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Draft:Donald Spice

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Senior portrait of Don Spice in the 1961 North Ridgeville High School yearbook.

Donald Bert "Don" Spice is an American former athlete, educator, and coach from Ohio. He competed in basketball, baseball, and football at North Ridgeville High School. During his senior basketball season in 1960–61, he was selected to the Seaway Conference all-star squad and received Associated Press Class A All-Ohio honorable mention.[1][2][3]

Spice later attended Youngstown University, now Youngstown State University, where he played baseball. University records credit him with a 0.41 earned run average after allowing one earned run in 22 innings.[4] He also competed in Cleveland-area amateur baseball for Airmatic Valve and J. Schrader Co.[5][6]

High school athletics

[edit]

Spice attended North Ridgeville High School and graduated with the Class of 1961.[7]

Basketball

[edit]

1958–1959 season

[edit]

In January 1959, The Chronicle-Telegram reported that Spice and Bill Hershey helped put North Ridgeville ahead for good in a 66–51 victory over Avon.[8]

Later that month, Spice received his first varsity letter and became a member of North Ridgeville's newly organized Varsity R club.[9]

Spice scored 15 points in a 60–45 victory reported later that month.[10]

North Ridgeville won the Lorain County Class A basketball tournament championship in February 1959, defeating Firelands 56–55 in the final. Spice converted two late free throws, while Bill Hershey scored the winning basket with three seconds remaining. The Chronicle-Telegram reported that the victory gave North Ridgeville its third consecutive county tournament championship.[11]

1959–1960 season

[edit]

A November 1959 preview identified Spice and Ed Graff among North Ridgeville's leading shooters.[12]

In November, Spice scored 11 points by halftime in North Ridgeville's 57–41 victory over Amherst.[13]

In December, Spice scored 20 points in a 63–51 victory over St. Edward.[14]

Against Avon Lake in January 1960, Spice scored 20 points.[15]

1960–1961 season

[edit]

During his senior season, Spice was among the area's leading scorers. On January 19, 1961, The Chronicle-Telegram reported that he led the area with an average of 19.8 points per game, the Lorain County League with 21.5 points per game, and the Seaway Conference with 17.5 points per game.[16]

A week later, another scoring survey credited Spice with 225 points through twelve games and an average of 18.8 points per game.[17]

North Ridgeville won the Lorain County basketball tournament championship on February 25, 1961, defeating South Amherst 42–39 in overtime. Spice led all scorers with 12 points.[18]

North Ridgeville subsequently defeated Rocky River 58–42 in sectional tournament play. The Medina County Gazette covered the game under the headline "Too Much Spice."[19]

By early March, Spice had accumulated 388 points during the season.[20]

Following the season, Spice was selected to the Seaway Conference all-star squad.[1] He also received Associated Press Class A All-Ohio honorable mention.[2][21][3]

Baseball

[edit]

In the summer of 1958, Spice pitched for the Ridgeville Merchants of the Lorain County Suburban Hot Stove League. In the final game of an undefeated season, he pitched a four-hitter as Ridgeville defeated Huntington 17–3.[22]

During the 1959 high school season, Spice helped North Ridgeville advance to the Lorain County Class A Tournament final. Against Firelands, he recorded two hits and two runs batted in.[23]

In the championship game against Brookside, Spice recorded North Ridgeville's only hit and later scored one of its two runs in a 16–2 defeat.[24]

In 1960, Spice pitched all nine innings against Brookside, allowing six hits and striking out five.[25]

Against Midview in May, he limited the Middies to three hits and struck out 13 batters in a 4–1 victory.[26]

Later that month, Spice pitched a one-hitter, struck out 10, and drove in three runs in a 7–2 victory over Midview.[27]

During the 1961 season, Spice struck out eight batters against Avon Lake.[28]

In the Lorain County Class A semifinal against Brookside, Spice allowed four hits and struck out 10 batters in a 3–0 defeat.[29]

He later pitched a complete-game victory over Amherst, recording nine strikeouts.[30]

Football

[edit]

During his senior football season in 1960, Spice contributed to North Ridgeville's offense as a runner and receiver.[31]

During a preseason scrimmage against Elyria Catholic, Spice recorded a 20-yard run, the longest North Ridgeville gain reported in the game.[32]

In North Ridgeville's 24–20 victory over Vermilion, Spice gained 76 rushing yards and caught a seven-yard touchdown pass with 2:29 remaining.[33]

Against Midview, North Ridgeville won 18–14 and Spice scored two touchdowns.[34]

Spice finished the 1960 football season with 38 points, consisting of six touchdowns and one two-point conversion.[35]

His classmates selected him as the Most Athletic member of North Ridgeville High School's graduating class.[36]

