A personal story I would like to share with OSU friends......


[ Hall of Fame index ] [ O-Zone Fan Forum ]

By RLC65 on 10:59:41 07/28/02

I posted this on Bucknuts.com as well this morning, so those who frequent there should forgive me for simply copy and pasting this here..........

I had to drop out of my Las Vegas suburb Rotary Club last year because of some physical problems, which had also caused me to retire somewhat early from my Chamber of Commerce executive job at the end of 2000.

When I was a really active Rotarian in the '80s I had driven my fellow members to distraction for a decade, preaching the virtues of Ohio State football, Woody Hayes, the Horseshoe, the Skull Session, and a host of other traditional stuff about which they did not care one whit. When I was president in '86, I even devised the "Sacred Buckeye" award, which meant presenting some exemplary club member with a real buckeye from time to time as a reward.

All took it in good humor, even the rabid UNLV fans who got tired of me berating their team for having the audacity to point out that there was only ONE Scarlet and Gray. And, that it was NOT Nevada Las Vegas, which has glommed onto the name. A millionaire club member, a rabid BYU fan, grumpily paid off a $2 bet with me on the first Holiday Bowl meeting between the two teams by presenting me a jar of honey with two hundred pennies in it. (It is hard as a rock, but I still have it.)

I received a special invitation to return to a meeting after 10 months non-membership, which I did Friday morning. My first president from 1981, who works for American Hardware Mutual (?) which is headquartered in Columbus, called me forward and presented me with a copy of Jack Park's OSU Football Encyclopedia, which I was aware of but felt I would never see or be able to afford. (His boss in Columbus is a huge OSU fan, and facilitated the process) When I opened the flyleaf it was autographed not only by Jack, but also personalized by Archie Griffin.

Not only that, but they also presented a letter from Archie on his OSU stationery, commending me for my service to the Chamber, but also for my many years of OSU support. I was overwhelmed. All the standard congratulatory letters I had received from governors, senators and representatives and others over the years were nice, but did not hold a candle to this. I will cherish both items always.

And, I will always remember that the "OSU Family" is a huge one and a very special one. And as my years as an alum and bedrock fan wind down, I can only wish for those of you who are new at one or both, that when you reach my age, you are able to look back with the same appreciation and thrill that I do. Go Bucks


[ Hall of Fame index ] [ O-Zone Fan Forum ]