Rose State College is proud of our students – past and present. We’re excited to introduce you to the next Raider in our “Glad I Chose Rose” series, highlighting Rose State College alumni!
Meet Danny Addington. Oscar Rose Junior College, 1970s.
Addington wrestled for both ORJC coaches, Coach Strong and Coach Milliron. He wrestled largely in the 167-pound weight class and preferred to wrestle the bigger guys because he could outmaneuver them.
Addington said wrestling for Coach Milliron was hard, but he learned a lot. He distinctly remembers Coach Milliron telling the wrestlers that practice would be “two hours and two hours only, gentlemen.” At the end of practice, all wrestlers were required to climb the rope in the gym, and there were no exceptions. The wrestlers would form a pyramid to help the heavyweight wrestler reach the top of the rope so they could all go home.
Addington earned a working scholarship at ORJC, where he handled all the team’s laundry. After practice, he stayed for two to three hours to wash and fold the laundry. He also spent time in the wrestling room doing his homework and talking with Coach Milliron. Through those conversations, Addington said he got to know the person beyond the coach and learned a great deal from him.
Addington took a break from wrestling for a couple of years but returned to ORJC when Coach Strong offered him a scholarship. He wrestled for another year before graduating.
We asked Addington about his most memorable match, and he told us about his final match as a collegiate wrestler.
The ORJC team traveled to Richland, Texas, for a dual. Addington was set to compete in the 177-pound class, but the opposing team didn’t have a wrestler at that weight, which would have resulted in a forfeit. However, ORJC lacked a heavyweight and would have to forfeit that match as well. After watching the opposing team’s heavyweight eat an entire pack of Oreos and drink a gallon of milk, Coach Strong made the bold decision to have Addington step in and wrestle at heavyweight.
Coach Strong advised Addington to just stay out from under his opponent, and he did exactly that. The opposing heavyweight became sick multiple times during the match, and Addington pinned him in the second period with a headlock.
Throughout his wrestling career, Addington pinned all his opponents in the first or second period. He had 18 total falls.
Addington recalled that Coach Milliron did not want them to be flashy wrestlers, rather he wanted them to be efficient. He said that Coach Milliron always said that Addington wrestled with “reckless abandonment.”
Addington said Coach Milliron kept in touch with him after he graduated from ORJC, and they would chat on the phone regularly. Addington said he would tell Coach Milliron that if he had known it was a lifetime deal, then he wouldn’t have let him recruit him to the team. He said Coach would just laugh. Addington also recalled taking Coach Milliron out for his birthday in his later years before he passed. Addington considered it a great honor to be a pallbearer at Coach Milliron’s funeral and remains close with the coach’s family today, helping care for the coach’s special needs son.
After graduating from ORJC, Addington taught and worked with special needs students for 25 years at Mid-Del Public Schools. He also coached wrestling at Del Crest in Del City. He retired in 2018.