Collegiate athletic career

[edit]

Youngstown University baseball

[edit]

Spice attended Youngstown University, where he played collegiate baseball. The university's historical baseball record book lists Spice among its former players and identifies North Ridgeville, Ohio, as his hometown.[37]

Spice recorded a 0.41 earned run average in 22 innings across four pitching appearances, allowing one earned run.[4]

1964 season

[edit]

On May 8, 1964, The University Jambar reported that Youngstown defeated Alliance College 18–2, tied the school record for victories in a season, and extended its winning streak to eleven games.[38]

A later report stated that Youngstown defeated Baldwin-Wallace 10–1 to extend the winning streak to 16 games.[39]

Youngstown subsequently appeared in the NCAA Mideast Regional of the NCAA College Division. Southern Illinois defeated Youngstown 11–5 in the regional on June 4, 1964.[40]

Fraternity basketball

[edit]

Spice also played basketball for Delta Sigma Phi at Youngstown University. In 1966, Delta Sigma Phi defeated Theta Xi 88–65 to win the Interfraternity Council basketball championship. Spice was listed among the team's starting players.[41]

Education

[edit]

Westlake City School District Board of Education records list Spice as having received a B.S. from Youngstown University in 1966.[42]

Amateur athletics

[edit]

In August 1963, The Plain Dealer reported that Spice pitched the first eight innings of Airmatic Valve's 2–1 victory over the Elyria Mustangs in the Lakewood A playoff championship.[5]

In June 1964, Spice pitched J. Schrader Co. to a 6–1 victory over Airmatic Valve, allowing one hit.[6]

The Plain Dealer also covered the game under the headline "Schraders Win Spicy 1-Hitter."[43]

In August 1964, Spice started for Schraders in a 6–3 Press Trophy victory over Airmatic.[44]

In 1965, The Cleveland Press credited Spice as the winning pitcher in a 6–4 Airmatic Valve victory over Barry Lincoln-Mercury and reported that he also drove in a run with a single.[45]

In 1975, Spice scored 20 points for Cleveland Air-Cargo in a 90–67 basketball victory over the Cleveland Hornets. The report identified him as an assistant basketball coach at Westlake.[46]

Teaching and coaching career

[edit]

Mansfield and Columbia

[edit]

Following his university education, Spice worked at Mansfield's John Sherman Junior High before joining Columbia Local Schools in 1967.[47]

At Columbia, Spice taught health and physical education and served as head coach of the basketball and baseball programs. A May 1, 1979, recommendation from Columbia superintendent Donald B. Hagen described his service with the district from September 1967 through 1970.[48]

Superintendent Hagen notified Spice on April 15, 1970, that the Columbia Board of Education had accepted his resignation. Spice's signed resignation specified July 10, 1970, as its effective date.[49]

The Pennington School and Trenton State College

[edit]

Spice coached basketball at The Pennington School in New Jersey during the 1970–71 season.[50][51]

Spice attended Trenton State College, now The College of New Jersey. His transcript documents graduate coursework during 1970 and 1971.[52]

Westlake City Schools

[edit]

On June 14, 1971, the Westlake City School District Board of Education approved Spice for a one-year limited contract for the 1971–72 school year. The record lists his assignment as science at Parkside Junior High School.[42]

By 1975, The Cleveland Press identified Spice as an assistant basketball coach at Westlake.[46]

Westlake board records later document Spice in supplemental athletic positions at Lee Burneson Middle School, including boys cross country and boys track.[53]

St. Edward, Oberlin, and Brooklyn

[edit]

In 1980, Spice served as an assistant basketball coach at St. Edward High School.[54]

He was also associated with basketball coaching at Oberlin College in 1980.[55]

Brooklyn City Schools records document Spice as head boys basketball coach for the 1983–84 school year.[56]

A second Brooklyn contract appointed him head boys basketball coach for the 1984–85 school year.[57]

Later coaching and retirement

[edit]

Westlake City Schools records document coaching appointments during the 2005–06 school year.[58]

