Five new members were inducted into the McPherson College Athletic Hall of Fame in ceremonies held on Saturday, October 9, 2004. Selected for induction are Augie Hirt of Warrenville, Ill.; Gail Fillmore Garwick of Middleton, Idaho; Doug Gayer of McPherson, Kan.; Kathy Rogers Yoder of Wayland, Iowa; and William “Bill” Smith of Richmond, Va.
Augie Hirt, class of 1973, remains McPherson College’s only track & field/racewalk American Record holder.
Hirt set five McPherson College racewalk records in distances from one mile to 50 kilometers (over 31 miles) plus the marathon, and was part of the Bulldogs’ record setting 100-mile relay. He still holds all but the marathon record. He placed fourth at both the NAIA indoor and outdoor championships in 1973 in the two-mile racewalk. Hirt remains the lone Bulldog male athlete to possess a Kansas Relay championship watch, signifying his first place finish in 1973 one-mile racewalk.
During his competitive days at McPherson College, Hirt won six varsity letters in three sports, cross country (three times), track (twice) and baseball (once). Since the KCAC did not contest any racewalk events, Hirt competed in the “usual” distance events, placing third in the 1973 KCAC steeplechase, and competing as part of Bulldogs’ 1971 KCAC championship cross country team under coach Art Ray.
Following his collegiate eligibility, Hirt went on to set 11 American Records in racewalk events at the distances of 75 kilometers (approx. 46 miles), 50 miles, and 100 kilometers (approx. 62 miles). He lowered the 100-kilometer record for five straight years, from 1974 through 1978, to a best of 10 hours, 19 minutes, 00 seconds, a record that still stands. His American Records for 75 kilometers (7 hours, 5 minutes, 46 seconds) and 50-miles (7:39:39) also still stand today.
In 1976, Hirt became the youngest member of the USA Centurion Club (must walk 100 miles in under 24 hours) when he won the National AAU 100 mile championship in 19 hours 55 minutes 16 second in September of 1976. That event was recognized by a feature story in the October 18, 1976, issue of Sports Illustrated.
Hirt won seven national AAU racewalking championships and received 12 All-American national racewalking team designations between 1974 and 1979 at distances from 30,000 meters to 100 kilometers. Five of Hirt’s national championships came in the 100km event. In 1976, he placed second at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 50km racewalk and 12th in the 20km walk. In his final season of competitive racewalking, Hirt finished fourth at the 1979 Pan American Games trials.
From 1973 through 1979, Hirt was named to 13 USA national teams. He competed in three straight World Championships between 1975 and 1977. He was the United States’ top finisher in the 50km walk in 1975 before being as America’s second finisher the final two years. Hirt’s 14th place finish in 1977 was his top finish in World Championship events. In 1975, he raced the open 27km leg for the United States in the Airolo-Chiasse 5-man International Relay in Lugano, Switzerland, leading the USA to a second place finish, still the highest finish ever by a American team. Hirt competed in USA dual meets versus Canada, Mexico, Sweden, England, and Germany. After qualifying for the 1980 Olympic Trials in the 50km racewalk, Hirt retired from competitive racewalking when the United States announced its boycott of the Moscow Olympic Games.
A certified public accountant, Hirt has taught racewalking for fitness to over 71,000 people, including television personality Oprah Winfrey. A native of Piqua, Ohio, Hirt joins college teammate, Mike Butsch of Piqua, as the second Piqua native to be inducted into the McPherson Hall of Fame.
Kathy Rogers Yoder, class of 1970, was a national champion in track and field, and all-state selection in basketball during her time at McPherson College.
During her first two years of college, the native of Brooklyn, Iowa, competed for the Topeka Cosmos Track Club, directed by Dr. John Davis, since the college did not have a formal track team. In her first competition for the Cosmos, Rogers posted a time of 60.6 seconds in the 440 yard dash and later that spring ran 59.6 in addition to a 2:14.6 in the half-mile (880 yards). While running as a member of the Cosmos, she was coached by McPherson College men’s coach Art Ray.
