• Regis Monahan

Football (1932-34)
Regis Monahan, a Pittsburgh native, played for the Buckeyes from 1932-34 as a guard and tackle while also doubling as a kicker. In 1934, he was a team captain and First Team All-American while helping Ohio State win a share of its first Big Ten title in 14 years. Monahan also famously appeared on the front of a Wheaties box in 1935.

With Monahan leading the way on the line, Ohio State went 18-3-3 from 1932-34 and had one of the nation’s most explosive offenses his senior year in 1934. That Buckeye team compiled 267 points in just eight games and scored 30 or more points five times. He went on to the play four professional seasons with the Detroit Lions from 1935-38 and was part of the Lions’ 1935 NFL championship team.

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• Aaron Brown

Football (1974-77)
An unsung hero on some great Ohio State defenses, Aaron Brown lettered in football from 1974 through 1977 and was a part of Big Ten championship teams in 1974 and 1975. Described as soft-spoken and respected by all his teammates, Brown was a three-year starter for head coach Woody Hayes at nose tackle and currently ranks No. 15 all-time with 314 career tackles. Brown also added 32.0 career tackles for loss. In Brown’s senior season of 1977, in which he was a captain for the Buckeyes, he was named a First Team All-American and closed his career with 14 solo tackles against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Brown still ranks 10th in program history in career tackle for loss yards with minus 181 and second in single-game TFL yards (minus 42 vs. Minnesota in 1976).

A member of four teams that won at least a share of the Big Ten title, Brown played in two Rose Bowl games along with an Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl. The teams he was a part of had an overall record of 39-8-1 with a 29-3 mark in conference play. Brown was drafted in 1978 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and went on to have a 10-year career with the Bucs, Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles and Winnipeg of the Canadian Football League. In 2000, he was selected to the Ohio State All-Century Team by the Columbus Dispatch.

His stand up bit on his depression/"the heaviness" was so far ahead of it's time it's just ridiculous

Redhawk said:

Per internet:

4pf
Means “4 pockets full” referring to all 4 pockets of your pants and signifying that you have a lot of money

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Looks like the check bounced.....again.

Jake said:

Wait for it...

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Kung POW!

More photos:

Ohio State Buckeyes Football Photo Gallery: 2012 to 2019



Here's the gallery: https://theozone.net/2020/06/ohio-state-buckeyes-football-photo-gallery-2012-to-2019/

Zurp said:

I'm with you. I don't like to see stats go against me, and the more filters you put on the stats to make them look good, the more it looks like we're shoving a square peg into a round hole.

But how about this? Since 2011 (the first year of the BTCG), Ohio State is 7-2 against them, with 4 Big Ten championships. They needed a crazy play to get one one of those wins, and their only Big Ten championship in that time. And their other win was against a Buckeye team that had to struggle to beat Illinois and Toledo. Also note that in that same time frame, Penn State has a nearly identical record (8-2) against combined Maryland and Pitt.

Any comparisons between the two would be like an MMA fight between me and Conor Mcgregor. Spoiler alert: I'd lose. Quickly.

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get him on the ground while you still have some wind, then bite something off

spit it out and bite again, repeat as many times as necessary until police arrive (unless they've been abolished, then you are likely fucked)

WHATEVER YOU DO......DO NOT LET GO

welcome to over 40 fight club

Committed to Oregon

apparently, bama will play at osu the same day as lsu plays at oklahoma. talk about a huge day of football. too bad the world will implode before then.

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2018: DWAYNE HASKINS DROPS A DIME ON TERRY MCLAURIN FOR SIX
Ohio State's 45-24 defeat of Northwestern was pretty methodical and relatively boring, all things considered, but two plays by Dwayne Haskins and Terry McLaurin stick out.

The first, which didn't make the list, opened the scoring as Haskins, on 3rd-and-11, scrambled to buy time before finding McLaurin for a 16-yard touchdown to open the scoring. The play almost made the cut because Haskins, uncharacteristically, didn't look like C3PO while on the move in the pocket.

Later in the first half, with Ohio State leading 17-7, the duo went back to work for a play that did make this list.

Staring down a 3rd-and-20 from the Northwestern 42, Haskins dropped back, looked left, pump faked, and shifted to his right before uncorking an absolute teardrop to pretty well-covered McLaurin at the goal line for the score.

It was a stunner of a throw, even for Haskins.

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2017: TERRY MCLAURIN SHIFTS INTO OVERDRIVE WITH 81-YARD TOUCHDOWN CATCH
Lol Terry McLaurin is fast.

