Leave it better than you found it. That’s what Jack Spicer and his teammates did for the Otterbein football program to cap off the 1950’s.

Spicer, a running back with immense speed, transferred to play for the Cardinals after originally spending his first year of college at Ohio State. The burner proceeded to carry the ball over three seasons for Otterbein (from 1957-59), helping guide the program into a notable “Glory Days” era.

Otterbein was coming off three-straight losing seasons before Spicer’s debut in the fall of 1957, where the Cards started 5-0 until absorbing a few tough losses to end the schedule. A few of those defeats unfortunately carried over into the 1958 campaign as Otterbein ended 3-4-2 overall, dropping three games by just one possession.

However, under legendary coach Moe Agler, the Cards stormed back to post a 7-2 record come Spicer’s final season in 1959. He earned second team All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors for an Otterbein offense that scored 30.1 points per game and held an average winning margin of 25.7 points. The team punctuated that run with a dominant 60-28 victory over cross-town rival Capital in the finale.

That momentum greased the wheels for consecutive 8-1 campaigns in 1960 and 1961. At one point or another, Spicer competed alongside (now fellow) Hall of Famers Larry Cline, Ron Jones, Glen Aidt, Jack Pietila, Doc Freeman and Gary Allen.

Spicer also used his lightning speed to excel in track and field, and was productive around the campus/town as well during his undergrad years. He was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and drove a bus for the Westerville School District.

Jack eventually landed with his father and uncle to run the family business, Buckeye Donkey Ball, a fundraising company created by his grandfather during the depression. He later became the sole owner and was even featured by CBS Sunday Morning for their ongoing success.

Throughout his professional life, Spicer made sure to stay involved with his alma mater and surrounding community. He was a key part of the Otterbein “O” Club (earning the Outstanding Service Award along the way) and worked on the Memorial Stadium project in the early 2000’s.

Spicer was also a valued member of the Westerville Rotary Club, serving as membership development chairman of the rotary foundation and ultimately receiving the Governor’s Merit Award.

Jack and his wife, Sandy, were married for over 50 years. The couple has three daughters and seven grandchildren together, as he made sure to regularly attend all events they participated in. Jack passed away in 2010 (at the age of 74) after a bout with cancer, but these lasting contributions will always be celebrated by Otterbein and his proud family.