Fred Hecker - Inducted 2002

Born July 2, 1939, in Hinsdale, Ill. Sioux Falls (1957 Washington High grad). 1963 Augustana grad. One of the finest athletes in the history of Sioux Falls' Washington High, Hecker was an All-American in football and basketball as a senior. The 1957 Washington grad also excelled in golf and track, earning 11 letters in all. In his prep career, he played on football teams that went 23-2, and he was on three state title teams in track, two in basketball and one in golf. He was a three-time all-stater in football and basketball and three times ran on state champion mile relay teams in track.

His junior year might have been his most impressive season. As a junior, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Hecker scored 95 points as a fullback, leading his team to an 8-1 record. In basketball, he led the Warriors to the state title. He shot 68-73 to win the state golf title as WHS won the team title. In track, he was second in the shot put, ran on the winning medley relay team and was on a mile relay team that never lost a race as WHS again won the state title.

As a senior, he was a fullback and defensive back on a 9-0 state championship football team. In basketball, he led the Warriors to a 21-3 record and runner-up finish at state. In track, Hecker was third in the shot put and 440 and ran on the winning mile relay. Earlier that season he set a state record in the shot put (52-10).

In college, he played fullback for Ara Parseghian at Northwestern University before transferring to Augustana to play for his old high school coach, Bob Burns. At Augustana, Hecker helped the Vikings win the 1959 North Central Conference title.

Hecker also was a pro golfer, playing on all the major and mini tours in this country. He qualified for and played in the 1996 U.S. Senior Open in Cleveland.