Ohio State got on the board first the 2017 conference title game as J.T. Barrett found McLaurin down the middle for an 81-yard pitch and catch for an early 7-0 lead.

This poor defensive back is helpless as McLaurin gets about a 10-yard sprinter's head start before he realizes what's up.

The end result is the longest touchdown pass of Barrett's career in what became a 27-21 Ohio State victory.

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2013: BRAXTON MILLER FINDS PHILLY BROWN FOR A 20-YARD TOUCHDOWN
I almost ruled any touchdown from the 2013 Big Ten title game as ineligible considering the Buckeyes lost 34-24 to Michigan State but this was a hell of a pitch and catch.

Trailing 17-0 midway through the second quarter and in desperate need of some momentum, Ohio State took possession at its own 16 yard line.

Braxton Miller finally asserted himself on a 48-yard zig-zag on 2nd-and-8 giving OSU some life at the Spartan 34. After an 11-yard toss to Philly Brown and a Carlos Hyde 3-yard run, Braxton received a shotgun snap on 2nd-and-7 from the Michigan State 20.

Looking straight down the seam, Braxton fired rocket over the defense and into the outstretched hands of Brown. Great throw, even better catch.

The play ignited a 24-0 scoring run from the Buckeyes before they allowed Sparty to score the game's final 17 points.

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Buckeye Bits: Former Buckeyes on CFB HoF ballot, QB success under Ryan Day, TBT bracket announced, more
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Danny Moloshok/Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Welcome to Buckeye Bits on this fine Tuesday evening. All of the major sports — outside of Major League Baseball (thanks a lot, ownership) — seem to be on track to get back up and running sometime in the near future. When it comes to college football, players have returned to campus and are taking part in voluntary workouts, where strength coach Mickey Marotti is making sure everyone gets back to game speed at a safe pace.


We’ll hopefully get to see our Buckeyes on the field as expected, but until then all we can really do is wait and see. With that being said, let’s catch up on all the latest headlines from all around the Ohio State beat.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...

• Basketball Buckeyes pick up steam on recruiting trail
  (Dan Hessler, LGHL)

Chris Holtmann has seen a lot of player movement in his short time at Ohio State, forcing him to put in a little bit of overtime when it comes to recruiting. On Monday, he and the rest of the Buckeyes staff spoke with a bunch of the nation’s top prospects as the team looks to rebuild its roster for the coming seasons (and hopefully finds a way to actually keep guys around).

• John Richards went from OSU coach to hated foe
  (Jim Baird, LGHL)

Ohio State and its 11th head coach in program history went through the equivalent of a bad breakup — one where you block your ex on all social media and refuse to attend any social gatherings where they may show up. John Richards left the Buckeyes after one season, and after losing to OSU as the head coach at Wisconsin, refused to schedule Ohio State for the remainder of his tenure.

• Madden NFL 21 trailer features Chase Young
  (Tia Johnston, LGHL)

Unfortunately there still isn't a new NCAA Football video game on the shelves right now, but fortunately for fans of Ohio State, there are a ton of former Buckeyes in the pros that you can play with in Madden. The newest edition of the game comes out this August, and the first trailer shows Chase Young beating up on some NFC East opponents — a precursor of what's to come in real life.

• Play Like a Girl podcast: Systemic racism in college football
  (Tia and Meredith, LGHL)

The Black Lives Matter movement and the protests that accompany them have really opened peoples’ eyes to the race issues in our current society. Sports are not exempt from these issues, and as we have now seen on more than a few occasions, just because a majority of the athletes in a sport like football are black does not mean they still don't struggle with the hardships of racial discrimination.

• Yesterday’s Buckeye Bits
  (Tia Johnston, LGHL)

Check out yesterday’s Buckeye Bits for all of Monday’s biggest headlines, including Ezekiel Elliott tasing positive for coronavirus (he’s fine), a big Ohio State tight end target committing to Tennessee, and a better description of what was actually involved in the waiver OSU football players were asked to sign upon their return to campus.

From around the gridiron...

• Mike Doss, James Laurinaitis, Chris Ward on CFB Hall of Fame ballot
  (Nathan Baird, Cleveland.com)

The latest ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame went out on Tuesday, and on the 78-man list were three former Buckeyes: Mike Doss, James Laurinaitis, and Chris Ward. The selections will be announced sometime in early 2021, and only first-team All-Americans are eligible after 10 full seasons have passed since then end of their college careers. The full ballot can be viewed here.

