Ray Otto was a football legend at Stivers, who also lettered in basketball, baseball and track. Behind his leadership the football team went undefeated three consecutive years and claimed the National Championship in 1923 and 1924. He was the quarterback those two years, also started on defense, drop kicked field goals and was the team Captain in 1924. Otto’s long run in 1923 defeated Steele for the City of Dayton Championship. He drop kicked a 40 yard field goal in a big win over Detroit Southeastern as the Tigers marched toward the National title.
It was a touchdown run by Otto in a 7- 6 victory over Knoxville, TN that allowed the Tigers to claim the National Championship in 1924. Stivers trailed most of the game, which was played in deep mud from heavy rains, until Otto’s run and the extra point sealed the win. For many years at Stivers and in Dayton the touchdown run was referred to simply as “Otto’s plunge”. He was named in 1924 – 1925 the City of Dayton’s “Outstanding Player of the Year”.
Other team titles Ray played a part in winning were:
a. The 1923 State Basketball Championship
b. The 1923 Sectional Track Championship
c. The 1924 City Football & Basketball Championships.
Ray went to Dennison U. with his pal Horace “Hawk” English (1925) where he lettered in all four major sports.
Otto coached football and baseball for many years at Wilbur Wright and Miamisburg High Schools and was inducted into the Dayton Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.
Ray and his wife, Lucille, had three sons, Ray “Skip”, David and Daniel, and seven grandchildren. He died in 1978 at the age of 75.
