MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2005 Announced
10/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | General
Oct. 5, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State University will induct five members into its Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 29 prior to the Spartans' home football game vs. Indiana. The Class of 2005 includes: Blake Miller (football/baseball/basketball) from the Pioneer Era, Herb Odom (boxing) from the Early Era, Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse (swimming & diving) from the Contemporary Era, John Fuzak (faculty athletics representative) and Gene Kenney (soccer) from the former coach/administrator category.
The ceremony will take place at the Kellogg Center on the MSU campus, with a reception scheduled for 8:30 a.m. followed by a brunch and induction ceremony at 9 a.m. Tickets for the Hall of Fame brunch and induction ceremony are priced at $50 each and tables of eight for $400. For ticket reservations, contact MSU Associate Athletics Director Karen Langeland: (517) 355-6564 or langelan@ath.msu.edu.
In addition, the Class of 2005 will be introduced at the conclusion of the first quarter during the MSU-Indiana football game in Spartan Stadium.
The MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, located in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center, opened on Oct. 1, 1999, and displays key moments in Spartan athletics history as well as plaques of the 77 current inductees. The charter class of 30 former Spartan student-athletes, coaches and administrators was inducted in 1992.
Here are bullet-point sketches of MSU's Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2005:
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Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse
Swimming & Diving 1988-91
Hometown - Holt, Mich.
• 1990 NCAA champion on the one-meter board
• 1990 NCAA Diver of the Year
• 1991 NCAA champion on the three-meter board
• Six-time All-American
• Three-time Big Ten Diver of the Year (1989-91)
• 1991 Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year
• MSU's only three-time winner of the George Alderton Athlete of the Year Award
• 1991 Academic All-American Second Team
• Placed fifth on the three-meter board at the 1992 Olympics
Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse comments on her selection: "This is an incredible honor. My heart and blood are green through and through, so I can't imagine anything greater.
"My coach John Narcy was basically a pioneer for the sport, and he helped develop my love for the sport. He provided me with undying support regardless of whether I had a good meet or a bad meet. It was truly an honor to compete for Michigan State."
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John Fuzak
Faculty Athletics Representative 1959-79
Hometown - Crewe, Va.
• Served as MSU's Faculty Representative for 20 years (1959-79)
• Twice served as chairman for the Big Ten Faculty Representatives
• MSU's Vice President of Student Affairs from 1961-66
• NCAA President (1975-76)
• Received first-ever Faculty Chairman Award from All-American Football Foundation in 1997
• Served as Associate Commissioner and Interim Commissioner for the Atlantic Coast Conference
John Fuzak comments on his selection: "It's a great honor. I spent most of my productive years at Michigan State University, so I had an opportunity to work with some of the finest people, especially those that served on the athletic council.
"I have a lot of great memories, but a highlight had to have been working with (former MSU President) John Hannah because he was such an outstanding administrator. It was a real privilege to work for him."
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Gene Kenney
Soccer Coach 1956-69
Hometown - Urbana, Ill.
• Led MSU to back-to-back National Championships in 1967-68
• 1967 US Soccer Magazine National Collegiate Coach of the Year
• His teams made eight-straight trips to the NCAA Tournament from 1962-69, including six appearances in the national semifinals
• His .866 career winning percentage (120-13-13) ranks second in NCAA history
• Coached 13 first-team and six second-team All-Americans
• Founded MSU's Summer Sports School
• Served as an administrator in the MSU Athletics Department for 23 years
Gene Kenney comments on his selection: "It's a great honor, especially when you consider all of the great coaches and player that are already in the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame.
"Coaching was one of the finest times of my life because I really enjoyed being around the student-athletes. I was blessed by having some great players during my 14 years of coaching, and they certainly helped me win a lot of games. When I look back on my coaching career, it brings me a lot of joy."
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Blake Miller
Football 1912-15
Hometown - Tonawanda, N.Y.
• Named to MSU's all-time Old-Timers Team (pre-1940) in 1970
• 1915 All-American
• Earned All-Western honors in 1913-14
• He and teammate Jerry DaPrato were MSU's first-ever All-Americans
• 1915 co-captain
• Won nine varsity letters at MSU: four in football, three in baseball and two in basketball
• Rushed for 115 yards in a 24-0 win over Michigan in 1915, prompting Wolverine head coach Fielding Yost to present him the game ball
• Played six seasons of professional football in Detroit
Here's one news account of Blake Miller's playing career: "Blake Miller was an exceptionally brilliant and sensational open-field runner on the football teams of four seasons (1912-15), besides starring in baseball. He helped to defeat Michigan at football in 1913 and '15, and pitched in winning games over her in baseball . . . He is probably as brainy and fast-thinking an athlete as M.A.C. has known."
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Herb Odom
Boxing 1952-55
Hometown - Flint, Mich.
• Won back-to-back NCAA Championships at 147 pounds in 1954-55
• Led MSU to 1955 team National Championship
• Two-time All-American (1954-55)
• Compiled a 29-5-2 career record
• Reached U.S. Olympic Boxing Team semifinals in 1952
• 1950 Michigan Golden Gloves Lightweight champion
• Became oldest licensed boxer in Illinois history when he turned professional in 1979 at age 46
In a 1953 newspaper article, MSU boxing coach George Makris provided this description of Herb Odom: "Herb Odom is the type of fighter who can think on his feet. Odom is a superb boxer with a sharp, stinging punch. He's the Ray Robinson type, with different blow combinations. He varies his attack to keep his opponent guessing."