Category: 2009 Inductees

Dick began his teaching and coaching career at Emerson Elementary School in 1958. The following year he moved to Stivers as assistant football and track coach to replace Joe Sullivan who had stepped down to concentrate on gymnastics and baseball. The building of Belmont High School in the late 1950's and Rt. 35 in the 1960's decimated the Stivers district resulting in some lean years for the Tigers. In the early 60's Dick Landis was hard pressed to recruit enough athletes to field a football team but by 1966 the Tigers were again playing for the City Championship. In a very close and hard fought game Stivers would end up losing to Roth. In 1969 Dick relinquished his coaching positions to replace retired athletic director and Stivers Hall of Famer…

Sahara was one of Stivers most outstanding track athletes. She came from a basketball family that included her father Sylvester, 1973 Patterson High and 1979 Ohio Dominican College, brothers Shamier at Stivers in 2002 and Sylvester Jr., a 1999 Colonel White basketball player. At Stivers, Sahara ran the 100, 200 meters and as the anchor for the 800 meter relay team. She qualified and ran in the Ohio State Championship meet all four years. In 2001, she set a Southwest District record for the 100 meters at 12.1 seconds and finished 3rd in the State 200 meters. In 2002, Sahara was 2nd in the 100 meters and 5th in the 200 meters in the State Championship Meet,  as a senior in 2003, Sahara placed 2nd in the 200 and 3rd in…

"Wee Willie Wikle" was his given nickname by Dayton Daily News sports writer John Olesky for he was small by most standards at 5'7" and 137 pounds. Bill earned seven varsity letters at Stivers, two each in baseball and gymnastics, and three in football, his strongest sport. Bill played both offense and defense for the Tigers and was rarely off the field. He was a fast, elusive and fearless competitor at safety and halfback. On Nov. 13,1963 Bill was named Dayton Daily News "Athlete of the Week" after rushing for 188 yards and two touch downs against Colonel White. In a triumph over Tecumseh. Bill gained 172 yards rushing despite having a 93 yard run called back for clipping. He was the fifth leading rusher in the Dayton Public League…

Jerry Bohannon earned four letters at Stivers with three letters in football and one letter in track. In football, Jerry was an offensive and defensive end for the varsity, standing at an even 6'and weighing 175 lbs. He was a three year starter in football and was elected Co-Captain of the Tigers his senior year. Jerry earned All-City honors as an offensive end as a junior in the 1956 season and All-City as a defensive end in his 1957 senior year. Football Coach Jim Hanby was quoted in the Dayton Daily News, "Jerry Bohannon played every minute of every game and was the first player I coached who knew all assignments for all positions". Jerry ran track in his senior year for coach Traver Sutton. He competed in the dashes…

While a student at Stivers High School, Larry earned 3 letters in both basketball and cross country. He received "Special Mention, All-City" two years. He played one year at Wilmington College, then while attending the University of Dayton, served as head basketball coach at Shawn Acres Children's Facility in 1960 and 1961. After graduating from the University of Dayton, Larry was offered the head basketball position at Germantown High School. He declined that offer because he was offered and accepted the assistant coaching position at Stivers with basketball coach Vaughn Taylor. Larry also served as the cross country coach for 3 years. From 1967 until 1973, Larry was Stivers varsity basketball coach during the most tumultuous years for the city as the Dayton schools began bussing students. With the presumed…

Vern Woods was one of the premier football players in the Dayton City League during the mid 1950's. He was a three year starter for the Tigers as an offensive tackle and defensive lineman. Vern made 1st Team as a defensive middle guard in his sophomore year. He played both offense and defense as a junior and senior. He was named City Lineman of the Week against Fairview as a junior. Coach Jim Hanby credited Teddy Bear with "disrupting an explosive Fairview game". It should be noted that Vern was a very important player on the 1954 Stivers City Championship Team. He was twice selected City Lineman of the Week as a senior because of his stellar play against Roosevelt and Dunbar. Coach Gorby of Roosevelt credited Woods with "wrecking…

Bobby Logan was an outstanding athlete who was a three year starter in both football and baseball under Coach Jim Hanby for the Stivers Tigers. Bob was considered a rugged, hard-nosed player despite his 5'6" and 145 pound stature. He was a starting defense halfback as a sophomore and a two way starter in his junior and senior years. In addition, Logan made Player of the Week twice in his junior year and was a key player on the Stivers City Championship team in 1954. Bob was named Big Seven League Player of the Week for his outstanding play in the Chaminade game in which he scored the winning touchdown to snap the Eagles 49 game winning streak. He was selected Player of the Week in his senior year for touchdown…

Joe was born in Dayton on March 20, 1939. At the age of 6, his parents moved the family to Owensboro, KY, where they lived until 1954. They moved back to Dayton for his sophomore year at Stivers and he immediately made his presence known by lettering in cross country, basketball and track. He excelled in basketball and at 6"4" was named to the All-City team in 1956 at center. Widely recruited Joe accepted a full scholarship to the University of Louisville to play basketball for the Cardinals. In 1959 he was a star forward on the Louisville team that defeated Michigan State and Kentucky in the NCAA Regional in Evanston, IL, which earned the cardinals their first of many final four appearances. Joe graduated from the U. of L.…

Herb Schafer earned 7 letters at Stivers with three letters in football as an offensive halfback  and four letters in baseball as an outfielder. In football, Herb was 2nd Team All-City as a junior on the 1952 Public League Championship Team and 1st Team All-City as a senior. He was also an "All-Ohio Honorable Mention" and played in the Dayton City All-Star game in 1953. Herbie was small in stature but had both speed and power as a running back. He set a city record with a 93 yard touchdown run to defeat Roosevelt 7-2 and scored 3 TD's in the Wilbur Wright game. In baseball, Herb had good speed as a centerfielder and was a line drive hitter in the lead-off position. He was an important member of the 1952…

Larry Ferguson was an outstanding student and athlete who earned eight letters during his Stivers athletic career. Larry lettered three years in football as an offensive and defensive end and he Co-captained the 1953 team. He earned All-City honors as an offensive end in his senior year and 2nd Team All-City as a junior. Ferguson was a three year letter winner in baseball as a starting pitcher. He was an important player on the Stivers 1953 baseball city Co-Championship Team. Larry played four years of basketball and was the starting center in his senior year. He also ran track as a freshman and won the Mile race in the City Championship meet. Not only was Larry an excellent athlete, he was also in the National Honor Society and he was…