Archie Griffin, Eddie George, Woody Hayes - these names will live on in Buckeye lore throughout the ages. The great triumphs of the legends of the fall, the men of the Scarlet and Gray, whose great skills brought forth glory to Ohio State will live on forever through our memories. But what of the forgotten heroes? Needless to say as long as the list is for the most famous Buckeyes of all time, there would be an equally long list (if not longer) of the men who have been left in the dust, forgotten in the shadows of more recent legends. At a place like Ohio State, with its rich history and tradition of excellence on the gridiron, it’s easy to see how this may have happened, but it is sad none the less that they may not be remembered quite as well as they should be. That is why I am taking the liberty of showcasing three Ohio State legends that have fallen by the wayside, but never the less deserve the same respect and adoration as their Buckeye brothers whom we know so well today. Join me now as I take you through this edition of the Lost Legends.
We start off by looking at two time All-America selection Don Scott. Originally from Canton, Ohio, Scott would be one of Coach Francis Schmidt’s most dangerous weapons in his days in Columbus. Scott started his career playing as a halfback his first two years, then making the move to Quarterback, where he was named one of College Football’s most versatile players. Scott would go on to lead Ohio State to a Big Ten Title in 1939. After a successful career in Columbus, Scott was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1941 NFL draft, but opted to join the United States Air Force as a pilot. Scott served until 1943 before an unfortunate training accident resulted in his death. To this day the Ohio State airport is named in his honor, as well as the field at his alma mater of Canton McKinley High School. He is also a member of the Varsity O Hall of Fame and All-Century team for Ohio State.
Next we look at All-American and College Football Hall of Fame inductee Gaylord “Pete” Stinchcomb. A native of Sycamore, Ohio, Stinchcomb starred for Fostoria High School earning All-State honors his senior year. He joined an Ohio State team that was still searching for an identity in what was then the Western Conference, and soon joined forces with the all too famous Charles “Chic” Harley to form one of the deadliest offensive attacks in the country. Stinchcomb played second fiddle for most of his career to Harley, but was often mentioned along with him as a co-star of the team. After two years of manning the quarterback position for the Buckeyes, Stinchcomb joined the United States Navy (Hooyah!) and played on the Navy football team for the 1918 season. After his year with the Navy, he rejoined Chic Harley and the rest of his teammates at Ohio State and was a part of the first Buckeyes team to beat TSUN in 1919. Stinchcomb would end his career at Ohio State in 1920, taking the reins after Harley’s departure, and leading Ohio State to an undefeated season heading into the 1921 Rose Bowl, where they lost to Cal 28-0. Stinchcomb would go on to play for several pro football teams before retiring from the sport in 1926.
Last but not least on this edition of the Lost Legends is College Football Hall of Fame inductee and All-American Gomer Jones. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Jones was a two way player at Ohio State, anchoring the offensive line at center and roaming the defensive backfield at linebacker. Even though he only stood at 5’8’’, Jones was a force to be reckoned with and was a true leader of the team, being names its most valuable player. Jones was drafted into the NFL in 1936, but turned down the offer to play professionally by going into coaching. After serving as an assistant coach at Ohio State, John Carroll University, and Nebraska, he found great success at Oklahoma, helping Head Coach Bud Wilkinson develop sixteen All-American offensive linemen. He then took over Head Coaching duties upon Wilkinson’s retirement, but later resigned after two disappointing seasons. He would remain Oklahoma’s Athletic Director until his death in 1971.
These three players are only scratching the surface of Ohio States lost legends, and I hope that bringing light upon these great men will only inspire others to remember them, and to teach others of their greatness, and that you are never lost, or forgotten if you are a Buckeye. I will keep bringing you more lost legends, so stay tuned, and Go Buckeyes!
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