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OL Dick Schafrath (7-time Pro Bowler, R.I.P)

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Schafrath a coach at Sandusky: Enjoys return to H.S. ranks, also plans visit for Woo-Orr week

A few thoughts from the week in sports ...

Bobby Knight is unquestionably the most famous alum who played in the Orrville-Wooster football rivalry, which will celebrate its 100th game on Oct. 30.

The most accomplished football player is just as clear-cut, and pretty well known in his own right -- Dick Schafrath.

Long before Knight made his mark as a college basketball coach, he was a three-sport athlete in the Red Riders' class of 1958.

Three years ahead of him in school at Wooster was another three-sport man in Schafrath, who would go on to play on championship football teams for Ohio State and the Cleveland Browns.

Schafrath clearly appreciates his gridiron roots at the high school level. He's giving back to the game as a volunteer offensive line coach at Sandusky High School this fall, and also plans to speak at the annual Wooster-Orrville Captains' Luncheon Oct. 27.

"I guess they're teaching me," said Schafrath with a laugh during a phone interview, when asked what it's like to return to the prep ranks helping the Sandusky Blue Streaks. "I'm 74 but I'm having a ball doing it. I'm trying to teach them some fundamentals of how to block, and teach them a little about discipline.

"Our team is 5-3 and tied for the division lead in our conference with some real big games coming up," he added. "If we can win out we'll go to the playoffs."

Schafrath said a business associate was coaching at Sandusky and encouraged him to join the staff and work with the line.

"Now we're only spending about half a work week on our energy efficiency business and the other half working with the football team," he said.
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http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4914144
 
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Captains hear from All-Pro WHS alum Schafrath speaks at annual luncheon
By AARON DORKSEN
Daily Record Sports Editor

WOOSTER -- Things were a lot different back when Dick Schafrath played high school football for Wooster against Orrville in the 1950s.

However, one thing hasn't changed a bit: "Everybody in each town hates each other for one week in rivalries like this, but then when the game is over they all pull together again," the 74-year-old Schafrath told the audience during the annual Wooster-Orrville Captains Luncheon held at Wooster Country Club Wednesday.

Schafrath, a 1955 Wooster graduate, went on to star for Ohio State and then for the Cleveland Browns from 1959-71.

The former All-Pro left tackle was the perfect choice to address this year's captains as the matchup between the Red Riders (6-3, 4-2 Ohio Cardinal Conference) and Generals (7-2, 4-2) at Follis Field Saturday at 7:30 p.m. will be the 100th in their historic rivalry.

Schafrath tied in the old with the new as visiting Orrville captains Derek Graber, Dan Groves, Travis Infield, Max Pirman and Sam Reusser, along with Wooster's Austin Carstensen, Zach Ellsworth, Kyle Miller and Duke Price listened intently.

Also in attendance were coaches Mike McCreary of Wooster and Doug Davault of Orrville, administrators and boosters from both schools and sponsor Cy Morgan, Sr., of Franklin Oil and Gas.

Schafrath was generous enough with his time to accept an invitation from Generals athletic director Keri Hamsher to speak at the luncheon before driving up to Sandusky High School, where he's a second-year volunteer line coach.

When Schafrath left his family farm in eighth grade to attend Wooster High in the early 1950s, he'd never seen the game of football played before.

"I saw guys rolling around, tackling each other and said, 'What are they doing?'" he recalled. "Then I thought, 'That looks like fun.'"
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http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4921023
 
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Schafrath connects
Former Buckeye, Brown and state senator shares experiences, humor with fall sports honorees
BY JON SPENCER ? News Journal ? November 15, 2010

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Former Buckeyes and Browns offensive lineman Dick Schafrath speaks to award winners and their parents during the fall News Journal/RoadHouse Fall athlete banquet. (JASON J. MOLYET/NEWS JOURNAL)

ONTARIO-- Playing a high-profile sport at a major college is practically a full-time job for today's athletes. It makes Dick Schafrath realize how good he had it at Ohio State back in the late 1950s.