• Is this good? I feel like this is good. Also, of course Iowa is leading in the tight end department (and I'm kind of shocked Wisconsin isn’t leading in offensive line).

• Ohio State hasn’t exactly been known for it’s quarterback play over the course of program history, but that is changing under Ryan Day. According to 247Sports, the Buckeyes are second in the country to only Oklahoma in producing NFL talent at the QB position over the last five years, and they’ll certainly be adding another one with Justin Fields in 2021.

• Buckeyes deep enough that Fab Four receivers don't need to be rushed
  (Austin Ward, Lettermen Row)

It’s been well documented that Ohio State brought in a ridiculous haul of wide receiver talent in the 2020 class, headlined by five-stars in Julian Fleming and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. While any of the four incoming freshman are likely good enough to start, it isn’t the end of the world if they aren’t ready right out of the gate, as the Buckeyes have some incredible depth at the position this season.

• On Tuesday, Ohio State announced its athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2020, and on it were two former members of the Buckeyes football program. Aaron Brown, a three-year starter at nose tackle for OSU and a letterman from 1974 through 1977, and Regis Monahan, a team captain at guard in 1934, were the lone football players to be inducted in the newest class. He is joined by Francis Schmidt, who coached Ohio State from 1934-1940 and was the originator of the gold pants tradition for beating Michigan.

From around the hardwood...

• The TBT announced its official field of 24 for the tournament which will take place in Columbus beginning July 4 and going through July 14. Making the cut are three teams with Ohio State ties: Carmen’s Crew, Big X and the Red Scare (Dayton). Ironically, this trio of squads will all be competing on the same side of the bracket, with Carmen’s Crew facing the winner of Big X vs. Red Scare in the quarterfinals.

• Also included in Ohio State’s Hall of Fame Class of 2020 is former women’s basketball star Samantha Prahalis. Ranking in the top 10 in program history in nearly every statistical category, Prahalis still holds the record for career assists in the Big Ten with 901, and is one of just three players in NCAA history with 2,000 career points and 900 career assists. Prahalis was a two-time All-American, and was named the 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year.

From everywhere else...

• In the latest rankings by U.S. News and World Report, Nationwide Children's Hospital came in at No. 8 overall among the top children’s hospitals in the nation. It was one of two Ohio hospitals to make the top 10, with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center coming in at No. 3.

• Brian Hartline is subscribing to the look good, play good mentality and he and his kids get haircuts after not being able to do so for a while as a result of the pandemic.

• Ohio State is always on the forefront of the latest technologies, and that is no different when it comes to COVID-19 testing. Researchers are working on a cheap and easy test for the virus that would require just a simple breathalyzer test and could give results within 15 seconds.

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Madden NFL 21 trailer features Chase Young
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Chase Young in Madden 21 | EA Sports
The new Madden NFL 21 game released its trailer today, and fans are underwhelmed

As someone who knows jack squat about video games, (actually, I take that back— I am impeccable at Mario Kart), today I will attempt to write about the newest, most highly anticipated video game on the market: Madden NFL 21.

You see, I don’t really have a choice, because not only did Madden drop the game’s trailer this morning, it also just so happens to be Video Game week at SB Nation. (Maybe they did that on purpose?)

Let me start by saying I am no stranger to the Madden video game series. My husband has played the game at least once a day since I met him five years go. I know how the game works. I’ve seen and heard the incredibly realistic graphics and announcing. I know that players and teams have ratings and whatnot. I do not know how to play, but I know what the game looks like, which makes me feel qualified to continue.

Firstly, let’s localize the game for you, a loyal Ohio State fan who’s probably here to read Ohio State content.

In the trailer, former Ohio State and current Washington Redskins defensive end Chase Young is prominently shown sacking Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and tackling Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders. EA Sports knows what’s coming from the Redskins rookie this year.


You can check out the full trailer below, where you will notice former Ohio State/LSU and current Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow got a bit of screen time as well:


Go Bucks.

Now as for the game itself, apparently the above trailer is leaving fans feeling “underwhelmed.” Here’s what Jordan Heck of Sporting News had to say:


I’m going to be honest with you. Since I have never actually played the game, I do not know what the different features mean or how they are different to Madden NFL 20. For example, the four new features that Madden emphasized in the trailer that Heck mentions above include:

• Ball carrier skill stick
• New pass-rush control
• Realistic open-field tackling
• User controlled celebrations

If these are new updates, I’m confused as to how people even played the previous versions of Madden without a ball carrier skill stick, open-field tackling and a pass-rush control? I mean, all of those things sound pretty integral for a football video game.

