Bob Miller
Bob was born in Ashland, Ohio, the son of Gertrude and Vernon Miller. He attended Grant Street School and graduated from Ashland High School in 1946, where he was voted the best athlete in his class.
Bob caddied at the Ashland Country Club. He was just eight years old, caddying for Maxine Rybolt, when she won the club championship. Mrs. Rybolt gave Bob the putter she used when she won the tournament, and Bob used it for many years, when he started to play golf.
Sports were always Bob’ first love. He played at the YMCA, under the leadership of Stu Martin, who taught him the fundamentals of all sports, basketball, volleyball, swimming, and gymnastics. The lesson he learned from Martin about good sportsmanship, playing together, being a good winner and loser, have been with Bob all of his life. Stu Martin made a great impact on many players who played at Ashland High School, along with Coach Buckner, Coach Sherck, Coach Ziemke, and Coach Boyd.
Bob received nine varsity letters at Ashland High School, four in basketball, three in baseball, and two in football. He received the J.C. Trophy for the most valuable basketball player in both his junior and senior year. In 1944-45 Ashland’s basketball was 13-0. The following year 1945-46, they were 14-2. Bob was voted Second Team All-Ohio, his senior year, and received a four year scholarship to Bowling Green State University. While at Bowling Green they played in Madison Square Garden for the National Championship in 1948, losing to St. Louis, in the semi-finals.
Bob played basketball for the Myers Pumps, traveling team from 1949-1955. Jack Myers was very instrumental in forming and promoting this team. Bob also played for the Faultless Rubber Company basketball team, as well as their fast pitch traveling team in 1947-1955.
In the past years Bob has become a highly regarded Senior golf player, and was named Northern Ohio Golf Association’s Senior player of the year two years in a row.
He has won club championships in Westerfield, Connecticut, Ashland Country Club, Avon Oaks Country Club, and has been Club Champion at Sharon Golf Club seven times. He won the Ohio Senior Open, as an amateur in 1993 and 1996. He qualified for the United States Senior Amateur six times.
Sports have been very good to Bob, and his love for them still continues. Bob lives in Bay Village, Ohio, and has been married to his wife Ellen for 55 years. They have three sons, Bob, Blake, and Mitch, who all love and participate in sports, and five wonderful grandchildren.
Nominator: Jack Miller
