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Dr. Obie Bender

Dr. Obie Bender

  • Class Year:
    1962
  • Induction Year:
    1976
  • Sport(s):
    Football

Dr. Obie Bender '62 graduated from in 1962 and was inducted into the Alumni Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1976.

The second youngest member of the Hall of Fame, Obie Bender starred as a linebacker and an offensive guard on the B-W football team. Winner of the Ray E. Watts Most Valuable Player Award and the Cleveland Touchdown Club's Cleveland College Football Player-of-the-Year in 1961, he earned four varsity letters during his college career.

His 1961 football season, one which saw the Yellow Jackets roll to its only undefeated, untied campaign in the school's history, was climaxed by his presence on the NAIA and the 6th Annual Methodist All-America football teams. He also was the recipient of the Dick Van Almen Award as the outstanding B-W lineman in 1960.

Bender received his masters degree in counseling at Akron University and completed work on his Ph. D. After returning to his hometown Canton to serve as a teacher and counselor in the Canton school system, Obie was appointed assistant to B-W President, A.B. Bonds, Jr. in 1970. Very active in civic affairs in the Canton and Cleveland area, he served on the Volunteer Board of the Bell-Goodrich Center in the Hough area of Cleveland.

He and his wife Betty have four children, Lydia, Craig, Rhonda and Monica.