As a sophomore, she competed in cross country for the first time. That fall she won the Missouri Valley AAU cross country title and was invited to participate in the national AAU championships. In the winter of 1968, Rogers represented McPherson College at the NAIA indoor championships and placed third in the 440 yard dash with a time of 61.7 seconds. Later that spring she won the 1500 meters, in a time of 5:01.7, and placed fourth in the 800 meters at the National Junior championships, leading the Cosmos Girls Track Club to the national team title.
In the spring of 1969 McPherson College began full intercollegiate competition for women in track and field as part of the Division of Girls and Womens Sports. The DGWS was the first nationally recognized collegiate organization for women’s athletics and the forerunner of the AIAW, and later the women’s divisions of the NAIA and NCAA.
Rogers concluded that spring by finishing second in the 220-yard dash (26.9) and the one-mile run (5:34.1) at the first National Intercollegiate Track and Field Championships sponsored by DGWS, setting school records in both events. She was later named the Missouri Valley’s “Outstanding Female Track Athlete” for 1969.
As a senior, Rogers lowered her school record time in the mile run to 5:22.0, placing fourth at the DGWS nationals. She earlier set school record of 5:02.0 in the 1500 meters that still stands, and a school best of 2:21.7 for 880 yards. Her record time for the 880 yards converts to 2:20.9 for 800 meters. Rogers’ time for the 880 yards is still almost two seconds faster than any other 800 meters run by a woman in school history even though the metric race is approximately six yards shorter.
In basketball, Rogers won four letters at McPherson College. She was the second leading scorer on McPherson College’s 1970 state championship team and was selected to the Kansas All-State squad following the Bulldogs’ 1970 season.
Rogers is currently the Director of Curriculum for the Columbus Community Schools in Columbus Junction, Iowa.
Gail Fillmore Garwick, class of 1962, participated in volleyball and basketball for four years and softball for two years at McPherson College at a time when athletic opportunities for women were very limited. She held offices, including president of the College’s Women’s Athletic Association, an activity which was a indicator of her future involvement in sports administration as well as coaching.
Following her graduation from McPherson, Garwick went on to teach and coach at Hutchinson, Kan., High School, Sterling College, Central Junior High in Nampa, Idaho, and the College of Idaho in Caldwell. For over 20 years, she served as counselor as well as physical education instructor and coach in the Middleton, Idaho, schools where she coached volleyball, basketball, softball, field hockey, tennis, and track at both the high school and collegiate levels. Garwick received her Masters of Education degree in counseling from the College of Idaho in 1978.
Garwick officiated basketball and volleyball at both the high school and collegiate levels, and for 25 years she has been selected to officiate in the Idaho state high school volleyball tournament.
Garwick has received numerous state and national officiating and coaching awards including twice being named Idaho Volleyball Official of the Year, Idaho Pathfinder Award from the National Association of Girls’ and Women’s Sports, National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association Outstanding Volleyball Official, Distinguished Service Awards from the Idaho High School Activities Association and the Idaho Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.
In 1997, the Middleton schools established the “Gail Garwick Outstanding Female Athlete Award,” awarded annually to a three-sport senior female athlete at Middleton HS.
Retired in 1997 following a 35-year career in education, Garwick continues to serve as the Idaho District III volleyball commissioner, a capacity she has held for 25 years. She also assigned officials to eastern Oregon high schools in 2001 was selected to officiate the Oregon state high school volleyball tournament. Gail has served as a representative to the state board of the Idaho Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and she helped establish the Women’s Officials Board for Idaho. Garwick also was instrumental in the establishment and conducting of volleyball and basketball campus for elementary school students in her home state.
Garwick received recognition for 20 years of service for being a Resource Leadership person in Canyon City, Idaho, and continues her role as an active leader in the Nampa (Idaho) Church of the Brethren where she has served six terms on the church board, and as deacon, Bible study leader, and member of the choir and women’s fellowship.
