Rarely does a Division III basketball player make it to the NBA. Barry Clemens not only made it, but carved out an 11-year career, including two seasons, 1972-73 and 1973-74, with the Cavaliers. Clemens was born in Dayton and grew up on a 200-acre farm in Xenia, Ohio. At Xenia High School, where he graduated […]
You have seen Bobby Brown hundreds of times over the years. But you never noticed him, and that’s just how he liked it. Involved in basketball and football officiating for half century, all Brown wanted everyone to know was that the call on the floor or field was the right one. It nearly always was […]
A 5-foot-9, 178-pound wide receiver willing to go over the middle to catch a pass in the National Football League is one tough customer. Brian Brennan did it for nine seasons, eight of them with the Browns. Whatever Brennan lacked in size, he more than made up for it in courage. Brennan caught the attention […]
Bill Borchert saved his best for last. After a standout career at Holy Name High, the prolific playmaker took his talents to Mount Union College in Alliance. The Division III powerhouse was still in its infancy when it came to national championships; the Purple Raiders had just one to their credit when Borchert hit campus […]
One of the first great female tennis players, Mary K. Browne was a three timesNational Singles champion and five time National Ladies Doubles champion, won the Ladies Doubles championship of England at Wimbledon and twice captained the International Wightman Cup Team. She was also the first female tennis player to turn professional, started the first […]
One of the first Cleveland natives to win the Ohio high school state championship (1945) and the first player to win four tennis letters at Michigan State University, Robert Malaga captained the U.S. Junior Davis Cup Team. He competed in numerous major tournaments, including the USLTA National Championships at Forest Hills and won several Cleveland […]
One of area’s most successful players, Monte Gagner reigned as Cleveland and Ohio Junior Doubles champion (with Paul Atkinson) from 1921 to 1924 and as Men’s Ohio and Cleveland Doubles champion (with brother “Dutch” and John Dorr) from 1933 to 1946. Began Senior competition in 1951 and was a finalist in 30 USLTA National Championships […]
Two-time winner of the National Clay Court Father-Son Doubles Championships and a National Clay Court champion in the Senior 45 doubles, Kirk Reid won ten Greater Cleveland singles crowns and 12 doubles titles between 1920 and 1932. He also captured 20 Ohio and New York State or Regional championships, plus approximately 60 lesser titles. Kirk […]
Clark Graebner served as player-coach for the Cleveland Nets in World Team Tennis in 1974 and also played in 1975. He won three U.S. Men’s national singles titles and six doubles titles between 1963 and 1971. He recorded 16 singles wins and four doubles wins in 11 Davis Cup ties over a five year period. […]
Robert Busbey won All-American designation three times in the free style sprints at Cleveland State University (then Fenn College) in 1948 and 1949. The dominant swimmer in the Greater Cleveland area from 1946 to 1950, he lost only four races in four years of collegiate competition against some of the best swimmers in the country. […]