Here’s Johnny! Former coach to enter ISU Hall of Fame

Former basketball coach Johnny Orr will be among eight former athletes and coaches to be inducted into the Iowa State University Athletic Hall of Fame this September. Orr took over the Cyclone basketball program from 1980 until his retirement following the 1993-94 campaign. Orr says they notified him last year. He says as soon as former I.S.U. President Martin Jischke left the school, he got into the hall of fame.Orr had a contentious relationship with Jischke. Orr took over the downtrodden Cyclone program after a successful run as the head coach at Michigan. He says it was one of the worst programs in the country and he came to Ames for the challenge and the increase in his salary. Orr says he has always been happy with his decision to leave Michigan for Iowa State even though at the time few understood the move. He says everybody thought he was “nutty.” Orr says noone understood that he was paid very well at Michigan and had no chance to advance.Orr says his most memorable moment at Iowa State was his first day on the job. He says he told everyone at his first press conference he wouldn’t promise them any victories, but he would promise that they’d enjoy themselves.Among the other members of the class are former Track and Cross-Country coach Bill Bergen and three time N-C-A-A wrestling champion Larry Hayes.