A member of the Cleveland Indians baseball team for six seasons, he became active in promoting both amateur and professional baseball in the Greater Cleveland area after his retirement in 1954. An untiring worker, he was considered one of the sport’s finest ambassadors. Promoted baseball through his membership on the Board of Directors of the Wahoo Club and Cleveland Baseball Federation. He constantly assisted sandlot youngsters with his time and money.
Member of the Cleveland Plain Dealer sports staff for 41 years, during which he covered almost every sport. Best remembered as a golf writer, covering that sport from 1925 until his retirement in 1964 and attending 24 National Opens. Covered hockey for some 35 years, was the paper’s pro football writer during the Cleveland Rams’ ten years in the city and also covered Ohio State football for many years.
Professional hockey star for 14 years, eight of which were spent with the Cleveland Barons. Was one of mainstays of 1947-48 Cleveland team which set a professional hockey record by going undefeated though 31 straight games. Named to American League All-Star team three times. Was the first league player to score 300 goals and ended his career as the league’s all-time scoring champion with 319 goals and 425 assists.
Winner of the BPAA National Doubles title in 1960, runner-up in 1956 when she also set a national women’s record with a 205 season average. Finalist in the BPAA All-Star Tournament six times, finishing second in 1960, third in 1949. Won singles, doubles and all-events titles in Ohio State Womens’s Bowling Association Tournament in 1959, four state all-events titles in all. Elected to Cleveland Women’s Bowling association Hall of Fame in 1970.
Won American Bowling Congress Doubles title (with Joe Kissoff) in 1953. Finished second in the ABC All-Events in 1951 and the ABC Singles in 1952. Won Cleveland City Doubles title with Kissoff in 1951 and bowled on Cleveland and Ohio championship teams. Averaged 202 for ten ABC classics and 197 for 32 ABC appearances. Bowled three 300 games and an 806 series.
Charter member of Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame (1974) and inducted into American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame, 1977. Ten-time PBA champion, winner of the BPAA All-Star championship in 1960, the ABC masters title in 1963 and the ABC Doubles in 1967. Twice Cleveland City Match-Game champion. Bowled 12 sanctioned 300 games and an 843 series. Had 199 average for 25 ABC tournament appearances.
First Cleveland amateur to be named to the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. Earned this honor 1920. Was Cleveland’s top 118-pounder from 1917 through 1920 and was undefeated both in the city and the State of Ohio during this period.
One of the outstanding boxers of the late 1930s and 1940s. Fought and defeated such outstanding boxers as Joe Maxim, Ezzard Charles and light heavyweight champions Anton Christoforidis and Melio Bettina. When Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis entered the armed service he declared Bivins as his successor “for the duration.”
NCAA All Around co-champion at University of Illinois in 1940. Also qualified for 1940 Olympic team, but Games were cancelled. National AAU floor exercise champion and runner-up on horizontal and parallel bars in 1946. Big Ten All Around, Horizontal Bar and Parallel Bars champion in 1939, competed for U.S. International Team vs. Czechoslovakia in 1947. Attended Cleveland East Tech High.
Won more than 280 individual fencing medals over a 20-year period, including eight All-Ohio championships and the 1968 “Canadian Heroes” epee championship. Was first person to win Ohio championship in all three weapons, a feat which has not been duplicated. Considered one of the Midwest’s finest fencers. Served as coach of Case Tech from 1963 through 1966.