He developed a rotational technique referred to as the "Minnesota Whip" and delivered a masters thesis on the subject.

[6] While stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune as a coast guardsman, he was selected by the Associated Press as an end on the 1943 All-American Service team.

Under the guidance of Jim Kelly, Minnesota's track coach, he began experimenting with technique to find a better way of throwing the discus.

Kelly credited Fitch with inventing a method of throwing called the "Minnesota Whip", which is now the accepted style worldwide.

It was Fitch that mastered the technique first – on June 8, 1946, he threw a discus throw world record of 54.93 m (180 ft 2+3⁄4 in), bettering the mark of Adolfo Consolini by more than half a meter.

[13] The younger Gordien became the more decorated of the two, winning seven national titles between 1947 and 1954,[11] and broke the world record on four occasions, his best being 59.28 m (194 ft 5+3⁄4 in) in 1953.

[9] Working with Gordien while continuing his studies, Fitch produced his masters thesis Mechanical analysis of the discus throw in 1951.

He took the previously undecorated Hoosiers into NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships competition on twelve occasions, with the team's best placing being sixth in 1974.

His charges remembered Fitch pushing them hard both physically and academically, in the style of his previous coach Bernie Bierman.