Richard Barnum ’62
The seeds for Dick Barnum’s sports career were planted during junior high school in Lakewood when he participated in the Purple Pups athletics program. He was on the starting roster for two years in football and baseball, and for one year in basketball. While a 9th grader, Dick played left halfback for the Purple Pups and his 13 touchdowns set the record under Hall of Fame Coach Ted Cunningham. During 10th grade, Dick started for junior varsity football, basketball and baseball, and played in several varsity football and baseball contests. The junior varsity basketball team won the Lake Erie League championship that year.
Gabe Kovacs ‘61
Gabe Kovacs was an all around athlete at Lakewood High School. He was a two way player on the varsity football team at end. He was an excellent outfielder on the JV baseball team which he gave up after his sophomore year to concentrate on basketball. The Ranger basketball team won two LEL titles during his playing tenure. His senior year, Gabe was named a Ranger MVP along with two of his teammates, Scott Lawson and Grant Sherwood, and was the team’s leading scorer with 17.1 points per game. In addition, he led the team in field goal percentage and rebound average per game. Gabe was an outstanding student earning membership in Lakewood High’s National Honor Society and was awarded a four year academic scholarship to Wittenberg University.
While at Wittenberg, Gabe continued his basketball career playing four years during which Wittenberg won the Ohio Athletic Conference title every year and one year finished second Nationally in Division III. His senior year, Gabe led Wittenberg in both scoring and rebounding and was named first team all Ohio Athletic Conference.
Academically, Gabe continued his record of achievement as a member of the Dean’s List majoring in chemistry. After graduating from Wittenberg, Gabe continued his education at The Ohio State University earning masters degrees in both chemistry and business. Upon graduation, Gabe began a 37 year career with Battelle Industries based in Columbus, Ohio, retiring as Senior VP and Division Manager in 2006. Gabe and his wife, Carolyn, reside in Hilliard, Ohio and have two grown children and two grandsons.
Dr. Robert L. Shearer ’60
Bob Shearer played football and wrestled at Lakewood High School, but was more noted for his wrestling achievements.
In 1957, Bob went out for wrestling for the first time as a sophomore at Lakewood High. He didn’t know anything about the sport of wrestling, only what he’d seen on television as Pro Wrestling. Because he was able to win matches in practice, Bob wrestled as a varsity team member that first year. While he may have had great triumphs on the practice mat, he was not nearly as successful against other teams, falling 0-10 that sophomore year.
By Bob’s senior year, however, he was able to win nearly every varsity match and qualified for the State tournament, placing 4th in the State of Ohio in 1960.
Bob continued his wrestling career at Kent State University, placing 4th in the Mid-American Conference at 177 lbs and placing 2nd as a senior – the MAC champion that year was from Ohio University and went on to win the National Championship. Bob was an NCAA qualifier his junior and senior years and was team captain at Kent State University during his senior season. After college, he coached wrestling at Warrensville Heights High School and Cleveland Heights High School. Several of his athletes qualified for the state meet and his Cleveland Heights team was the sectional team champion in 1968. He also officiated high school and collegiate wrestling for 15 years.
Bob graduated from Kent State University in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Education and in 1968 with a Master of Education in School Administration. In 1973, Bob graduated from North Carolina State University with a PhD in Adolescent Education.
In 1972, Bob was named a Professor of education at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and taught there for 33 years in the Department of Teacher Education. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 2005.
Bob is currently a member of the Oxford Volunteer Life Squad and Fire Department and has been an officer for the department during 8 of his 30 years. He fills some of his retirement hours as a part-time driver for Enterprise Rent-A-Car and in the Pro Shop at Indian Ridge Golf Course in Oxford, Ohio.