Doug Gayer, class of 1981, was a four-year letter winner and All-KCAC selection in both basketball and tennis during his time at McPherson College, and in 1981 was named the College’s “Male Athlete of the Year.”
A three-year starter for the Bulldogs, Gayer was an All-KCAC selection in basketball his senior year. At the time of his graduation, Gayer held the Bulldogs’ career assist record..
A four-time All-KCAC selection in tennis, Gayer was part of the Bulldogs’ KCAC championship doubles team in 1980, and a member of the Bulldogs’ District 10 doubles runner-ups in 1980. He was also a member of three additional KCAC doubles runner-up teams and four times was the KCAC runner-up in singles.
Following his graduation, Gayer began a teaching and coaching career in the McPherson public schools.
In the 21 years since being named the head girls’ tennis coach at McPherson High School, Gayer has led his squads to eight league titles, one Class 5A state championship, four second place state finishes, and two third place finishes. He was named the Kansas Girls’ Tennis Coach of the Year in 1995, and the Class 5A Girls’ Coach of the Year in 1996 and 2000. Members of his girls’ teams have won three state double championships, have placed second four times, and once third in doubles. His teams have also earned one third-place and one fourth-place finish in singles.
In 1986, Gayer added the McPherson High head boys’ tennis position to his duties. In the past 19 years, his boys’ teams have won ten league championships, one Class 5A state team title, finished second three times and third six times in the state tournament. His teams have included five state champion doubles teams and five state runner-ups in doubles, in addition to one doubles third-place and two doubles fourth-place finishes. Gayer was named the Kansas Boys’ Tennis Coach of the Year for 2003 after being named the Class 5A Boys’ Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1994.
Recognized as one of the top basketball officials in Kansas, Gayer has officiated high school and collegiate basketball for 22 years. He has been selected seven times to officiate in the KSHSAA state championship tournament. On a personal note, Gayer has won the McPherson City singles tennis championship twice, the McPherson Turkey Creek club championship in golf twice, and the McPherson City two-man golf championship once.
Gayer received a Masters in Sports Administration degree from Wichita State University. He and his family are active members of the Countryside Covenant Church of McPherson
William “Bill” Smith, class of 1956, was a multi-year, All-KCAC selection in both football and basketball while earning 12 varsity letters in three sports for McPherson College.
A native of McPherson, Smith was a four-year starter and letter winner in football for the Bulldogs. As a senior, Smith was named to the All-KCAC first team. He received the honorable mention All-KCAC recognition as a 170-pound freshman defensive lineman following the Bulldogs’ 1952 undefeated, championship season. Following his sophomore season he was named to the All-KCAC’s second team, and then as a junior, when he co-captained the Bulldogs and was named honorable mention all-conference.
During his senior year, Smith set a KCAC and McPherson College single game basketball scoring record of 47 points against Friends University, a school record that still stands. In that same game, he also set school records for free throws made (21) and attempted (28). His 466 single season points and 1149 career points were also school records at the time of his graduation. As a junior he was named to the all-conference second team while leading McPherson in rebounding. As a senior, he broke his own record and again led the conference in scoring and was named to the All-KCAC first team.
In track and field, Smith medaled in the discus at the conference meet all four years, and set a school record as a sophomore.
After receiving his B.S. in mathematics from McPherson College, Smith went on to a distinguished 20-year career as an officer in the U.S. Navy. He attended the United State Naval Postgraduate School in Engineering Science, the Armed Forces Staff College, and George Washington University, where he received a Masters in Information Technology. A Vietnam veteran, Smith concluded his naval career on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in the Pentagon, retiring with the rank of Commander in 1977.
Following his naval career, Smith worked in private industry as a Systems Engineer in information systems research and development until his retirement in 1997.
At the present time, he is active at Christ Church Episcopal in Richmond, Va, the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, and participates in senior track & field and basketball. A state and regional senior champion in the shot put and discus, Smith has also been a member of several Virginia state championship senior basketball teams.
Smith joins his brother Paul “Gene” Smith, Hall of Fame class of 2000, as the second brother combination in the McPherson College Athletic Hall of Fame.
