Editor's Note: This is the second in a five-part series looking at those who are and have been in charge of Ohio athletics.
On Dec. 3, 1968, the Indiana Hoosiers traveled to Athens to play Ohio in the first game in The Convo.
Just inside the main lobby, a young man, no more than 20 years old, was checking coats and running errands. Another man, somewhat older, passed by to make sure everything was going well. After all, this was the first game.
The young man was current Ohio baseball coach Joe Carbone, who often worked at football and basketball games during his four years as a student-athlete. The second man was Bill Rohr.
Rohr, who served as Ohio's athletic director from 1963 until 1978, oversaw what is often referred to as the school's glory years: six Mid-American Conference all-sports championships, five MAC basketball titles and NCAA appearances, and a postseason football bowl game appearance.
Rohr is remembered as much for the respect he garnered, though, as he is for the wins, championships and accolades that came during his 15 years at Ohio University.
Mr. Rohr had a lot of respect amongst the coaching staff and a lot of respect amongst the student-athletes
Carbone said. He cared about all the sports.
Dale Schumacher, who worked for Ohio for 27 years, including 25 as an associate athletic director, also remembers Rohr as a man who earned the community's respect.
Bill wanted things done right Schumacher said. He was a very fair person. Very stern but fair. His door was always opened. You could go in and talk with him at any time.
Coming to Athens
Upon learning of the retirement of athletic director Brandon Grover, then-president Vernon Alden began a national search for the ideal athletic director.
Alden found Rohr coaching men's basketball at Northwestern and thought he had his man. Alden, however, was met with some early resistance.
He had had the best recruiting season he ever had
so he was reluctant to leave Northwestern
Alden said. But we had Bill and (his wife) Mary Ellen come down to Ohio
and my wife and I had a long chat with them
and they decided to come.
Alden had several reasons for wanting to bring Rohr to Athens, including his national reputation and his friendships throughout the country. Those friendships helped in scheduling future opponents and building Ohio's national profile.
In addition to our Mid-American Conference games
I wanted us to play universities that had a strong academic record and were well known
Alden said.
Rohr certainly fulfilled the request, scheduling major-conference opponents in every sport. During the 1969-70 basketball season, Ohio played five Big Ten teams, beating four of them, including No. 3 Purdue.
Ohio closes
Following that historic winter, in which the Bobcats made their fourth NCAA appearance during Rohr's tenure, came the most tumultuous spring in the school's history.
On the heels of the Kent State shootings, Ohio students rioted against the Vietnam War and the draft lottery for nearly two weeks in early May.
On Friday, May 15, 1970, then-president Claude Sowle decided to close the school for the remainder of the quarter. The baseball team, however, which had already clinched the MAC Championship, still had regular-season games to play, as well as the NCAA Regional Tournament.
It was at that time that Rohr argued that the team should continue play.
Mr. Rohr got together with Coach (Bob) Wren and we were sent home for a week so they could decide what they could do
Carbone said. He made a stand for the Ohio University baseball team. He wanted us to finish our season.
