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Football Kicks Off Season with a New Scoreboard
Two football milestones were achieved on September 1, 2007 when midway through a scoreless first quarter senior defensive back Michael Evans picked off a pass by Case Western Reserve quarterback Dan Whalen and ran it back 60 yards for a Yeomen touchdown. One, Evans’ interception return was Oberlin’s first touchdown of the 2007 season. And two, his score lit up a “6” on the brand-new Savage Stadium scoreboard, and it was the first game ever in which that had happened.
The $55,000 scoreboard was a gift from Oberlin alumnus Robert Fishback ’58, a three-sport athlete at Oberlin in the mid-1950s. It replaces an earlier model—also donated by Fishback, in 1987—that had outlived its usefulness. Both were built by the South Dakota company Daktronics, which, thanks in part to a loan from Fishback’s family bank decades ago, has grown to become one of the world’s leading producers of scoreboards for sports arenas.
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The scoreboard addition is part of an overall resurgence in athletics at Oberlin, which has involved renewed investments in quality coaching, expanded recruiting efforts, and a revitalization of athletics facilities. The new, eight-lane, state-of-the-art Kahn Track—made possible by a lead gift from Robert Kahn ’51—surrounds the equally new Shults Field, an enviable venue for intercollegiate soccer and lacrosse. The field, donated by Richard Bailey ’51, is named for retired Oberlin soccer and lacrosse coach Fred Shults ’54.
These and other projects all reflect a philosophy acknowledging that for many students, sports is an important part of their Oberlin experience. “At Oberlin we strive for excellence in everything we do,” says Associate Director of Leadership Giving Brad Hayes. “And that means giving athletes opportunities to compete and excel.”
With a strong fan base attending each home game at Savage Stadium and a beautiful new scoreboard to proudly display the results, the Yeomen had a year to remember in 2007. Head Coach Jeff Ramsey's team finished the season with a 5-2 record in North Coast Athletic Conference play and broke an astonishing 30 school records.
Now, it is quite clear that the future is indeed a bright one for the Oberlin football program and the department of athletics.
To learn more about leadership gifts, including support for Oberlin athletics, please contact the Office of Leadership Giving at leadership.giving@oberlin.edu or 1-800-693-3167.
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