Bob was a four year starter on the Stivers football team. He earned 2nd Team All-City honors his junior year and 1st Team honors his second year.He received a football scholarship to play for the University of Dayton. In retrospect, the highlight of his college football was playing alongside teammate and future legendary football coach Chuck Noll.
After his freshman year at UD, Bob left UD to join the Army. He served as an SP (special police) in Germany after WWII. This was a start of a career in law enforcement. After the Army, he joined the Ohio Highway Patrol. He married his high school sweetheart, Jeanene Goe, in 1950 and was blessed with three sons for whom he delighted in coaching baseball. Despite a busy career and family life, Bob completed his Associate Degree from the University of Dayton in Criminal Justice in1974.
Bob became the first Chief of Police of Moraine, Ohio, in 1959, and had a distinguished 25 year career in Moraine, which included serving as President of the Ohio Association Chiefs of Police.
Bob’s end of watch came in 1976 while serving the Germantown Police Department on a domestic disturbance call. Not long after his death, the City of Moraine named a street after him. It is a spur that lies between Kettering Blvd. and Springboro Rd. It is called Chief Woods Ln.
His memory was honored in May, 2008 at the Ohio Peace Officers’ Memorial in London, Ohio and again at the May 2016 National Police Week at the Candle Light Vigil on the National Mall, and his name was etched on the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.
He joins his two nephews, Vern Woods from the class of 1953 and Vern “Teddy Bear” Woods from the class of 1956, who are both Hall of Fame members.
Quite a sports family!