“Since EA Sports didn’t expand on what that means in the trailer, fans were left wondering if the developers even made any changes at all... Most of them provided the same criticism you get every year which is something along the lines of, ‘Madden is just a $60 roster update,’” Heck writes.


Upon further research, EA also provided details on a new “game mode” coming to Madden 21:


Okay, that sounds pretty cool.

According to Tyler Conway of Bleacher Report, “...there will also be more than 50 new Superstar X-Factor abilities, Live Playbooks 2.0, and a new season of Ultimate Team content.”

Okay, I have no idea what that means.

EA also announced improvements in how the game looks, including updated graphics (which is pretty amazing considering I already do a double take to check whether or not its real football on our TV) and “in the overall authenticity and presentation with new on field camera shots and improved player awareness of their positioning and surroundings on the field.”

Does this mean my husband will stop yelling at his players for doing things he didn’t tell them to do with his controller? I hope so.

Anyway, as much as all you Madden fans are complaining about the changes—or lack therof—to the game, I know for a fact that you’re all going to pay the $60 regardless. I know this because I am married to a Madden fan.

The game arrives on PS4, Xbox One and PC on August 28th for the general public, but if you pre-order it now, or if you’re apart of some VIP, all-access, premier something or other, you can play three days early beginning on August 25th.

For more in-depth and sensical information on release dates and the game itself, check out this article from Forbes.

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Play Like a Girl podcast: Systemic racism in college football
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State Athletics’ Kneel For Nine Protest | Ohio State Football via Twitter | @OhioStateFB
Because its real, and something needs to change

On LGHL’s podcast Play Like a Girl, Tia and Meredith talk everything from Ohio State football to all the happenings in the sports world today.

Tia and Meredith discuss the systemic racism in college football that still exists today, including some ugly stats involving Black student-athletes’ graduation rates in the Power Five and how the system is failing said athletes; lack of representation in coaching staffs; college athletes are treated like gladiators; the NCAA’s hand in the issue, and more.

They end the show shouting out those using their platforms for good, including former Ohio State safety Malcolm Jenkins, former Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas and Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh (yes, you read that right.)

Check out the podcast below, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:

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24 Club: John Richards went from revered OSU coach to a hated foe
Jim Baird via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Richards quit after a year as head coach of the Buckeyes, and year’s later threatened to resign as Wisconsin’s head coach if OSU was ever scheduled.

There have been 24 head coaches in the history of Ohio State football. Each has a story and legacy. This offseason, Land-Grant Holy Land’s new series 24 Club will help you get to know the coaches from past and present who built the program. Today we look at the 11th head coach in OSU football history, John Richards, who wound up as one of the most despised opposing coaches in the early days of the program.


Name: John Richards
Seasons Coached: One (1912)
Overall Record: 6-3

Where Does He Rank in the 24 Club?
Overall Wins: Tied No. 18 out of 24 OSU Coaches
Winning Percentage: No. 16 out of 24 OSU Coaches


It was 1912 and Ohio State was looking for coaching stability. OSU was on its third coaching search in three years. Coach Howard Jones left after a single season in 1910, and coach Harry Vaughan quit to go to law school after 1911. Despite the volatility in the coaching ranks, OSU was winning, and the Buckeyes were also rising up the conference ranks.

Ohio State had been a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference, which featured the best teams in the state of Ohio. After a series of moves, OSU successfully was approved to be the newest member of the powerful Western Conference, the forerunner of today’s Big Ten. The Western Conference would welcome the Buckeyes into their ranks starting in 1913. That left OSU with one year to prepare. The 1912 season would be that final tune-up season before the Buckeyes made the jump to join the Western Conference.

Ohio State hired one of the nation’s top coaches to lead the program — John Richards. Richards coached the Wisconsin Badgers to a 5-1-1 mark the previous season. He also played college football for the Badgers, and was twice named captain. When Colliers — a leading national magazine — named it’s top head football coaches in America based on the job they did the previous year, Amos Alonzo Stagg was number one and John Richards was number two. Richards had proven he could win in the Western Conference, and looked to be just the coach the Buckeyes needed.

Richards’ 1912 Ohio State team finished with a 6-3 mark and the program’s second Ohio Athletic Conference championship. But Richards shocked Ohio State — he quit after a single season to pursue a job opportunity in Chicago outside the coaching ranks. OSU was stunned. They had turned to Richard’s to guide them into play in the Western Conference, and now — just as with the two coaches that proceeded him — he had left after a single season at the helm.