He and some of his famous teammates were able to play football for the Buckeyes and hold down "jobs" at the same time.

"My job was turning on the stadium lights -- and it didn't have any lights," joked Schafrath, addressing high school stars and their parents during the News Journal's Fall Sports Banquet at the Brown Derby Roadhouse on Sunday night. "Dick LeBeau's job was looking for tornadoes. And Jim Houston's job was looking for cracks in the stadium walls. No problem with that. (Ohio Stadium) is built like a fortress.

"I had to take a cut in pay when I was drafted by the Browns ... only kidding."

Schafrath, who lives in Mansfield with his wife Judith, starred on Ohio State's 1957 national championship team and was a Pro Bowl offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns when they won the NFL championship in 1964. To think he never heard of football until he attended Wooster High School.

Cont...
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http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20101115/HSSPORTS/11150301
 
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2012 Ohio State Hall of Fame....

Richard ?Dick? Schafrath
Football, 1956-58
Dick Schafrath was the Ohio State team captain in 1958 and during his three-year career (1956-58), the Ohio State teams he played on never lost to Michigan. An offensive tackle and a defensive end, Schafrath also played on Ohio State teams that won the 1957 national championship and the 1958 Rose Bowl. Schafrath was a second-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns.

Despite weighing just 220 pounds, Schafrath played 13 years in the NFL at left tackle, protecting the blind side of his quarterbacks and helping to open holes for Hall of Fame running backs Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell and Leroy Kelly. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times, was the team?s MVP in 1963 and was elected into the Browns Legends Club in 2003. Schafrath won a seat in the Ohio State senate in 1986 and served in the senate until his retirement in 2003. On Aug. 27, 2006, and at the age of 69, he graduated from Ohio State with his bachelor?s of science degree from Ohio State.
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http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/genrel/071912aad.html
 
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Buckeyes Hall of Fame the latest honor for Dick Schafrath
Sep 21, 2012
Written by
Jon Spencer
News Journal

COLUMBUS -- His nickname is "Mule," but in front of 105,000 fans last Saturday in Ohio Stadium, "Ham" better fit Dick Schafrath's personality.

Ohio State's former offensive tackle and defensive end fired out of a three-point stance and did a little celebratory trot after being introduced as one of the newest members of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.

It's become Schafrath's signature move -- along with boldly knotting a tie around his neck instead of under a shirt collar -- as the honors stack up like pancake blocks for the Mansfield resident and former Ohio Senator.

Schafrath was inducted into the Cleveland Browns Legends Club in 2003 and the Ohio High School Athletic Association Circle of Champions in 2009.

"Anytime I get on the field, I get in my stance and do a little jig," Schafrath said, chuckling. "I didn't know if I could do it (Saturday). I had to practice a couple of times. My 75-year-old legs don't move real quick."

It will surprise diehard Buckeye fans that Schafrath was not already in the Ohio State shrine. In his three-year career (freshmen were not eligible in his era), No. 71 never lost to Michigan, started on the 1957 team that won the Rose Bowl to clinch a national championship and served as team captain in 1958.

Schafrath went from 10th string, without a number, as a freshman, to fourth string at the start of camp in 1956 to starter midway through his sophomore season. His coach and second father, Woody Hayes, always appreciated that the Mule sacrificed the chance to be a first-team All-American his senior year by volunteering to plug a hole and move from tackle to tight end.

The highlight of that season for Schafrath came on defense. Michigan was on the OSU 3 with a minute to play and the Buckeyes clinging to a 20-14 lead. On first-and-goal, Schafrath slipped his block, stopped halfback Brad Meyers in his tracks and jarred the ball loose. Ohio State recovered, preserving Schafrath's perfect record against the Wolverines.

Sitting in a friend's loge last Saturday during Ohio State's 35-28 win over Cal gave Schafrath plenty of time to reflect on his college career. He went back to OSU a half-century later to finish school, earning his bachelor's degree in 2007.

