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l a f a y e t t e s a v i n g s p r e s e n t s l a f a y e t t e l e g e n d : r o s s f i c h t n e r Toughness Defines Fichtner Two-way player excelled for Boilermakers BY ALAN KARPICK AKarpick@GoldandBlack.com FIchtner said. "I literally visited 20 schools when making my college choice. I went to Miami, USC, Colorado. You name a big oss Fichtner knows all about tough- school, I probably visited there as it gave ness. He made a career out of it. me a chance to see places I had never had The former Boilermaker quarterback the opportunity to visit. and defensive back was a key part of "I committed to just about every Purdue highly competitive teams in the school I visited before I late 1950s. He used his left their campus, only work ethic to make his to find a new favorite mark on the sport he still the next week. But in loves. the end, when Coach "I learned about Hager decided to come toughness from my high to Purdue, I changed my school coach growing mind in the last minute up in McKeesport, Pa.," and became a BoilerFichtner said earlier this maker. " week. "It was very comIn an era of one-plapetitive there and I had toon football, Fichtner to bring that mindset worked his way on the with me to Purdue." first team as a sophoWhile Coach Jack more in 1957, as part of Mollenkopf shaped him, a very talented class. He it was freshman coach played both quarterback Allen Hager who had a and defensive back, Purdue lot to do with Fichtner earning playing time Seen here in one of the classic poses of 1950s coming to Purdue. after Purdue started was a "Recruiting rules football, Ross Fichtnerdays of quarterback and the season with threedefensive back in the one-platoon were very different football. The Boilermakers didn't throw it straight losses and Molthen, that is for sure," much during Fichtner's days in West Lafayette lenkopf decided to go R with a youth movement when the natives were starting to get a little restless with the second-year Boilermaker coach. Mollenkopf and Fichtner weren't fazed that No. 1 Michigan State in East Lansing was next on the schedule. The Boilermakers went on to upset Duffy Daugherty's Spartans, and Fichtner, who had a pro- pensity of making his limited number of completions count, converted on Purdue's lone completion of the day that netted a 43-yard pass play that set up a key touchdown. Fichtner also had a role in causing 10 Michigan State fumbles of which the host Spartans lost five. It was the key victory David Boudia, Olympic gold medalist EvEry AnglE. E v E r y P o s s i b i l i t y. Mobile banking FroM anywhere Local banking goes global with mobile banking at Lafayette Savings Bank. Their mobile app is perfect for my busy lifestyle—and yours. Check out mobile banking at Lafayette Savings Bank today. www.lsbank.com | 742-1064 from 1957-59. GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 6 • 34