But Richards wasn’t yet done infuriating OSU. Year’s later, he would return to coach Wisconsin. In 1920 his Badgers suffered a last second loss at OSU. After the loss, Richards publicly criticized Ohio State as treating his team unprofessionally and said he would resign as head coach if the Buckeyes were ever on Wisconsin’s schedule again. The Lantern, Ohio State’s student newspaper, didn’t take that comment lightly, and wrote:


Ohio State and Wisconsin would not play again for a decade. By that time, Richards had retired for good from the coaching ranks.

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Basketball Buckeyes pick up steam on recruiting trail
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State basketball’s program spoke with several recruits in the past couple days.

Monday was a whirlwind for the 2022 college basketball recruiting class. Almost all of the nation’s top prospects heard from college basketball coaches from across the country. Chris Holtmann and Ohio State was not going to miss out on such a busy day.

Below is a handful of recruits in the 2022 recruiting class that the Buckeyes’ staff has spoken with in the past couple days. It is unknown if any scholarships have been offered, but expect a few to be announced in the coming days.

Four-star SG Roddy Gayle Jr.


Hometown: Youngstown, NY/Lewiston Porter Senior

Class: 2022

Size: 6-foot-4, 160 lbs.

247Sports Ranking: No. 9 SG/No. 44 overall

Four-star PG Paul McMillan


Hometown: Cincinnati, OH/Woodward Career Technical

Class: 2022

Size: 6-foot-1, 170 lbs.

247Sports Ranking: No. 10 PG/No. 47 overall

Four-star CG Jameel Brown


Hometown: Haverford, PA/Haverford School

Class: 2022

Size: 6-foot-4, 145 lbs.

247Sports Ranking: No. 6 CG/No. 71 overall

Four-star SF Prince Aligbe


Hometown: Minneapolis, MN/Minnehaha Academy

Class: 2022

Size: 6-foot-6, 185 lbs.

247Sports Ranking: No. 16 SF/No. 58 overall

Four-star SG Chance Westry


Hometown: Camp Hill, PA/Trinity

Class: 2022

Size: 6-foot-4, 190 lbs.

247Sports Ranking: No. 7 SG/No. 27 overall

Four-star SG Dillon Hunter


Hometown: Atlanta, GA/Westlake

Class: 2022

Size: 6-foot-3, 170 lbs.

247Sports Ranking: No. 8 SG/ No. 32 overall

Four-star C Dereck Lively II


Hometown: Bellefonte, PA/Westtown School

Class: 2022

Size: 6-foot-11, 200 lbs.

247Sports Ranking: No. 4 C/No. 40 overall

Four-star SF Ty Rodgers


Hometown: Grand Blanc, MI/Grand Blanc Community

Class: 2022

Size: 6-foot-4, 180lbs.

247Sports Ranking: No. 18 SF/No. 65 overall

Four-star SF Camden Heide


Hometown: Minneapolis, MN/Wayzata

Class: 2022

Size: 6-foot-5, 180 lbs.

247Sports Ranking: No.7 SF/No. 29 overall

SF Josiah Harris


Hometown: Cleveland, OH/Richmond Heights

Class: 2022

Size: 6-foot-5, 180 lbs.

247Sports Ranking: N/A

Quick Hits:

• The nation’s No. 1 tight end prospect and Ohio State target Hudson Wolfe committed elsewhere Monday, spurning the Buckeyes in favor of Tennessee.

• Ohio State five-star DE verbal commit Jack Sawyer spoke with Bleacher Report about Ohio State and his path to becoming the Buckeyes’ next great defensive end.

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Buckeyeskickbuttocks said:

That's alright, we didn't read it either.

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fify

all i know is, i hope he stays in the big ten. eastern facing purdue and ttun would make for some stimulating television. or at least as stimulated as one can be watching nojel's jumpers hit the opposite side of the backboard.

Buckeyeskickbuttocks said:

This is goddamned poetry, @Jaxbuck :
"a new tree of douchebaggery grows from the fertile soil of stupidity and arrogance"

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I agree with BKB.....pure literary genius.

mendensa said:

could end up being a steal for Bama. This kid is sneaky, under the radar good.

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Agreed. Reminds me of Jaylen Waddle, who is currently at Bama. I was hoping we’d get him and Egbuka to finish. But I’m super happy with the WR recruiting so I can’t complain. He would have just been a added luxury.

BuckBackHome said:

The zoo is great. I would recommend heading there in the morning. Our experience is the animals are more active at that time and the crowds are usually smaller.

