Roland Ortmayer: a coach who will be missed
Roland Ortmayer died today, and a little bit of what's great about college sports passed with him.
"Ort" was a legend in small-college athletics, gently guiding and teaching life lessons over parts of six decades at what is now La Verne University.
He was La Verne's football coach for 43 of his 91 years, his teams winning about half the time even though he never cut a player, rarely recruited and didn't require attendance at practice.
No practice, you say? Well, that went right along with him not having a playbook, either.
Ort was hired by La Verne as football and baseball coach back in 1948. By the time he retired in 1991, he'd also run the basketball and track and field programs and served as athletic director in addition to teaching an annual summer course called "When Lewis and Clark Met the Mountains" -- a month-long expedition of kayaking, rafting, canoeing and discussing historical journals while camping.
He never turned out an NFL football player, but his guidance produced plenty teachers and coaches.
In a story he wrote for Sports Illustrated about Ortmayer -- headline: "A Most Unusual Man" -- Douglas S. Looney wrote that simply labeling him a coach "is like praising Picasso for knowing the primary colors."
"Ort" might have said, "Oh crumb!" to that, which is as colorful as his language ever got. He never cussed.
Family services are pending and there are plans for a university memorial service.
-- Mike Hiserman
Photo: In this shot taken in 1957, La Verne players Jim Milhon (later head football coach at Azusa Pacific), left, and Richard Hart pay attention to Coach Roland Ortmayer. Credit: University of La Verne
God's speed Ort! You will be missed by all of us!
Posted by: Steve Hassler | October 10, 2008 at 10:48 AM
For all of us fortunate enough to have known Ort, this is a bittersweet time. To those who didn't know him, the closest I can come with a comparison is John Wooden at UCLA and Eddie Robinson at Grambling, understanding that Ort's impact wasn't in titles or wins and losses but rather in the people he influenced.
Some people you meet will help you change your life; some will induce you to change your life; a rare few will change your life simply by being around you. Ort was all three.
Ultimately, Ort would tell us not to be sad. Don't fuss your losses; celebrate what you've learned and take pride in your accomplishments. And whatever you do, have fun doing it. If not, what's the point?
I'm glad I knew him.
Posted by: Charles Bentley | October 10, 2008 at 11:53 AM
I remember he had a fondness for lemon pies. He used to tell my husband and me stories of the days at ULV. His family was a great joy to him and I'm glad to have known them. We were neighbours and he never went anywhere without Sport, his dog. That dog loved him. We used to say there goes "Ort and Sport" and laugh.
He used to let us pick lemons in his backyard and he was never satisfied until the bag was full even if we only needed a couple of lemons. He was there whenwe needed him and made us feel welcomed to a city we knew nothing about. He always had a smile on his face and he lit up when he knew his daughters were coming for a visit. Ort and his family will always be in our prayers and we are better for knowing him. Now he is with Cornie, the angels, and the Lord. God Bess Ort. Your nieghbours will miss you.
Posted by: Wendy Djamoussian | October 10, 2008 at 08:13 PM