Lee Fenner is the second of two brothers to be inducted into the Stivers Athletic Hall of Fame. His younger brother Eldon “Harry” Fenner (Class of ’24) was inducted in 2011. Lee’s career at Stivers spanned between 1913 and 1915. In 1913, he entered the halls of Stivers Manual Training School as a Parker School transfer. His athletic contributions were immediately noticed as he helped Stivers to their 4th straight city title in football against crosstown rival Steele. In this game, Lee found himself squared off at the left end position against Earl “Red” Blaik. His impenetrable work during this contest helped seal the 13-7 victory. Red Blaik later became a college All- American and legendary coach at Army’s West Point Academy.
Later that school year, Lee helped the Stivers Basketball team reach the State Semifinals in Delaware Ohio. They lost to Marietta in the last minutes of the game by the slimmest of margins. As an underclassman, Lee saw limited playing time, but his minutes on the hardwood during the State Tournament must have impressed his peers. They unanimously voted him team captain for the following academic year.
Lee excelled in football, basketball, and baseball at Stivers and extended his athletic career well beyond high school. He left Stivers and used his manual training to secure a job at the DELCO. This ignited a professional football career that lasted 14 years for the DELCO owned, Dayton Triangles. His Triangle playing days afforded him some great opportunities. He played in some of the grandest facilities at the time, for example, Cubs Park (Wrigley Field) The Polo Grounds in NYC, Comiskey Park in Chicago. Lee also was privileged to witness the formation and birth of the NFL. He played in the Very first NFL game at Triangle Park on October 3, 1920. It is estimated that Lee squared off and went toe-to-toe against at least 20 inducted NFL HOF members. Most notably, Jim Thorpe, Red Grange, and George Halas. The Dayton Daily News declared him to be one of the greatest football ends in Dayton history.
Lee retired from DELCO/Inland in 1962 after 46 years of loyal service. He passed away in April of 1964.
