What is Lumpy's

What is Lumpy's?

This is a question I get a lot when I wear any of our garb from our events – and when I really think about it, who are we, I get a tear in the eye, then a smile thinking about who we are and what this group has done to put together these tournaments every year, and raise a “S$!T” load of money for some great causes. It goes back to Shadow Mountain High School in 1979. A bunch of nerdy freshman (Jim Winters) entered the school. Looking back at some old pictures, we were pretty pathetic bunch of kids, but the bonding started, and by graduation in ’82, we all became close (not that close, except maybe Jim Veltri and Paul Newman, oh yeah, and Bobby Griego and Dean Mattson) - never losing touch of what is truly important in life – Friends and Family!

The actual name “Lumpy’s Army” came from the true originator, and the heart and soul of us from the start of the event – Greg Cooper. A few of us started playing Over the Line softball (beach softball), and our first tourney, we played under the alias of “Spider John and the Lead Foot Playboys”. We did extremely poor (John Duvall could not hit water if he fell out of a boat), so Greg Copper, in the wee hours of a tequila / beer morning (with John Logan), came up with a new name to play under - Lumpy’s Army. Why we asked? Like Belushi said in Animal House, Coop quite frankly bit back – “Why Not”. How could we argue with the Godfather of the culture of our group?

In 1994, some of us wanted to spend a couples weekend at the Pointe Tapatio, then men would golf during the day, and the women would do whatever women do when the men play golf (not what you’re thinking Bobby). As we talked to others, we ended up having 35 golfers and 10 rooms that first year. The atmosphere created demanded a name for the weekend. Going back to our Godfather of Culture – Cooper – we used “Lumpy’s Army Athletic Club”. The name fit the atmosphere of the event – and “Lumpy’s” as it is now referred to was off and running! Now we have 144+ golfers every year, 100+ people at our dinner and dance, live bands and a bunch of Crazies hanging around having a “Mental Floss Weekend”.

I think 90% of those people from year one are still golfing with us today. Why would anyone stick around that long? It is the quality of people we all have been blessed to know and hang around. They are “Quality People and Immature” in ways that assures we all have a great time. I think it is as simple as that. I will not go into specific stories from our past events, as some have spouses and kids now, and the law might be after a few of the others. The last one of us living will print the memoirs of the events, and share the pure craziness of it all (with real names). How some of these people make a living and act like this on this weekend is amazing (Logan) – sorry, I forgot I was not going to use names!

The original culture was Cooper, Winters, Logan, Veltri, Newman and Mattson. Then the Elingburg’s came aboard, as did the Griego’s. Since Mr. Andre Sterling came on board, the substance of our group went up two folds! As Jimmy Buffett has created a subculture of Parottheads – this event has created a subculture of Lumpy’s people, who come out once a year to let loose and raise money for some great causes. The event is now much bigger than the original group – A whole bunch of Crazies and a little bit of Class blends to create a great time for all!

"Come join us, you'll be glad that you did"

Thanks,

John Duvall

Life long Lumpster