Gerry Hagedorn was not just a Moscow native, Vandal alumnus, lover of athletics or financial donor –he was a true Vandal.
Hagedorn died Monday, but his legacy will remain with the “Vandal family,” said Rob Spear, University of Idaho athletic director. Along with Angela Whyte, former Olympian and current 2012 Olympic hopeful, and Ken Owens, who was a part of the Don Monson and Sweet 16 era of Idaho basketball, Hagedorn was inducted in 2010 to the University of Idaho Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement and outstanding contribution to athletics.
Hagedorn asked Julie Taylor, Idaho track and field coach, and her husband Tim to present him for the induction, which she said was a great experience and honor. Spear said one of his greatest memories of Hagedorn was that moment.
“One thing about Gerry, he’s a talker,” Taylor said. “He loved to talk. Sometimes you couldn’t get him to stop talking.”
But she said that was not the case the day he was inducted. She said it was obvious he was touched and honored.
Spear said Hagedorn provided financial support for all Vandal athletics by donating to the Vandal Scholarship Fund, one of the reasons he earned a place in the Hall of Fame, but track and field received the most attention.
“He did know all our track and field athletes. He was not only an avid booster, but he was a true fan,” Spear said. “He really built life-long relationships with these student-athletes.”
Taylor said Hagedorn’s financial contributions to the team were a huge help in furthering the program through purchase of equipment and scholarships. But she said his emotional support made the biggest impact.
“That was way more important than any cash value that he gave to our team,” Taylor said.
In late 1999 and 2000, Taylor said Hagedorn started coming to the track and field team’s practice to meet everyone. He would hang out, provide encouragement and tell stories of his time as a Vandal and thrower.
“He’s kind of a little magnet,” she said.
Taylor said his involvement on that level had an invaluable impact on the athletes, and it went both ways. She said he told her numerous times what a blessing it was to know the athletes, and how they gave so much back to him.
“I can’t help but think Gerry was waiting for us to win another WAC championship before he passed away,” Spear said in reference to the men’s Indoor WAC title won the Saturday before Hagedorn died.
Hagedorn’s support helped former Vandal Russ Winger transition from the discus to shot put. Taylor said she remembers Hagedorn standing in the middle of the shot put ring shagging for Winger, who was having difficulties with the change in technique. She said Hagedorn told him to trust his coaches and challenged him to throw a certain distance.
“I just remember Gerry encouraging him you gotta believe in this,’ and later that year he threw 55 feet and he qualified for the U.S. championships as a sophomore,” Taylor said. “Just shows a little encouragement goes a long way.”
Winger is in the top 25 in the world in men’s shot put and discus.
During high school Hagedorn threw discus and javelin, and earned two state titles in javelin throwing his junior and senior years. He continued to compete at the collegiate level as a Vandal, and spent two years as a walk-on basketball player. His experience as a track athlete was a huge part of his life, Taylor said.
“He mentioned how it was the individual doing well, and that was important and how it was the kid going out and testing himself every weekend,” she said. “… it’s different from every other sport in that regard.”
Though Hagedorn only attended UI for two years before joining the U.S. Army Air Corps and becoming a pilot during World War II, he led a successful career in farming. He was one of the nation’s top breeders of Polled Hereford cattle and served on the national board for American Polled Hereford Association. Taylor said he was successful in everything he did, and the impact he had and what he accomplished was amazing.
“He was an incredibly giving person who made you feel better when you were around him,” Spear said.
Spear said the athletics department is planning something to honor Hagedorn appropriately, and that inducting him to the Hall of Fame was part of it, but it would like to find an additional way.
Taylor said every year track and field presents the Gerry Hagedorn Award to one athlete based not only on performance, but community service, conduct of the track and academics. She said she thinks it is important for athletes who didn’t know Hagedorn to know the impact he’s made on the program.
“The whole track community will miss him a lot,” Taylor said. “He’s been a huge part of the program.”