In Memory
Michael Alex Otolski
Oct 5, 1944 - Apr 18, 2025
Michael Alex Otolski, 80 of The Villages, FL passed away on April 18, 2025.
He was born in South Bend, IN on October 5, 1944, to Dorothy Kwieran and Michael Otolski. Michael graduated from Saint Edward's University Austin, Texas in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in education and later earned his Master of Administration from Northeast Missouri State College. He married Mary Dunne Brennan of South Bend, IN. in August 1969.
In 1991 Mike was inducted into the St. Edward's University Athletic Hall of Fame where he lettered in basketball and baseball all 4 years. He was the lead scorer all 4 years, MVP in ‘65, and all-conference in ‘65 and ‘66. Mike still holds 10th place in career scoring for St. Ed’s. In baseball, where he was known as “Iron Man”, he was lead pitcher all four years and in ‘66 his four RBI’s helped his team win the Big State Conference Title.
He spent his career teaching history and health education while also coaching High School men’s basketball in his hometown of South Bend, IN. Mike earned Metro Coach of the year in 1983-84 while leading the Saint Joseph’s Indians Men’s varsity basketball team.
After retirement, Mike had fun working for NBC Sports as the red hat on the field for Notre Dame games. He enjoyed playing golf with family and friends and could usually be found near a television watching baseball, basketball, and Notre Dame Football.
Mike and Mary spent 54 years together watching their kids and grandkids grow before their eyes. Mike leaves behind his wife Mary (Brennan) Otolski and their children Meghan Bigelow (South Bend IN.), Matthew (Jinny) Otolski (South Bend IN.), Maureen (Michael) Schlatterbeck (Frankfort IL.) and Mitchell (Erin) Otolski (San Diego CA.). Mike was also a proud Grandfather to Molly Bigelow, Emily and Maaron Otolski, Lucy and Fiona Schlatterbeck, Charlie and Jasper Otolski. Mike is also survived by his sister Shirley (Dale) Raquett and many more close relatives and friends.
A Celebration of Life is to be held June 28th at Saint Vincent’s Catholic Church in The Villages, Florida: where Mike and Mary were enjoying their retirement.
04/29/2025 EJS
Jim Champaigne (Admin) (1961)
Posted by Jim Champaigne for Greg Humnicky
Greg Humnicky, the former longtime athletic director at South Bend Clay High School, knew Otolski well. The pair attended athletic powerhouse South Bend Central together in the early 1960's and later served as assistant coaches at South Bend Adams under legendary coach Dave Hadaway.
"Mike was just an all-around good guy," said Humnicky, who still serves as the secretary and historian for the Northern Indiana Conference. "He was a year ahead of me at Central. Then we coached together for six or seven years at Adams before we were laid off in 1982.
"Mike was a hard worker. He was kind of reserved, not flamboyant and liked to kind of stay in the background. I also officiated some high school football games with him, and I really enjoyed that. He just had a lot of impact on a lot of people."
Otolski was the center on the 1963 South Bend Central team that finished as state runner-up, losing to Muncie Central 65-61 in the title game. That Bears squad, coached by Jim Powers, also included star junior guard Mike Warren. Warren would go on to play for former Central coach John Wooden at UCLA before a long and successful acting career.
John McCullum was a senior guard on the 1963 Central team.
"Mike was just a good guy," said McCullum, who still lives in South Bend. "It was all about the team back then. We were close knit like a family, and it was an honor to put on that orange and blue uniform.
"Mike was low key and mild mannered. He refed a lot of my games when I was coaching at Riley."
McCullum, now 80, spent 36 years as a South Bend police officer before retiring in 2007.
"Central was the place to be back then and we had a really good basketball team that year," recalled McCullum. "We should have won it (the state title). We beat Muncie Central during the season in Muncie and needed police escorts to get out of there."
Humnicky recalled Otolski, who was also an outstanding pitcher at Central, hitting a huge shot during the Bears run to the state finals.
"Mike, at 6-4, was the center of that '63 team, and that was a hell of a team with Mike Warren and those guys," Humnicky said. "He hit a rebound shot to beat Goshen in the regional at Elkhart.
"He used to come to all of the Central functions, and I saw him last summer when we got together here in South Bend. Then I used to hire his football crew to officiate games at Clay and hire him as a baseball umpire too."