Wabash College Athletics Hall of Fame
Andrew T. Ford, when you became Wabash’s 14th president in 1993, you had a vision for a college that would stay its course of liberally educating young men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and live humanely. That vision also included sweeping physical changes to the College’s landscape and repositioning Wabash in an athletic conference with intellectual peer institutions.
During the Campaign for Leadership, you insisted that Wabash’s new athletics facilities fit under one roof, which meant lengthy negotiations with architects, city leaders, and some of the highest residential real estate prices ever on Crawford Street. But that vision made sense, and when the Allen Center was dedicated, all of Wabash could see what you saw at the outset — varsity, intramural, and recreational athletes all working out and working together in a single state-of-the-art facility. You also ushered Wabash into the North Coast Athletic Conference, one of the most prestigious and academically strong conferences in all of Division III, and presented the football team with the College’s first-ever NCAC Championship trophy. You were in the stands rooting for Wabash in the 100th Monon Bell Classic; witnessed “The Catch” in the 2001 Bell Game; and you were there for basketball star Josh Estelle’s 2,000th career point to name just a few highlights.
Indeed, for 13 years you cheered on the Little Giants when ever you could; you celebrated the men and their victories and provided support for them in their losses. We salute you today, though, not for your active fan participation but for your unwavering commitment to the education of the whole man — mind, body, and spirit — and for providing the facilities, coaches, and competition necessary to bring out the best in all Wabash men. Andrew T. Ford, the National Association of Wabash Men is grateful for all of your contributions to Wabash, and honors you today for your Wabash Always Fights spirit by inducting you into the Wabash College Athletics Hall of Fame. Some Little Giant!