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Jungle Jack Hanna Retirement Announcement: Honoring a Legacy of Inspiration and Passion For People and Wildlife

Powell, OH –- Jungle Jack Hanna has called the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium home since 1978, serving tirelessly as both director and director emeritus over his 42 years in Central Ohio. He has not only delighted and educated international television audiences during his countless media appearances but has also changed the role zoos play in their communities and globally.

And now, Jack Hanna is channeling his energy into a new role. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the Hanna family are announcing Jack’s retirement at the end of the year, with his last day on December 31, 2020. Out of respect for the many people whose lives the Hannas have touched, this news is being shared now to give the community ample time throughout the rest of the year to celebrate and thank Jack and Suzi. Jack’s career and leadership transformed the Zoo and set it on the course to be one of the world’s most successful and influential zoos. The Zoo celebrates its shared history with Jack and the wonderful memories of the positive impacts made for wildlife, people working to help endangered species and members of our local and global communities.

“As I approach my mid-70s with more than four decades at the Columbus Zoo, I believe it is time to wind down and officially step back while CEO Tom Stalf and the Zoo’s great leadership team continue to guide the Zoo into the future. Together with many friends and partners, we’ve come a long way to make the world a better place for people and wildlife!” said Jack.

Jack first arrived in Ohio in 1965 to attend Muskingum University—always the animal lover, he even brought his pet donkey with him to live in the fraternity house. While at Muskingum, Jack met his wife, Suzi, and they married in 1968.

Just 10 years later, Jack was asked to serve as director of a little-known zoo in Columbus, Ohio. The Hannas never anticipated the adventures ahead but, together, they were perfectly positioned to lead the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the entire zoological world into the 21st century.

Jack served as the Columbus Zoo’s director from 1978 to 1992 before becoming Director Emeritus. He has authored 15 books, hosted several televisions series, has been the media’s “go to” wildlife correspondent and permeated pop culture while sharing amazing animals with audiences nationwide. He is beloved by his wife, daughters, grandchildren, the zoo community and millions around the world, whose hearts he has touched with his genuine enthusiasm, superhuman energy and passion for making a difference for wildlife.

While Jack will be stepping back from a public role and official duties to spend more time with his family, he will retain the title “director emeritus” and he maintains that he will always be the Zoo’s #1 fan.

“Suzi and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of the Central Ohio community and Columbus Zoo and Aquarium family. Our 42 years at the Columbus Zoo have been the best of our lives—we’ve raised our daughters here and had the honor of revitalizing our Zoo alongside a great team while being advocates for wildlife worldwide. We look forward to supporting the Columbus Zoo for many years to come—while taking some much needed down time with our family along the way!”

Tom Stalf, who became the Columbus Zoo President/CEO in 2012, said he proudly carries on the Zoo’s legacy of global and local wildlife conservation that Jack and Suzi Hanna built.

“I am honored to work for the Columbus Zoo and The Wilds and to lead an incredibly dedicated team of people, who continue to embody Jack’s passion for wildlife,” said Stalf. “I’ve worked with Jack for over 25 years, and witness how he engages people from around the world as they travel to meet him and hear his stories. He has created so many memories and smiles for people with his authenticity and down-to-earth (and larger-than-life!) personality. Jack is a true celebrity and professional. I’ve never met any who is as true, real, wholesome, honest and loving as Jack and Suzi Hanna,” he said. “Jack has inspired many people to learn and care about a variety of species around the world, resulting in positive impacts on wildlife and wild places. For Jack, that is the best legacy of all. I’m grateful to Jack for giving me and so many others the opportunity and vision to focus on conservation, animal welfare and people. The Columbus Zoo will always be the home of Jack Hanna. Thanks to the impact he has made on all of us, we continue to work to ‘touch the heart to teach the mind’ as we fulfill our mission to ‘lead and inspire by connecting people and wildlife.’”

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Board Chair Chad Jester said he admires the meaningful impacts that Jack’s dedication and passion have made both locally and globally.

“Anyone who has had the opportunity to meet Jack, or see one of his television shows, knows he cares about people every bit as much as he does wildlife. His tireless efforts to develop and nurture community relationships and share educational opportunities provided the strong foundation on which the Columbus Zoo’s programs were built. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium leadership, as well as the dedicated teams at the Zoo and its properties, will continue to honor Jack’s legacy for years to come,” said Jester.

Entire article: https://www.columbuszoo.org/home/ab...spiration-and-passion-for-people-and-wildlife