ST. MARYS, OHIO -- Buz Howard's popular series of "Roughrider Retrospective" articles is now available in book form. All of the stories that originally appeared in Ridertown are updated in this collectors' edition, with many new stories added which were previously unpublished.
Subtitled "Memorable Moments from St. Marys Football History," the volume will be offered for purchase at the Chicken Bowl on Friday, August 18 and all home football games. The $15 book will also be on sale at Alberts Sporting Goods, Minster Bank and the MHS Athletic Department Office.
The book, which highlights St. Marys football games dating back to 1912, features interviews with five head coaches, many ex-players and opponents and photos by Andrews Photography on nearly every page.
Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Tom Howard Memorial Scholarship Fund. Tom Howard was a 3-sport athlete and honor student at MHS who played defensive end from 1987 through 1989. He died suddenly from a heart condition the summer after his graduation in 1990. Since the Fund was established in 1991, 36 students have received scholarship grants.
"Many people from the Roughrider community have been generous in their support of this project," author Buz Howard commented. "I think a lot of Roughrider fans will enjoy it."
Plan to buy a copy soon.
Book Feature: -- The Faces of St. Marys Football - How Many Do You Know? CLICK HERE for the list of names to match to the photos on pages 76-79.
Contributing Columnist Buz Howard
Of the thousands of authorities on Roughrider Football in the St. Marys area, Robert "Buz" Howard is arguably the foremost.
A life-long resident of St. Marys, Buz has kept the "official" stats for the football team over a span of six decades. Beginning as a MHS student in the late 1950s, he continues those duties today. During his tenure as a teacher at MHS, he also coached the varsity Track and Basketball teams, as shown in the above scan from the 1971 MHS Mirror.
His friendship with the Memorial coaches and acquaintance with many opposing coaches, combined with his archive of personally recorded football stats (and those of some of his predecessors) -- not to mention his attendance at nearly every Roughrider football game for 50 years -- uniquely qualify Buz to write his "Roughrider Retrospective" columns.
Readers can contact Buz at bevo@bright.net.
