THE_GREATEST_SHO Keaton Poppe English 111 (A2) 09/27/13 Personal Narrative The Greatest Show on Dirt Think of a family

member who has been an influential leader not only within your family but also in their surrounding environment. Construe the characteristics that define them, not just the good attributes but also the ones that they are constantly improving upon. Now look back at their past and look at what they have done to this day; what is the legacy they are leaving behind? After a successful college experience, winning All-Big Eight honors in 1969, former University of Missouri safety Dennis Poppe returns to his alma mater as a coach and assistant athletic director. The 18 years I have known him, he has been one of the most influential men in my life he is the legacy of the Poppe family. 1973. Dennis Poppe begins his 40-year tenure with the NCAA. Not knowing the accomplishments he would have and the obstacles he would overcome, Poppe applied the same philosophy to his job as he had lived by during his years at MU. 1988. The College World Series is now to be run by Dennis Poppe. 15years into his career with the NCAA, he takes on the transformation of the annual baseball tournament in Omaha, Nebraska. Beginning his 25-year commitment to Omaha, Poppe remodeling Rosenblatt Stadium and rebuilding the integrity of the tournament. With the help of his children, Dennis Poppe ran the CWS fluently each year. One son sat on the roof of the press boxes looking for tornadoes and

2 THE_GREATEST_S storms. Another son helped with the field crew, mowing and plowing the field for the select number of collegiate baseball players. This is where I come in. For almost 17 summers, I have been attending the College World Series. Year in and year out, I have been witness to the amount of work and dedication my grandfather has put in to the short, two-week time period. From Rosenblatt Stadium to TD Ameritrade Park, our family has grown, and with each new addition comes the tradition of the College World Series. 2013. The final CWS run by Dennis Poppe . 25-years of hard work, dedication, blood, sweat, and tears, the loyalty my grandfather has shown Omaha will make him a legend for eternity. He has transformed the city of Omaha into a busy, college baseball town during the summer where business is booming and generations among generations come out to cheer on their favorite teams from around the nation. Now passing along his legacy, he merely tells his successor, Dont screw it up. From this past summer to the next 35 summers, we will be able to reflect on the success my grandfather has had, knowing that it wasnt just given to him but that he had to work long and hard hours to achieve his dreams. Now at 65, he can look back and reflect on the lives he has touched, the lives he has changed, and the legacy he leaves behind. He may be stepping down from his position but he will always be a part of the NCAA, whether physically or spiritually.