Emmett”Pete”Tidd was another one of those outstanding athletes of the 1920’s that brought glory to Stivers High School. Pete was a tough running back on the 1923 and 1924 city championship football teams. These teams were also recognized as Ohio state champions in 1923 and 1924 and national champs in 1924. Pete’s teammates included Stivers Hall of Fame members Fuzzy Evans, Kick Ramby, Harry Fenner, Ken Stiles, Horace ‘Hawk” English and Ray Otto. Pete and Fuzzy were the leading ball carriers while Pete performed also as the team kicker and punter. Most notable, according to the Dayton Journal Herald, Pete Tidd and Fuzzy Evans accounted for 4 touchdowns between them to defeat Detroit S.W. High School 41-7.
Pete played 9 years of semi-pro football following his Stivers career. Pete’s teams were undisputed champions of southern Ohio including Columbus. He starred as a running back with an effective passing arm and was the team kicker. According to the Dayton Daily News dated November 19, 1934, “Take Pete Tidd out of the game, it may have been a scoreless tie. The former Stivers ace’s sensational punting put his team out of danger several times. Three of the four touchdowns scored were on his bullet-like passes in a 26-0 victory”.
Pete Tidd was inducted into the Dayton Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. According to the Dayton Daily News, Pete was named the outstanding second baseman for the period 1900-1950 in Dayton. Pete played from 1927 to 1942 on local teams that were competitive at the national level. In 1928 McCalls team won the national industrial championship, the Finke Furniture team was champs in 1932 and the Bowes Seale team was national runner-up in 1933. The Delco and Frigidaire teams were national runner-ups in 1936 and 1939. Pete also played one year at Laurel, Mississippi, in the St. Louis Cardinal chain (1929).
Pete and wife Ann lived in Dayton and had one child, Tom, who graduated from Stivers in 1954. Pete made his career with General Motors and retired after 33 years. He died at the age of 75 in 1981. Pete’s grandchildren are Joseph Tidd and Lisa Buescher.