On Saturday evening, the 7th annual Odin High School Hall of Fame Ceremony was held at Ples H. Wilson Gymnasium.
Here were the inductees.
Glenn Benjamin: Glenn is highly regarded as one of the top pitchers the school has ever produced. He is listed 6 times in the IHSA Record Books: 9th for Career Wins (38), 12th for Season Wins (16), 8th for Career Innings (330), 3rd for Season Innings (148.2), 13th for Career Strikeouts (446) and 8th for Season Strikeouts (213). He was voted MVP of the MTC in 1990 with an ERA of 0.44, only allowing three earned runs in his 8 starts and throwing 7 complete games in those 8 starts. He made the All-Conference Team in 1989, was MVP of the Odin Round Robin in 1989 and Co-MVP of the ORR in 1990. He also threw 3 no-hitters during his career. The Eagles were very successful with a record of 134-37-1 during his career and winning the infamous “Grand Slam” title in his 89-90 season; the first and only team to do so. He was a member of Varsity Basketball all four years and was named the team’s MVP in 1990. He led by example as an honor roll student/athlete and was the Class of 1990’s President all 4 years. No one is more proud of their Eagle Heritage as he can often be heard saying “Eagle For Life.”
Vivian L. Creed: “Odin School is where I chose to teach from the fall of 1979 until May of 2016. Enjoying each year with the wonderful faculty and students, created so many memories. From my parents making their delicious pancakes, topped with the apple butter we made in our classroom, the Cabbage Patch wedding, the talent show by teachers before Christmas break, field trips and the Amtrak train trip, to name a few. I tried to always look for an opportunity to make a positive difference. My family and friends were an integral asset in this special lifetime journey. Being inducted in the Odin Hall of Fame is a special honor I am very grateful for.”
Crawford Hawley: Even though Crawford graduated in 1928, he continued to be associated with the school throughout his life. He worked the scorer’s table for both grade and high school basketball games for many years. When Odin Park first opened in the early 1960’s, he served as groundskeeper and also coached a youth league team. However, it was after his retirement in the early 1970’s that he and his brother Chuck became regular visitors to the school. Some must have thought they were on the payroll as they dropped in on a daily basis. During these visits he would check in with the teachers, students, coaches, cooks, custodians, secretaries and administrators. He would call you by your last name while shaking your hand and smiling. After he could no longer drive, he relied on others to gather information on the school. He had a schedule for every sports team and wanted information on every player. He followed the teams closely by reading the paper, listening to the radio, and relying on friends and neighbors to bring him the latest news. Crawford may have graduated in 1928, but his love affair with the school continued throughout his life. He was an important part of our school family and is greatly missed.
Mallory (Love) MacEachern: Mallorie let her mark in softball after coming to Odin HS her junior year. She brought the softball team to a new level of success, helping her team to the school’s first ever regional championship in 2009. She was MTC Softball Player of the Year 2 years (2008-09), EI Conference 1st Team (2008-09), 3rd team All State 2009 (Illinois Coaches Association) and team MVP (2008-09). Her 2 year career at OHS included 51 complete games (335.2 IP), 15 shut outs, 9 no hitters, 0 batters hit, 589 strikeouts, 39 walks, 36 wins, 16 loses and an ERA of 1.40. Her senior year team record was 22-7, a school record for the most wins in a season. The season included 188 IP, 316 ks and only 19 walks, 11 shut outs, 4 no hitters, and a 0.71 ERA. She threw 2 perfect games her senior year. The first on 4/9/09 she struck out 12 of 15 batters in a 5 innings game against Clay City and on 4/16/09 she threw a rare perfect game against Noble striking out all 21 batters faced. After receiving several offers to play at the collegiate level, Mallorie chose to continue her softball career at McKendree University.
Curtis Parrish: Curtis was a top-ranked, two-sport athlete coming out of OHS. He still ranks high in seven IHSA baseball records. He broke the state’s home run record with a staggering total of 49, and held that record for several seasons. He furthered his baseball career playing for KC. He is also currently in the top-ten scorers in basketball with 1,242 points. He was All MTC Conference for 3 years, All EIC for 2, team MVP all four years, MTC MVP 2 years and EIC MVP 1 season. He was also MTC All Conference basketball for 2 years and team MVP in 1 season.
1978-79 Odin Eagles Baseball Team: Jim Mulvaney led this talented club to the first regional title in school history. He had the Eagles program on the rise from the 75-76 season onward, and those efforts culminated in the success of this memorable Eagle team. As fundamentally sound as any team in school history. Fielding and team speed were elements of the game they excelled in. After a 14-5 fall season, the team would finish the spring with a combined 30-14 slate. The season culminated in a 7-1 win over Mulberry Grove in the regional final, that saw the Eagles bring a regional baseball plaque back to the school for the first time ever. They fell short in the sectional opener to a solid Decatur St Teresa club, in a closely played contest. The team finished in 2nd place in both the MTC regular season and tournament. They took 2nd in the KC Tournament, and won the Farina Tournament in the fall to kick off the season.
Members were Mike Daniels, Kent Hawley, Allen Simmons, James Hodge, Dave Daniels, Ray Snodsmith, Monty Simmons, Phil Isaiah, Scott Williams, David Campbell, Kevin Clark, Bill Parrish, Roger Williams, Mark Isaiah, Scott Berry, Darrin Schwartz, Kent Honey, Mike Finckbone, Brian Risinger.
(Photos: Sam Snodsmith)
