In Memoriam: Jerry Callahan, Dick Taylor, Stan Albert and Luke Oglesby

by John Hirn
ColoradoAggies.com

The Ram Alumni Athletes Association has learned of the passing of four former CSU athletes over the past six months which span 70 years of Aggies and Rams history. We remember these athletes, their accomplishments and service to CSU Athletics.

Jerry Callahan - A 1951 graduate of Fort Collins High School, Callahan came to Colorado A&M as a freshman to play football and baseball for the Aggies. During his sophomore season of 1952, Callahan was ranked as the nation's 15^th best punter and in the spring of 1953 as a star baseball player for the Aggies he was offered a contract by the Philadelphia Phillies. The Army drafted Callahan instead in 1953 and he played football for the Fort Ord team, leading them to the California Interservice Championship and scrimmaging the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers in 1954. His talents were recognized by the New York Giants Football Club in 1955 and he was offered a spot to try out for them, but chose to return to college. He returned to play for Coach Bob Davis in 1955 and helped guide the Rams to their first conference championship in 21 years. As a senior Callahan stayed on for Coach Tuffy Mullison's first season in 1956 and played two more seasons in 1956 and 1957 on the baseball team achieving a career .375 batting average.

Callahan graduated with his bachelor's degree from CSU in 1958 and master's degree in 1961 and went on to coach at Yuma High School in Yuma, CO. From 1958 to 1962 Callahan's football teams went 49-5-1 winning two state championships. He returned to be an assistant athletic director at CSU as director of athletic development from 1975 to 1980. Callahan then returned to coach at Yuma High School from 1982 to 1988, retiring in 1998 as assistant principal and director of athletics. Jerry Callahan continued to be a fan of Rams football, was a long-time member of the RAAA and in 2015 was the honorary team captain during the coin toss of a Rams football game. Callahan passed away January 15, 2018 at the age of 84.

Richard "Dick" Taylor – An outstanding athlete from Chappell, Nebraska, Taylor arrived at Colorado A&M in 1947 as a freshman and was a member of Coach Bob Davis' first team.

He played back-up quarterback for the Aggies in 1948 as a sophomore playing in the 1949 Raisin Bowl. Taylor returned to farming and was drafted into the Army in 1951. As a high-speed radio operator in Korea he sent and received confidential information during the war until his discharge in 1952. He returned to farming and eventually settled in Yuma, CO in 1970 where he retired. A brick honoring his playing days at Colorado A&M can be found at the new CSU Stadium in his name. Dick Taylor died January 6, 2018 at the age of 88.

Stan Albert – A 2004 inductee to the CSU Sports Hall of Fame, Albert ranks as one of the most successful basketball players of the 1950s and helped lead Colorado A & M in the early days of the Jim Williams era. When he graduated from Colorado State University in 1958, Albert held the school record for free throw percentage and the career record for free throws made. He was voted to the first team All-Conference in 1957 and 1958 along with being named to the District 7 All-Star team for the Skyline Conference. Also in 1958, Albert became the first CSU basketball player on an East-West Shrine basketball team.

Following graduation, Albert went on to a career as a physical education instructor for non-profit Jewish Community Centers. First working in Denver and then moving on to Seattle where he also worked with the Seattle Supersonics of the NBA. From Seattle, Albert then moved to Rochester, New York to work at another Jewish Community Center. He also helped establish the Kodak Classic basketball tournament. He retired in 1998 and is a member of the Rochester Jewish Athletes Hall of Fame. Stan Albert passed away September 14, 2017 at the age of 81.

Luke Oglesby – A 1990 graduate of Rocky Mountain High School and son of former athlete and trainer Fred Oglesby, brother of softball athlete Chris Oglesby-Hutton and uncle of Taylor, Haley and Bridgett Hutton, Luke Oglesby was one of the members of the Oglesby Family legacy of athletes at CSU. He played center field for the Rams in 1991 and 1992. He led in most offensive categories in his two seasons on the Rams' diamond and holds records that will forever stand at CSU. Oglesby broke the school record for stolen bases in a season and the all-time stolen base record in 1992 as a sophomore. He also led the Rams in 1992 in games started, at bats, runs, hits and was named to the All-WAC team. He was named as the 1992 MVP of the baseball team for his outstanding sophomore season. When CSU dropped baseball as a varsity sport following the 1992 season, he transferred to the University of New Mexico and led the Lobos in stolen bases; he was named as an honorable mention All-American in 1993. In the spring of 1993, he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals where he played in their minor league system for six seasons. Following his baseball career, Luke returned to Fort Collins where he owned and operated a baseball instruction facility and also worked in the restaurant industry in Denver. Luke Oglesby passed away August 4, 2017 at the age of 46.

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