Dalton Junior College opened in September 1967 but not everything was ready on the college's opening day. The gym wasn't finished which called for some tough P.E. classes that year: cards, checkers, and volleyball in the parking lot. The gymnasium was later completed and opened in 1968. The gymnasium was formerly named Bandy Gymnasium in 1970 in honor of BJ Bandy, a carpet entrepreneur, who opened Bartow Textiles in Cartersville in the early 1940s. As the gym opened so did the opportunity to host athletics at Dalton Junior College. Basketball became the college's first official sport with start-up beginning in 1967. When looking back at Dalton Junior College's athletic program, as David Elrod, Director of Institutional Advancement at DSC, says, one can't tell its history without mentioning Melvyn Ottinger. Melvyn Ottinger, known as Coach O, came here in 1967 from Shorter College in Rome. He coached the DJC basketball team for all ten years of their existence, from 1968 to 1978, and achieved a 231-78 record. During his time as head coach, Coach O led DJC to division championships in 1970 and 1974, state championships in 1970 and 1972, and regional championships in 1972 and 1973. During 1971-72, the Roadrunners were ranked second in the nation, no small achievement. Ottinger earned several honors during his time at DJC, such as Coach of the Year in 1970 and 1972, Outstanding Young Man of America in 1970 and Personality of the South in 1971.
Coach O achieved all of this through relentless work and creative techniques. In his first year, Coach O taught biology and taught the subject for years, and, although the athletic program didn't start up until 1968, Coach O was busy getting ready for basketball season. He completed the paperwork for DJC to join the National Junior College Athletic Association, scheduled games, and worked out the logistics of travel, equipment, and insurance. He spent his first year relentlessly recruiting all over the state. No one had ever heard of the small Dalton Junior College which made recruiting tough, but as Coach O said, "That was the fun part…we didn't have anything to offer except the chance to be a part of something special,". Ottinger focused on recruiting but he was also involved in the selection of the college mascot and school colors. In 1968, DJC students were getting ready to vote for the college mascot and it was down to the Eagles or the Mountain Lions. Coach O wasn't fond of either and wanted to persuade the students to vote for something unique. He launched a campaign for a write-in candidate, the roadrunner, the Warner Brothers' cartoon character, and won! Ottinger also helped choose the school colors by ordering white and navy blue uniforms for his players prior to the actual vote. So there was no vote and the school colors were white and navy blue. In support of the college and the new athletic program, a local carpet manufacturer created a carpet with the roadrunner image as a gift. It was found recently and, with the help of David Elrod, was restored and now hangs in the Brown Center.
During his time as head coach, Ottinger brought forth many interesting techniques to intimidate his opponents. As the program began, DJC was known as "fresh meat" but Coach O was determined to start off strong. He started off the games by dimming the lights and shining a spotlight on the locker room door as his players came out. His players were announced by hometown and name which overwhelmed his opponents due to the fact that his players came from across the country. Coach O bought his players two pairs of Converse All-Stars, blue and white, and they would come out wearing one blue shoe and one white shoe. The opposing team would spend the first half of the game wondering where the Roadrunners bought their shoes! Coach O wouldn't shy away from aiding the team and, at times, jumped into the arms of the opposing team's coach and kissed them on the cheek. Coach O, through his strong strategies and unique techniques, brought recognition to DJC, and showed opponents that the Roadrunners were no pushover. As a testament to this, midway through the 1969-70 season, a paint job was added to the Roadrunners' home court that read "Death Valley, GA 30720" on the south wall of the gym. During his time at DJC, Coach O gained an Assistant Coach, Dick Coleman, who helped him strengthen the Roadrunners. During practice, the team would divide into separate groups, Coach O's team and Coleman's Commandos, and play scrimmage games. Through the hard work of these two individuals, the athletic program at DJC flourished and Bandy Gym would be packed on game days. Eventually, due to the economy and other reasons, the athletic program retired in 1978, but Bandy has kept evolving.
In 2007 the college completed a major renovation of Bandy Gymnasium that included the Fitness Center, which is enjoyed by many students today. In 2014 Bandy received a new look which included new lighting, a new court, which was endearingly named "Coach 'O' Court, new logos, and wall mats. Practices are still held at Bandy Gymnasium as well as a variety of fitness classes such as yoga and yoga plus core. Events such as Scholarship Day and the Hoops for Higgins Alumni Game have also been held at Bandy, but one of the most unique events was Coach O's 70th birthday party. The college invited Melvyn Ottinger and his family to the gym to celebrate his birthday with past players and cheerleaders and their families. Many of them came out to once again stand on the court they played on together making it one of the greatest events Bandy Gym has seen.
It has been over 40 years since a basketball game has been held at Bandy Gym, but today Bandy will once again see action and hopefully victory. The 4th-ranked Dalton State Roadrunners will be holding their first game in Bandy against Loyola University (La.) on Thursday, February 2nd, at 7:30pm. Their second game in Bandy against the University of Mobile (Ala.) will be held on Saturday, February 4th, at 4:00pm. The games will be retro and students are encouraged to come dressed in their best 70's look. If that isn't enticing enough, five students will have $100.00 added to their Roadrunner account! They will call out a number, printed on your ticket, during the two media timeouts that occur each half and during halftime. This is a great opportunity for DSC to look back on its roots and give students a different experience. Diego Alvarado Ruiz, a student at DSC, says "I definitely look forward to the games because it offers a different experience than Mashburn Arena. I think the intimacy of Bandy will provide a unique and compelling atmosphere which will make the game that much more interesting."
Go and out and support your DSC basketball team, it will be an unforgettable experience, beep beep!
