Ashland County Sports Hall of Fame
Ashland County Sports
Hall of Fame
 
'
 

Class of 2002
'Bob Dove
'Brian K. Hanson
'Corey A. Kline
'Gaylord Meininger
'James M. Messner
'Jack Miller
'Jill R Noble
'Harold "Bully" Rader *
'Robert Stokes
'Sue Martensen Uebel
'T: Stan Steiner *
''( Deceased * )
'
'1963 Ashland 9-0
''Football Team
'
Selection Committee
'Jack Irving, Chairman
'Norm Gault
'Tom Herron
'Barney Luttrell
'Dan McBride
'Jack Messner
'Bob Palmer

'Ella Shannon
'Don Sprang

 

Robert Stokes

Robert Stokes 

Born June 8, 1931. Graduated from Frazeysburg High School 1949. 

Bob was captain of his basketball and baseball teams his senior year. The basketball team that he started on his sophomore, junior, and senior years went to the regional and district tournaments in those respective years. The team won 76 and lost 11 over that period of time. 

He attended Muskingum College where he received All-American honors in football and All-Conference first team and Captain of the All-Ohio basketball team. Bob was Co-Captain of the football and basketball teams his senior year.  

After graduation in 1953, he signed a contract to play football with the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League. His career was cut short after five weeks when he broke his ankle. 

He then coached football and basketball at Summerfield and Greentown high Schools. In 1955, he returned to Muskingum College as an assistant coach in football and basketball. The 1955 football team went undefeated. 

In 1968 he took a head basketball and assistant football coaching position at Ashland College. In seven years as head basketball coach his teams were 87 wins and 60 losses. His teams were in the District 22 N.A.I.A. district play-offs five of the seven years. They were in the finals game three times and won the tournament once to earn the opportunity to go to the National Tournament in Kansas City. This was the first Ashland College team to go to a National Tournament. 

In 1965 he returned to Muskingum College as head basketball coach and assistant football coach. The football team won the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship in 1965 and 1965. They also went to the Alonzo Stagg Bowl in 1965. 

In 1967, Bob became the head football coach at Muskingum and in the nest three years won 19, and lost 5, and tied 3; this is the best winning percentage of any coach in Muskingum history. 

In 1971 Bob came back to Ashland College as Athletic Director. With the outstanding programs at the college, many tournaments came to the college. Some of the tournaments that he directed were; 1972 Co-director of the National College NCAA Track Meet, 1972 Co-directed the First College A.I.A.W. National Basketball Tournament, Director of 50 Sectional and District Boys High School Basketball Tournaments, ten Sectional and District High School Girls Tournaments and two Regional Girls Basketball Tournaments were run for the Northwestern district of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. These were run over a 25-year period from 1971 to 1997. 

In 1976 Bob assisted in developing a graduate program for coaches. This program became one of the first of its kind in the country. Bob then directed and taught in this program from 1977. It grew to have over 300 students on four different campuses. 

In 1954, he married Joyce Ann Cosby and had 3 children, Steve, Directors of Art Department at Chicago Decal Co. and lives in Hinsdale, Illinois, Debra McNaull, a National Certified first grade teacher at Montgomery Elementary in Ashland, and Chris, the Head Basketball Coach at Ashland High School, they have five grandchildren. 

Nominator: Gene A. Telego



 
' ' ' ' '