James A. “Jim” Orlosky ’55 has been inducted posthumously into the Franklin College Athletic Hall of Fame as a player.
Orlosky, who passed away on July 11, 1999, was a leader on the Franklin College campus, well-known for his athletic abilities as well as his dedicated involvement in several student organizations.
The Franklin standout lettered in three sports –basketball, tennis, and track and field. In basketball, he was a starting guard and captain of a conference champion team. In addition, teammates named Orlosky MVP, and he was twice an All-Conference selection. In tennis, he lettered four years and was named team captain and MVP. Moreover, he was undefeated in his last two seasons. On the track team, Orlosky lettered as an outstanding high jumper.
Olosky’s other campus involvement included Chi Beta Phi, Lancers, and Blue Key. He was also a member and at one time president of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and Student Council. He was even named in the publication of Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. After college, Orlosky earned a master’s degree from Butler University and remained involved in sports by teaching and coaching at Indiana and Florida schools. He coached basketball and track and field at Nova High School in Florida for many years. As the father of two sons (Kurt and Bradley), he also enjoyed coaching Little League baseball and was active with the Junior Golf Association. He retired as an assistant principal in 1994 and was an avid golfer. Orlosky’s wife, Susan, resided in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. His older son, Kurt, passed away in 2004.
“Jim and I overlapped for one year in our times at Franklin College, “ said 2006 Hall of Fame inductee Gene White ’58. “He was hesitant to talk of his exploits. However, all who knew him and played with him, knew him as a fierce competitor and an excellent athlete. I would describe him as a great star.”
Dr. Donald Orlosky ’51 attended the Hall of Fame ceremony to accept the induction honor on his brother’s behalf.
Connie L. Garrett ’67 has been inducted into the Franklin College Athletic Hall of Fame as a coach.
Garrett enrolled at Franklin College at the perfect time. She didn’t have the opportunity to play high school sports, but her freshman year at FC was the first year in which the college sponsored women’s intercollegiate sports of any kind. And Garrett had the chance to participate in volleyball, softball and soccer. However, her greatest love was basketball, in which she competed for four years.
After her graduation from Franklin College, Garrett taught in the Huntington County Community School Corp. for about four years before moving on to Clinton Prairie High School. During her tenure at the later school, Garrett coached volleyball, basketball and track and field and guided numerous teams to state and regional championships.
Highlights from her years as track coach (1971-85) include achieving two sectional wins and helping several girls advance to the state track meet. As volleyball coach from 1971 to 2006, she guided her teams to three state, 24 sectional, six regional, and four semi-state championships and an overall coaching record of 841-297. For her achievements, Garrett was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1997, was twice named Coach of the Year and several times was honored with the District Coach of the Year award. Garrett’s basketball coach record at Clinton Prairie also was impressive. She achieved a record of 387-289 in 35 seasons.
During here time as head varsity basketball coach, Clinton Prairie won the 1997 Class A state championship. In addition, her teams won eight sectional, four regional, and one semi-state title. Garrett was invited in 2001 to coach the Indiana All-Stars; her team won both games against a strong Kentucky squad. She was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004.
While Garrett is proud of her coaching achievements, she take even greater joy in celebrating the successes of her formers players, several of whom have gone on to play in college, including four Big Ten schools, and other have become coaches, some at Clinton Prairie.
“The most important thing is not how many of this or that, but how much all of these girls have brought into my life,” said Garrett. “I don’t know of any way to measure the real meaning of coaching all these years. But, I do know it all started at Franklin College with Ruth Callon (Class of’52) as my teacher and coach.”
Warren Steven “Steve” Witty ‘69 has been inducted into the Franklin College Athletic Hall of Fame as a coach.
Witty graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and health from Franklin College and went on to earn a master’s degree in secondary education at Indiana University in 1974 and a master’s degree in secondary administration and supervision from Butler University in 1984.
In addition to teaching, he spent many years as assistant basketball coach at several Indiana high schools, including Manual, Beech Grove, Franklin and Ben Davis. The latter school named him head boys basketball coach in 1989. During his 13- year career as a head coach, Witty led Ben Davis to more victories than any other school in the state of Indiana in that span of time, assuming a 266-68 record. Under his leadership, the Giants achieved 64 straight wins against Marion County schools from 1992-96 and became the only team in the 86-year history of the nationally famous one-class tournament to make four straight trips to the Final Four. In addition, Witty guided Ben Davis to two state basketball championships in 1995 and 1996.
Witty’s basketball expertise is renowned. Besides serving on several boards of directors, Witty was once selected to coach at an international competition in Europe and invited to conduct basketball clinics for the National Basketball Association of Australia. He is the author of eight coaching books on basketball and creator of two instructional DVDs. His work has been published in various periodicals for coaches. His long list of coaching career include: Sagamore of the Wabash (1997), Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Coach of the Year (1995 and 1996), Marion County Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year (1992-1996 and 2001), and Indiana Basketball Coaches Association District III Coach of the Year (1993, 1996 and 2001).
“The key was the influence teachers and coaches had on my life,” said Witty. “I wanted to grow up and be like them. I enjoy helping people be successful.”
Witty is retired from being an educator and coach and administrator at Ben Davis High School. He now serves as executive director of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Witty and his wife, Jean, have two children, Derick ’97 and Kara Mitchell. Witty is a member of the Franklin College Goaltenders Club.
R. Gene Wirey has been inducted into the Franklin College Athletic Hall of Fame as a friend.
Wirey is a longtime friend of Franklin College and a charter member of the Goaltenders Club, a booster organization for the men’s basketball program.
Since 1971, the Goaltenders, composed of alumni and friends, have provided both financial and moral support. Wirey is one of the several individuals who helped organize the club at the request of his friend and neighbor and then head coach Ed Thompson.
“I was good friends with a coach they had named Herm Moyer when they played in the old barn,” said Wirey. “When Ed Thompson was coach, we were neighbors. Ed thoughts a booster club would help the team, so we started meeting at lunch time every so often at the college to put it together.”
“We go back a long way now. I think it’s worked out pretty well over the years, and there’s probably not many clubs that compare with our Goaltenders.”
Long associations have often marked Wirey’s life. He began working at his father Dallas’s Texaco service station in Franklin while he was in high school and eventually owned the business before selling after 47 years of family operation in 1995. He serves as an official track observer at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for 36 years (from 1970 to 2005). Moreover, Wirey has not missed an Indianapolis 500 Mile Race since 1946.
Wirey didn’t attend Franklin College, but he was named an associate alumnus in 1978 because of his unwavering loyalty to the college. He continues to attend most of the Grizzlies’ home basketball games and he and his wife, Phyllis, have driven to road contests countless times through the years. His son, Mike Wirey ’72, also is a Goaltender member.
“I think small college basketball is so much more interesting than professional and big college basketball,” said Wirey. “You have a chance to get to know the players and their families and we’ve met some great folks over the years.”
