Al Ortolani believed in always being early and never late. His death, Friday, came too soon for his family, friends and colleagues. Virginia’s loving husband of 57 years, the father of 5, the grandfather of 14 and the great-grandfather of 3, Al wanted desperately to see the birth of his 4th great-grandchild. Not out of selfishness, but of the duty to care for his family -- a responsibility he has shouldered since losing his father as a child.
Al sported a glossy resume. He was a trainer for the U.S. Olympic swim teams in 1976, 1980 and 1984. He was a consultant for the 1996 Olympic Games, and he worked as a trainer for numerous U.S. teams in international competition. Al served Pittsburg State for more than 50 years as a teacher, coach and athletic trainer. The PSU baseball field is named after him. He is a member of the National Athletic Trainer Association Hall of Fame and was the first athletic trainer inducted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame. The names of the athletes he helped are jaw-dropping.
The awards and accolades were nice, but it wasn’t what made Al proud. He was all about family and respect and helping others. Al never felt his mission complete. He always wanted to help and improve and support those around him, and he never stopped trying.
Al loved his family and his students. He started each day making hearts out of napkins or soap bars for Virginia and the kids. He made sure the ice was always scraped off the windshields and cars warmed in cold weather. His grandkids received a small package every week. Al could have accepted a couple of prestigious job opportunities, but he declined because the family always came first. He made personalized Easter eggs and delivered care packages to players who couldn’t go home for the holidays. Al mowed 5 neighborhood yards, and didn’t hesitate to give away his last dollar or the coat on his back. For years he ran a free Saturday morning sport injury clinic out of his home for athletes all over southeast Kansas. Al felt if you didn’t give everything, you were cheating yourself and those around you.
Al knew how to have fun. He once stood behind Coach Dennis Franchione — known for not allowing smiles on the team bus — with two $1 bills stuck up his nose just to lighten the mood with the players. He slid under the bleachers on a moped one day during practice to the delight of the team. He would regularly walk through a crowd of athletes during grueling three-a-day practices while carrying a boom box blaring the William Tell Overture to break up the monotony. He once took his girls to Wal-Mart sporting a communion veil because the store was giving away free plates to anyone wearing a veil. He thought it was so much fun that he changed veils and went through again. At the age of 75, Al was sliding down the Fourth Street overpass on a plate. His daughter Debbie had to lock up all the ladders this summer because she was afraid he’d jump off the top of their new pool house into the pool.
