I grew up in Gypsum, population around 400 people. The tiny Saline County town doesn't have much -- a hardware, a gun store and a part-time gas station.

We do have a red sign on the edge of town proclaiming our only claim to fame: Steve Fritz.

I don't personally know Steve. I know his dad, Pee Wee, who runs the part-time gas station and who fixed my green Ford pickup numerous times. Faded, on the side of the old Phillip's 66 station, is a tribute to his son and the town's people who supported him in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Steve competed in the Dan O'Brien era -- you know, the guy in the Dave and Dan commercials. He narrowly missed an Olympic bronze, instead finishing fourth.

No medal, but still, how cool is that.

So earlier this week, when I took a one-tank trip to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, I wasn't surprised to see Steve's Olympic warm up, or pictures of him on display. He's just one of Kansas' athletic greats -- along with Barry Sanders, Lynette Woodard, Wes Santee and Thane Baker.

On a side note, I was so excited to get to interview two Olympic greats, Thane and Wes were overly nice. And to reiterate what they told me, they recommend a trip to the hall of fame.

So do I.