A four-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) performer, local Columbus product Tim Pond established himself as one of the most prolific and colorful playmakers in the history of Otterbein men’s basketball.

A 5-8, 160-pound point guard, Pond and fellow Hall of Famer Don Carlos were the only two members of the first ever recruiting class for legendary head coach Curt Tong at a time when the team was struggling to find an identity. They ended up playing an instrumental role in reviving the program.

Pond found various ways to affect the game below the rim, using rabbit-like speed and accurate shooting to help guide the Cardinals to a 71-25 overall record from 1963-67 (31-3 at home). Otterbein’s best mark came during Pond’s junior year when the Tan and Cardinal notched the first 20-win season in program history, going 20-5 overall and compiling a 14-game win streak at one point.

The team held a 21-game home winning streak inside Alumni Gymnasium as Pond’s senior year progressed until it was unfortunately broken when Kenyon scored with two seconds remaining for a narrow 80-78 decision. Pond over came a broken bone in his foot that winter, playing through pain and ultimately scoring the game-winning basket in the team’sregular season finale … a 61-59 triumph over Hiram.

Pond was a true fan favorite and “quarterback” of the Cardinals on both sides of the ball,serving as a reliable team captain and staple in the Cardinal lineup each season as a four-year starter. He exited having played in 93 career games, a program record at the time, and his 66-67’squad reached as high as No. 12 in the national rankings by United Press International.

A member of three-straight OAC runner-up teams, Pond and the Cardinals fell twice to Akron and once to Baldwin Wallace (in OT) over the span despite owning regular-season wins against the Zipsin 64-65’ and again in 66-67’.

Pond graduated in 1967 with a degree in Education, which proved instrumental in his long tenure as a Health and Physical Education teacher at Bishop Watterson High School, his alma mater, along with Dublin High Schools. He coached the Watterson baseball team to a state championship in 1988.

Tim and his high-school sweetheart, Judy, who was at every one of his gamesin college, have now been married 50 years.The couple has four children and 11 grandchildren.