Inductee Profile
Terry Olson
2014
Terry earned 8 varsity letters in 4 sports before graduating with the class of 1959. He played quarterback and defensive back in football, forward in basketball, and ran sprints in track; however, baseball was and remains his favorite sport. One of his most memorable high school games was a 1-0 loss to Chetek, behind Dennis Overby, in the regional finals of 1959. In addition, Terry played 5 years of American Legion ball for Rice Lake. His combined high school/Legion record in 1959 was only 9-5, but in 100 innings he had 185 strikeouts while yielding only 39 hits and 11 earned runs. In addition he posted a .523 batting average.Late in the summer of 1959, Terry attended the Milwaukee Braves Silver Sluggers School in Eau Claire. He was selected to be the school’s representative to the all-star game at Milwaukee County Stadium. Two players from the game, Terry being one, were chosen to represent the state of Wisconsin at the National Hearst All Star game at Yankee Stadium in New York City. When the U.S. team practiced, it was at old Ebbitts Field in Brooklyn, New York, before it was razed. In the spring of 1960 Terry signed a contract with the Braves. The next 4 years were spent playing minor league baseball in Eau Claire and Davenport (1960), Palatka FL (1961), Cedar Rapids (1962) and Billings (1963). 1962 was his best year in the minors. Terry pitched over 190 innings with 205 strikeouts, a 2.80 era and a 12-10 record. 1962 was also the year he was reunited with Dennis Overby, this time as a teammate and friend instead of a rival. At the end of the year they both enrolled at Stout State University where they were roommates. Following graduation from Stout, Terry entered the Marine Corps. After commissioning and flight school he spent 4 years as a Naval Flight Officer flying F-4 Phantom fighters. Terry and his wife Diana reside in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. He is retired from a long career in the construction industry.