy was not too impressed with the Woodshed after all that fun.

Then it came time to leave, remember that the temps dropped, and there is a major hill on the gravel road (Gaither Road) leaving the woodshed and not one of us had four wheel drive except Spence. We all had ended up at the bottom of that hill unable to leave. Spencer had to come and tow us up the hill indiviually. So, then it was mine and Daddy's turn to get towed up the hill...Spence got us about a 1/4 of the way up and we started slipping backward, I yelled at Daddy to get out to lighten the load, as soon as he popped out of the car Spencer's truck got a grip and we went to the top of the hill...um, without Daddy. Due to the ice Daddy had to walk the hill and HE could not grip to climb the hill! He had to crawl up the hill on his hands and knees in order to grip the ice.

Big Daddy swore he was NEVER coming back to this frozen wasteland in the middle of nowhere!

I still laugh about this when I think of it....I don't think Daddy ever did.

And yes he did go back to Paw paw eventually, just rest assured, it was not winter time.

We'll always love you Daddy.

Do not stand at Shelter H and weep!

Just a little something that I have been working on and would like everyone to add a stanza or two...becuase we all need to do a little healing....

Do not stand at Shelter H and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand Discs that Fly.
I am in the Stands watching my beloved Os.
I am the ambiance that is at Lazlo’s
I am throwing a ball to my Humphrey Flyer
I am the gentle nay Heavy rain that falls at Virginia States

Do not stand at Shelter H and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep.

When you wake in the morning to play that first round, or throw far and high
I am the swift, uplifting wind that will make that disc fly
Of counter or clock in a Frisbees freestylers circling flight
I am the soft Ice Cream at Carl’s in which we delight
I am with you at the Parthenon having pizza and beer
I am the breeze that makes the MTA seconds appear
For I live on in your head and hearts there is no need to despair

Do not stand at the Woodshed and weep.I am not there, I do not sleep.

Of Calvert, Burke Lake, Pratt and Paw Paw…I am and the WAP WAP of the plastic against bark
I am the light in the wee hours of the dawn…… go ahead throw one more!
Slick that disc and set up the courts…I am there..Weep no more!
Pryor and Daddy are waiting for us to play in the biggest tournament of all
So play to win and make sure that fun is had by all!

Do not stand at my Shelter and cry.I am not there, I did not die!

Hey Dave

I first met Dave in College Park Maryland at one of the many two day tournament events in the early 80's. Back then he and Dan Thessen (sp?) were the top disc golfers of Washington DC that no one could beat when you were counting. I was just a snot-knosed high school kid at the time but I had the fever. Dave was out of the service and was working selling carpet perhaps if I recall correctly, then worked at the DC radio album rock station WAVA for a while till it didn't make it, then the cable company. Always 45 minutes late to ddc cause he had to do an install . . I was always 20 minuts later just cause I could not keep time but so it goes. Dave put more spin on a golf disc than anyone I have ever played against and his accuracy with avaiars was really a thing of beauty. I remember once driving with DG to Burke lake where he successfully broke his ankle teeing off of hole 9 and I got to drive him back to his house in his beat to hell ford capri with literally no brakes (it had maybe the emergency brake and gravity to guide it but otherwise made this ungodly noise when you attempted to stop it using the traditional methods. It was way past the mere grind of worn out brake shoe liners and rotors). We made it but it was an act of faith for a person who just got their driver's license a couple of months prior.

We played a lot of disc golf together, guts, ddc, and overall events over the years. I even remember freestyling with Dave a few times at events, seeing music, meeting up with he and Shahid for SXSW with his daughter Lauren. My favorite events with DG were probably the guts tournaments though, travelling with him and Mark Susi. Nothing like mixing a former marine and a hard throwing disc sports competitor together into an adrenaline-based sport to bring out the best you have to offer. Dave was always a fierce competitor and you could tell so based on how hard he came down on himself when he missed a shot. "Come on DG!!!!" as loud as he could scream. I probably heard that 1000 times from him. It was usually a sign of good fortune that you had a chance to beat him, at least on a hole.

Probably the best recollections I have of Dave came later though when he somehow conned Jen to start playing disc sports. What a proud dad. Proud of both his daughters he was. Now that I am a Dad myself I really understand where his pride came from and what it means to your family to carry that around. Thanks Dave for the experiences, and the lesson on how you stand and deliver in life.
-Randy Lahm

We'll miss you, Dave.

This is an open blog for those who knew and loved Dave "Big Daddy" Griffin. Please feel free to share your photos, your memories, your condolences and your thoughts. You can post comments to this blog, or if you'd like to become one of the authors by using a Gmail account, please let us know.