OT: Al Glick passed away

Submitted by LMV on February 8th, 2022 at 12:45 PM
https://twitter.com/alrosteel/status/1491090882556215297?cxt=HHwWgoCy6b3QtbEpAAAA

 

R.I.P. to the Michigan superfan and football practice field namesake/donor.

Couzen Rick's

February 8th, 2022 at 12:49 PM ^

Glick also hired many many ex-football players. If there's a football player from the 80s-present that didn't make it to the NFL, there's a decent chance Alro Steel shows up on their linkedin profile.

GOBLUE4EVR

February 9th, 2022 at 10:25 AM ^

i'm pretty sure that Antonio Bass had or has a job at Alro also... his suite at the stadium (which is the biggest non university suite) always had former players and coaches in it... one former coach that was at every game in 2010 was Moeller... pretty sure that Moeller took part in all pre-game festivities to the point one week i had to remind him 3 times where the mens bathroom was...

FauxMo

February 8th, 2022 at 1:00 PM ^

I honestly knew nothing about him - other than to wonder who the Field House guy was - until now. Sad to hear. 

On the other hand, people live into their 90s and beyond all the time now. It never ceases to amaze me, especially given that if you made it to 40 in 1800, you were already above average and pushing your luck... 

Engin77

February 8th, 2022 at 1:55 PM ^

Before I got into genealogy, I thought people generally died before their mid-fifties.  But learning about my ancestors has changed that opinion.  From 1750 - 1880, those who survived childhood, generally lived into their 70s or 80s, and ~10% made it past 90.  Two major exceptions: 1) soldiers, and 2) mothers who died as a result of childbirth, the most recent in 1904.  These were primarily farm families in Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. After 1880, as my ancestors left their farms and moved to cities, longevity declined.

Oregon Wolverine

February 8th, 2022 at 2:00 PM ^

Don't forget the role of plagues, too, dropping the average, i.e. life expectancy rates.  "Back in the day" goes pretty far back.  Augustus is thought to have lived into his mid-70s.  There are lots of examples, but not a lot of records to corroborate.  

Through archaeological discoveries and science advances, it is now fairly well understood that once someone reached 21 years old (other studies indicate five years old), "life span expectancy" for homo sapiens a 100, 200, 500, or 1000 years ago (or even 10,000 years ago) has been relatively stable, late 60s-ea 70s.  

1VaBlue1

February 8th, 2022 at 1:03 PM ^

I feel like a schmuck upvoting this post, but can't downvote it, either.  The news is sad, we'll miss him at basketball games sitting next to the head coach.  

Everytime someone mentioned buying out the lower bowl for students, the obvious response was 'who's going to buyout and Al Glick and make him move?'.  Don Canham himself wouldn't have had the guts to try that...

RIP, Al.

GOBLUE4EVR

February 8th, 2022 at 1:10 PM ^

my first year (2010) working in the suites at the stadium i was a food runner on the west side 4th floor... i got talk to Al a couple of times and even got to show him a picture of the newly installed lights on and working... nicest person you could ever meet... 

RIP

hunterjoe

February 8th, 2022 at 1:10 PM ^

RIP Al.  Loved seeing him at the games.  His love for Michigan was very evident.  At 95 he had a good run as others have said.  His generosity doesn't go unnoticed.  

Tony Danzig

February 8th, 2022 at 1:20 PM ^

We had the privilege meeting Al a few times over the years and he was nothing short of nice to me and my family.  Thank You Al for all that you have done and contributed for the University of Michigan, rest in peace.

GoBluePhil

February 8th, 2022 at 1:20 PM ^

Mr. Glick was such a generous man.  Besides supporting Michigan athletics he did support the Jackson Community a great deal.  As the owner of Alro Steel he just donated all the steel for the new Jackson High School indoor practice facility.  It’s going to be completed this year and is a great high school facility.  His energy will be missed.

Sione For Prez

February 8th, 2022 at 1:32 PM ^

I met Al at a couple Michigan functions and he was always very nice. My mother worked at Alro back probably 35 years ago now. She always talked about how nice he was and how he would go out of his way to make sure he knew every person's name in the building. 

I mentioned my mom having worked for him previously and he remembered her and then asked about my aunts, who I had not mentioned. He remembered their names and what jobs they performed at the Company. It was really impressive considering it had been 35+ years at that point since any of them had worked there and they all moved away within a few years of graduating college. 

WindyCityBlue

February 8th, 2022 at 1:37 PM ^

Call me crazy.  While it's a sad day that someone close to the Michigan program dies, this is a time to celebrate.  He led a full life, a life fuller than most, and was such a positive influence over people around him.  When you live this long, all you can do is tip your hat and be happy.

At least that's what we'd do in my family if someone lived that long.

Engin77

February 8th, 2022 at 1:58 PM ^

Thanks Al Glick for your contributions to our University.  We never met, but I drove past the Alro facility next to the Bus Barn for several years.

FrankMurphy

February 8th, 2022 at 3:12 PM ^

I remember that he was a courtside mainstay at Michigan Basketball games. He was the first person John Beilein hugged after the Final Four win over Syracuse in 2013.

RIP ?

KO Stradivarius

February 8th, 2022 at 3:24 PM ^

Is he the same guy who had the really elaborate tailgate party arrangements?  

I have friends in low places, so I never went to any tailgates but I had a UM doctor neighbor who mentioned it.

formalinvite

February 8th, 2022 at 8:40 PM ^

I was very fortunate to get to know Al fairly well due to a business relationship. He and his company were and are very successful but he might have been the most unassuming, least pretentious person with that level of achievement that I ever dealt with in my business career.