The Stivers City Champions placed seven players on the Journal Herald’s ALL CITY team. Dan Wheeler, Stivers junior, was the only two-way player named on both the offensive and defensive units as an end. Others named to the offensive team were guard John Lord and his twin brother, Jim, as a halfback. The defensive side had tackle Vern Woods, linebackers Terry Thompson and Ronald Smith as well as defensive back Bob Logan.
The second team ALL CITY listed Doug Dowler at quarterback, Howard Jones at offensive tackle, with Gary Meier and Dale Keiter on the defense. Honorable mention went to Gary Butts, Ora Rolfe, Wayne Schneider and Carl Brown.
All great teams need great coaching. This team was led by Stivers Hall of Fame members James Hanby (Head Coach), Joe Sullivan (Line Coach) and Bob Graeff (Backfield Coach). Stivers, granted not much of a chance at the beginning of the season, got their surprise package moving in the second game with a victory over perennially favored Chaminade. Although they were upset in their very net encounter by Roosevelt, the Tigers swept their remaining city league games against Dunbar, Wilbur Wright, Fairview and Kiser, finishing with 7 wins and 2 losses.
An article from the Stivers News stated:
Much can be said about this year’s team, but never before was a team effort so prominent. It would be hard to single out a star for there would be just too many to single out. Nobody set any records and, when speaking of a so-called ace of a team, a name doesn’t right away pop into mind as they sometimes do concerning other teams. Nobody took all honors because everybody was honestly working together.
THE STIVERS TIGERS, city football champions, are pictured above.
FRONT ROW: Walk, Tanner, Ryder, Logan, Dowler, Borson, Atkins, Thompson, Rolfe.
SECOND ROW: Graeff, backfield coach; Sullivan, line coach; Hanby, head coach; Preston, Eversman, Jones, Ferguson, John Lord, Jim Lord.
THIRD ROW: Keiter, Smith, Hartley, Gutwein, Meier, McMannaway, Zigenbein, Woozley.
FOURTH ROW: Massie, manager, Metz, Hein, Crump, Schneider, Carter, Shaneyfelt, Owens, Petty.
BACK ROW: Heil, manager, Frank Heil, Sargent, Kirkland, Hartle, Wheeler, Woods, Butts.
