After a stellar career at nearby Chaney High School, Bob Garcar was headed for Athens, Ga., in 1950 to begin his grid career for the highly regarded UniÂversity of Georgia Bulldogs and Head Coach Wally Butts.
However, his love for the area after one short season turned him right around as he headed back to the city and what the south lost, the north regained and Head Coach Dwight "Dike" Beede was a most thankful head coach.
The oldest of eight children, Bob Garcar learned about competition at an early age. He attended Holy Name Grade School, and later starred at Chaney High School under the direction of Ches McPhee. He helped the Cowboys to 8-10 and 3-3-3 grid marks in 1948 and 1949 respectively, earning All-City and All-County laurels. In 1948, he played center and linebacker and in 1949, was a two-way tackle, earning WKBN plaudits in addition to his aforementioned awards as well.
Going both ways in high school prepared him for the rigors of the college game as he ended up playing on both sides of the football (at both offensive and defensive tackle) throughout his collegiate career for the Penguins. It was during his four-year career that collegiate football was beginning to make a move to the two-platoon system but his finesse kept his as one of only two two-way players for Beede. Some of his most vivid memories about Penguin football include the anticipation of 22 days of pre-season drills at Camp Fitch and an outstanding performance against the Great Lakes Naval Center at Rayen High School Stadium in 1954.
During his senior year, he received the James A. Henderson Award as the "Most Valuable Defensive Player" and was selected to the First-Team Associated Press All-Ohio squad. Another honor was being named to the First-Team All-Midwestern squad on a team that included collegiate greats Howard "Hopalong" Cassady of Ohio State, Lenny Dawson from Purdue and Alan "The Horse" Ameche from the University of Wisconsin.
He was signed to a free agent contract with the Baltimore Colts upon graduation and after a brief tryout, returned to Youngstown to pursue his professional career as a teacher/coach in the Youngstown School System.
He taught at his alma mater, Chaney High School from 1970-95, and also served as an assistant football coach, head baseball and girl's volleyball coach as well. In 12 years as a baseball coach, helped the Cowboys to five Sectional titles, three District crowns, a runner-up crown in 1976 and the state semi-finals in 1975.
He was inducted into the Chaney High School Hall of Fame in 1989, the second class of athletes/coaches/adminisÂtrators in the school's hisÂtory to be immortalized.
Retired from teaching this past year, he and his wife Michele have five children, Karen Garcar,
Robert Garcar, Jr., David Garcar, Michelle Naypavec and Dr. Michael Reardon.
