Category: 2014 Inductees

Dick “PeeWee” Shafer played three sports at Stivers: basketball and baseball, but football was by far his best game. At 5’9”, 160 pounds, he was a triple threat who could run, pass, and block but added a fourth dimension with his kicking skill. He was the city’s best punter and place kicker. Tough and fleet, he could score from any distance. Stivers Hall of Fame Coach Hawk English said that Dick was the city’s best football player. All-City as a junior and senior, he led Stivers to the city football championship in 1936 and was also a member of the Stivers basketball championship squad. Among his teammates were Hall of Famers Lee Fenner and Norb Zimmerman. Playing during the Great Depression, Stivers could no longer afford their annual road trips…

Walter Mills was born in Barbourville, Kentucky, and moved to Dayton, Ohio at the age of 6 years. He attended Emerson School in grades 1-7 and Stivers High in grades 8-12. Walter had a great athletic career at Stivers, earning 9 letters: 4 in baseball, 3 in football and 2 in basketball. He noted that some favorite sports memories include pitching a no-hitter against Yellow Springs, running a 70 yard touchdown against Roth, and playing quarterback for the last winning Stivers football team. Walter was also awarded special recognition on the All-City football teams. Walter excelled not only in athletics at Stivers, but also as a school leader. He served as treasurer of the Junior Class and Vice-President of the Senior Class. Walter and future wife Sina Hampton were elected…

Little did Abe and Sarah Schear from Russia think as they set sail out of Bremen on the Maine on September 15, 1903, that they would eventually in 1911 settle on Samuel Street in Dayton, Ohio’s east end and bring up a family of two girls and six boys who would become stellar athletes at Stivers High School. Their oldest boy, Herb, started what would become a tradition followed by his five younger brothers Harry, Max, Hyman, Gene and Bert - all playing center position on the Stivers football teams from 1923 through 1937. The two girls (proud sisters) Rose ‘25 and Tillie) were also there at Stivers, cheering them on. Playing three years as center on the National Championship football team, by his senior year Herb was All-City and…

At Stivers, LeRoy was a talented and versatile athlete. During his freshman and sophomore years, LeRoy was a four sport athlete - football, basketball, track, and gymnastics. His freshman year he set the freshman pole vault record, and again in his senior year he set the Stivers pole vault record. In his sophomore, junior and senior years, LeRoy earned varsity letters in track and football. Throughout his high school years in track, he set school records and placed in the top four at all meets. LeRoy was selected as Dayton Daily News Football Player of the Week and as Honorable Mention all-city quarterback. His senior year, he was awarded the prestigious city-wide Perc Welcome Memorial Scholarship Award for the senior student excelling in scholarship, class leadership and athletic ability. LeRoy…