The Ohio State University Alumni Club of Marion County will hold their 28th Annual Big Ten Kick Off Bash on Tuesday, October 22, 5:30 p.m. doors open, dinner 6 p.m., live auction 7 p.m., in the Greg Swepston Gymnasium at Ohio State Marion. For reservations contact Judy Osborne at jr_osborne@hotmail.com or call 740-361-5837 or 419-569-2415
The evening will feature a silent and live auction, a dinner to include brazed boneless beef ribs, cheesy potatoes, farmhouse green beans, vegetable tray, and make your own sundae dessert.
The club will present the Outstanding Buckeye Award and welcome special celebrity speaker former Ohio State kicker Tom Klaban to the podium. Initially a walk-on kicker for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Tom Klaban became the first soccer-style kicker in the history of the Big Ten. Klaban permanently kicked his way into being a Buckeye legend on November 23, 1974. After the Buckeyes fell behind undefeated Michigan 10-0 early in the game, Klaban made good on field goals of 47, 25, 43 and 45 yards to lead the Buckeyes to victory. Klaban’s place in Ohio State football history was secured. After the game, he was presented with the game ball and Woody Hayes awarded him a scholarship. In an amazing bit of irony, Klaban would one day own a car dealership in Michigan.
Drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, Klaban was traded to the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before kicking for the Buffalo Bills with OJ Simpson. Tom’s son Eric Klaban also walked on to the team as a kicker in the fall of 1998.
Klaban is also author of the book, The Sidewinder, which chronicles the true story of the Klaban family's ten-year plan to escape the oppression of communism from behind the Iron Curtain.
Entertainment for the evening will be provided by The Ohio State University Marching Band, Buckeye Man – Larry Lokai, Buckeye Santa – Bobby Jones, and
LL Tress – Dennis Singleton.
