Mike Grimm, the Gophers' play-by-play announcer for football and men's basketball, was two years behind John DenHartog as a member of the Luther College baseball team in Decorah, Iowa.
Gophers radio voice Mike Grimm recognizes that Natalie DenHartog swing
Grimm watched her father, John, play ball when they were both attending Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
May 4, 2023 at 10:20PM
"John was from the little town down the road of Centerville and an outstanding athlete,'' Grimm said. "Really good in football, really good in baseball, and he played a season of basketball at Luther, too, if I'm not mistaken.
"He was a powerful hitter in baseball. He played center field. He was fast, covered all the ground out there and had a strong arm.''
DenHartog's daughter Natalie is winding down her college career in a fifth Gophers softball season. She was the DH as a freshmen, went to left field and then became the center fielder.
Grimm has watched her hit and play in center, and this has been his reaction:
"She is powerful at the plate, fast and quick, and covers ground in center field, with a strong arm. And at the plate, she has the leg kick as her timing mechanism, the bent elbow in her stance, the same reaction in taking pitches.
"Everything she does … I'm watching her father back at Luther. I see Natalie play softball and say to everyone, 'DNA is a real thing.'"
Gophers coach Ben Johnson is working on backcourt combinations entering Saturday’s game against Nebraska Omaha.
