Staying involved keeps Pinky Primrose young

Pinky Primrose has a simple philosophy when it comes to being happy in life.

“Get involved.”

The retired baseball coach and official turned 89 on June 17 — four days after getting a hole-in-one at Hunters Ridge Golf Course in Marion.

“You’d rather be lucky than good,” he said last week in a phone conversation, just hours after having some dental work. “You play the game long enough, good things happen.”

He runs a Tuesday four-person best shot and a pool league for friends, former colleagues and really “anyone who wants play,” he said.

Anyone who wants — or needs — to get involved and stay involved with others.

“That’s what keeps you going when you get older ... is your friends,” he said.

He has a computer program that sets all the foursomes based on skill level. He has more than 100 golfers in his database and works hard to mix things up, so a player gets involved with different people every week.

“I really like to organize,” he said.

And that’s just his “retirement” involvement. You see, getting involved is nothing new for Pinky, who inherited his nickname from his father (he had a reddish complexion) and older brother while playing baseball at the University of Iowa.

Involvement has always been in his blood.

He’s been on the board of directors for the Cedar Rapids Professional Baseball Team (the Kernels) since 1964 and served as president from 1973 to ’84. He founded — and was president and executive secretary of — the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association and was president and executive secretary of the Cedar Rapids Athletic Officials Association.

Primrose’s involvement started like a lot of people — in athletics as a “little boy from Norway, Iowa.” That meant baseball, of course, and that game continues to run through his veins.

He started coaching at Lisbon in 1956. He moved home and coached Norway High School for six years — winning 165 of 215 games — and also coached basketball, served as athletics director and even acting principal.

He then moved to Cedar Rapids and coached the Washington High School baseball team to a state championship in 1966 and a 712-385 record in 23 seasons.

Oh, he also coached baseball at Coe College while at Washington.

That’s involvement folks.

Primrose also was “involved” with Florence — or Flo — for 65 years, 62 in marriage, before she died in September. Flo was his executive assistant with the coaches association.

“It’s been tough,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it ... You never say ‘I love you’ enough.

“The worst part is my supper. She never taught me how to cook.”

So, these days, Pinky stays involved to avoid the loneliness of being without his best friend. Staying active also keeps him young.

“I’m lucky to get out,” he said, noting he’s “down” to golfing four times a week. “It’s from all the running I did with football and basketball (officiating.)”

Later this week, Pinky will fly to Seattle to receive one of the 13 citation awards from the National Federation of State High School Association. The awards are “one of the most highly regarded achievements in high school athletics and performing arts.”

Primrose is among the five honorees from the “professional organizations.” Todd Tharp of the Iowa High School Athletic Association is being honored for his work with state association.

That, in a nutshell folks, is an award for being involved. And for staying involved.

Comments: (319) 398-8461; jr.ogden@thegazette.com