VICTOR FITE
Track, 1926-29
Inducted October 8, 1977

Victor Fite was a track standout of SMS and turned in a collection of victories as a distance runner that has seldom been equaled.  The Willow Springs product was hailed in 1929 as the “greatest long distance runner ever produced at State Teachers College” as he lettered for the fourth straight season.  He was second in the MIAA in the half mile as a freshman in 1926 and the next year won both the 880 and the two-mile run in the league meet.  After getting 12 firsts and two seconds in 14 races during the 1928 season, he claimed first in the 880 and mile and was third in the two-mile to gain high point honors in the MIAA meet.  In 1929, he was the captain of the SMS team and became the first MIAA athlete ever to win the half mile, mile, and two mile runs in the same year.  He was a consistent winner in dual meets throughout his career, placed fifth and second in the 3,000-meter run in two trips to the prestigious Kansas Relays; and was an SMS standout in the one season the school had cross country during his era.