"All the memories of Woody ... I was thinking about the wooden goal posts and how things look a lot different now," Schafrath said. "The south stands (now enclosed and framed by a monstrous HD scoreboard) were wooden.

"My mom (Mary) never missed one of my home games in high school (Wooster), college or the pros. She'd tell me my mistakes more than the coaches."

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http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20120921/SPORTS/209210330
 
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Schafrath to announce third-round pick
By Matt Florjancic, Staff Writer

Browns Legend Dick Schafrath will announce the team?s third-round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Dick Schafrath will represent the franchise by announcing its pick in the third round, No. 68 overall, of the 2013 NFL Draft from Radio City Music Hall in New York City Friday evening.

Schafrath is announcing the selection as part of the NFL?s annual tradition of having former players from each of the 32 franchises announce their teams? respective picks in the second round. With the Browns and other teams not having a second-round selection, Schafrath and other legends will announce their former franchise?s third-round choices.

?It?s just a tremendous honor to me,? Schafrath said. ?I?m really excited to go there and represent them.?

Schafrath said the draft has changed a lot since he was a second-round selection in 1959 out of Ohio State University. Schafrath and Dick LeBeau, who would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, were celebrating the end of their college careers at Ohio State in West Virginia when they placed a call to Schafrath?s family back in Ohio.

?I found out when I called my parents and said, ?I?m out of money, and I have to have some gas to get back home,?? Schafrath recalled with a laugh. ?They said, ?Paul Brown called you and you?ve been drafted by the Browns.? Dick was drafted too, so we were real excited. That?s how it all started.

?That?s what was so exciting about growing up in Ohio, and the whole tradition of Marion Motley, Lou Groza and Otto Graham. They drafted me and it was pretty exciting. I?ll never forget it. I didn?t even talk salary. I took what Paul gave me. I think it was something like $7,000 for two years and a $1,500 bonus, but that seemed like millions of dollars to me.?

Having grown up in Wooster, Ohio, Schafrath found importance in the opportunity to play for his hometown team, and team up with Pro Football Hall of Famers in running back Jim Brown, coach Paul Brown, quarterback Len Dawson, offensive linemen Gene Hickerson, Lou Groza, and Mike McCormack, and assistant coach Chuck Noll.

?When you grow up in Ohio and you play for Ohio State, and then, you play with the Browns, that?s the ultimate dream,? Schafrath said. ?I never thought of playing for any other team. I played with Jim Brown, Leroy Kelly, (Gary) Collins, just a great group. The first huddle I got into, there were nine future Hall of Famers in it.?
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http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news...und-pick/276ef95f-2557-4936-8e10-c321eebd9ae8
 
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Cleveland Browns' 100 best all-time players: No. 8, Dick Schafrath (video)
dick-schafrathjpg-cbb0c88b3c0c27dc.jpg

Cleveland left tackle Dick Schafrath (77) blocks Lions linebacker Mike Lucci (53) as Leroy Kelly runs four yards for a touchdown in the Browns' 31-14 loss at Detroit on Sept. 24, 1967. Browns quarterback Frank Ryan (13) is in the background. (Plain Dealer Historical Photo)

Mike Peticca, The Plain Dealer
on July 18, 2013

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A countdown of the top 100 players in Cleveland Browns history. Players must have spent at least four seasons with the Browns. The ranking is based only on players' careers with the Browns.

No. 8, DICK SCHAFRATH, offensive tackle, 1959-71

An enduring image for longtime Browns fans is that of the great left offensive tackle, Dick Schafrath, reacting to teammates' touchdowns.

Whether it was Jim Brown scoring one of his 126 TDs or Charlie Scales one of his five, and regardless of the score and opponent, the enthusiastic Schafrath would rush into the end zone and congratulate the guy who had just put up another six points for Cleveland.

It might seem like a little thing but Browns fans noticed and it helped them know that their team cared.

cont...
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http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2013/07/cleveland_browns_100_best_all-_57.html
 
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