Athlete 1950 - 1954
Few athletes have ever competed with as much heart as Linfield Hall of Fame inductee
Ray Olson.
Writing in his weekly News-Register sports column, "Dodging with Durham," Hall of Fame football coach
Paul Durham described Olson as "one of the greatest team players ever. Ray sets a fine spirit of leadership through the example of always doing his best."
He began his athletic career as a reserve, but by the time he graduated from Linfield in 1954, Olson was one of the more decorated athletes of his era. He earned nine varsity letters and received all-Northwest Conference distinction in three sports.
The Wildcats finished 5-4 on the football field in 1953. Olson was a starting offensive tackle, opening up holes for Little All-America halfback
Ad Rutschman. Rushing for 1,237 yards, Rutschman established a single-season record that stood for 40 years.
One of Olson's defining moments came during the first day of football practice in 1953. Anticipating that Durham would require the new squad to run a mile with full pads on, Olson developed his cardiovascular endurance during the summer months in preparation for the dreaded run. Though he stood 6-foot-3 and weighed a hefty 230 pounds, he achieved his goal of finishing the run first, upstaging his lighter and more athletic teammates.
Durham later paid Olson another compliment at the start of the final day of practice that year. Admiring Olson's dedication and dogged determination, the legendary coach told the team: "There's only one player on this team deserving of leading calisthenics and that player is
Ray Olson." That year, Olson was voted the team's most inspirational player.
Olson went straight from the gridiron to the hardwood and a starting spot on Coach
Roy Helser's basketball team. He led the team in field goal percentage and rebounding and was the third-leading point producer, scoring in double figures. He received honorable mention all-star acclaim in a vote of Northwest Conference coaches, however, Linfield finished 10-16 overall and placed sixth in the final standings.
Durham recalled affectionately in his column Olson's distinctive running stride and never-say-die desire to win. "Fans will long remember Ray's peculiar head-bobbing run on the football field and the basketball court. He drove himself with every bit of energy and ability to do whatever job was his on every play of the game."
Not content to sit idle during the spring, Olson turned out for the baseball team and developed into an all-conference catcher. His mastery at the plate was on display during a 1954 game against Whitman, where he tallied a single, two doubles and a triple. Olson ended his senior season hitting .393, helping the Wildcats collect their third NWC baseball title in five years. At season's end, he was a unanimous pick for the NWC all-star team. With NWC all-stars Arnold Owens, Rutschman, Del Coursey and Olson in the lineup, Helser's Wildcats compiled a 19-2 record, one of the best in school history.
In May of his junior year, he was named to the Cardinal Circle, a senior men's honorary that selected members based on outstanding leadership, character and scholarship. He later became that organization's president and served as treasurer of the Lettermen's Club. He majored in physical education with a minor in biology.
Following graduation, it was off to Europe where he served 22 months in the U.S. Army. Much of Olson's time oversees was spent in the city of Kaiserslautern, Germany. His Linfield academic and athletic achievements led to a comfortable and enjoyable experience in the military. His primary duties were teaching troop information and education classes and competing on the Army's football, basketball and baseball teams.
Less than a week after his discharge from the Army, Olson signed a contract to begin teaching and coaching at Rainier High School, 40 miles northwest of Portland. He became the school's head baseball coach and assisted with the basketball and football teams. He moved over to Dallas High School for six years, serving as head baseball coach for six seasons and head boys basketball coach for four. Migrating south, he taught and coached three years at Homestead High School in Sunnyvale, Calif. In 10 years as a high school baseball coach, he never experienced a losing season.
In 1967, Olson moved to the Midwest, teaching sociology and working in administration for 25 years at the College of Du Page in Glen Ellyn, Ill., He started an Asian Studies program and received an award from the college for outstanding contribution to international education. He also helped launch a human services division at the college.
Olson was raised in Dallas, Ore. At Dallas High School, he lettered twice in football and basketball and four times in baseball as a catcher and infielder. He helped lead the Dragons to the state playoffs in both baseball and basketball. It was at the state basketball tournament that Durham spotted Olson's talent and later sent him a letter inviting him to attend Linfield.
His selection for induction into the Linfield Hall of Fame ranks high on his list of career accomplishments.
"It's really quite an honor," he said. "I'm so pleased."