Spice retired from Westlake City Schools effective July 1, 2006.[59]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "3 Midview Basketballers Are All-Seaway Selections". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. March 1, 1961. p. 13.
  2. 1 2 "Small Town Boys Make All-Star '5'". Wilmington News-Journal. Associated Press. March 21, 1961. p. 8.
  3. 1 2 "1960–61 Boys Basketball AP All-Ohio Teams" (PDF). Ohio High School Athletic Association. Retrieved September 1, 2026.
  4. 1 2 2025 Youngstown State Baseball Record Book. Youngstown State University Sports Information. 2024. p. 23.
  5. 1 2 "Spice, Walsh Pace Valves". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. August 21, 1963. p. 31.
  6. 1 2 "Spice Puts Some Zip in Schraders' Lineup". The Cleveland Press. Cleveland, Ohio. June 30, 1964. p. 26.
  7. ↑ North Ridgeville High School Yearbook. North Ridgeville, Ohio: North Ridgeville High School. 1961. p. 31.
  8. ↑ "Eagles' James Bags 20: Ridgeville Hands Avon 7th Setback". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. January 10, 1959. p. 11.
  9. ↑ "'Varsity R' Formed at Ridgeville". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. January 22, 1959. p. 27.
  10. ↑ "Rangers Measure Cardinals". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. January 31, 1959. p. 11.
  11. ↑ Ketchum, Jim (February 23, 1959). "Hershey Ranger Hero of Hour, Moment: Last Gasp Fielder Wins, 56–55". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. 9.
  12. ↑ "Columbia First Foe: Ridgeville Cagers, Back in Top Class, Open Friday". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. November 18, 1959. p. 26.
  13. ↑ "Ridgeville in 57–41 Victory Over Amherst". The Sandusky Register. November 23, 1959. p. 16.
  14. ↑ "Free Throws Help Ridgeville Tops St. Ed, 63–51". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. December 12, 1959. p. 5.
  15. ↑ "Avon Lake Downs Ridgeville". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. January 11, 1960. p. 10.
  16. ↑ "Ridgeville's Spice Takes Prep Cage Scoring Lead". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. January 19, 1961. p. 20.
  17. ↑ "Hamlin, Spice Share Area Prep Cage Point Lead". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. January 26, 1961. p. 18.
  18. ↑ Takacs, Fred (February 27, 1961). "Rangers Collar Lorain County Cage Tourney". The Lorain Journal. Lorain, Ohio. p. 17.
  19. ↑ "Too Much Spice: Ridgeville Stops River at Tourney". Medina County Gazette. Medina, Ohio. March 2, 1961. p. 5.
  20. ↑ "Darley Shades Spice". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. March 3, 1961. p. 16.
  21. ↑ "AP's Class A All-Ohio". Findlay Republican-Courier. Associated Press. March 21, 1961. p. 5.
  22. ↑ "Ridgeville 'E' Champ". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. July 29, 1958. p. 5.
  23. ↑ "Rangers Reach Finals". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. April 14, 1959. p. 4.
  24. ↑ "Cards Rap Ridgeville, 16–2; Brookside Nine Repeats as Lorain County Titlist". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. April 21, 1959. p. 7.
  25. ↑ "Old Stuff, 10 Errors; Brookside Dumps Ridgeville, 9–2". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. April 29, 1960. p. 15.
  26. ↑ "Ridgeville Nine Tops Midview". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. May 7, 1960. p. 18.
  27. ↑ "Only Defeat Spice Abolishes Middie Variety". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. May 20, 1960. p. 11.
  28. ↑ "Avon Lake 9 Blanks Rangers". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. April 21, 1961. p. 16.
  29. ↑ "Brookside Hurdles Rangers, Aims at Title". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. May 2, 1961. p. 2.
  30. ↑ "Ridgeville Feels Right at Home". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. May 24, 1961. p. 30.
  31. ↑ "Ridgeville Luffs Vermilion Sails for Third Win". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. October 1, 1960. p. 8.
  32. ↑ Verbeck, J. (September 1, 1960). "Fullbacks Feature of Standoff in Catholic-Ridgeville Scrimmage". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. 27.
  33. ↑ "Ridgeville Luffs Vermilion Sails for Third Win". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. October 1, 1960. p. 8.
  34. ↑ "Too Much Spice!". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. October 15, 1960. p. 25.
  35. ↑ "Area Season Scoring Leaders". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. October 18, 1960. p. 11.
  36. ↑ North Ridgeville High School Yearbook. North Ridgeville, Ohio: North Ridgeville High School. 1961. p. 35.
  37. ↑ Youngstown State University Athletic Communications (2017). Youngstown State University Baseball Record Book. Youngstown, Ohio: Youngstown State University. p. 54.
  38. ↑ "YU Baseball Team Ties Record". The University Jambar. Youngstown University. May 8, 1964. p. 7.
  39. ↑ "Youngstown U. Whips Baldwin-Wallace, 10–1, for 16th Straight". The Jambar. Youngstown University. May 1964. p. 4.
  40. ↑ "2026 Baseball Record Book" (PDF). Southern Illinois University Athletics. 1964 year-by-year results; NCAA Mideast Regional (College Division). Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  41. ↑ "Delta Sigs Win IFC Cage Crown". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. March 24, 1966. p. 26.
  42. 1 2 Official Minutes, Westlake City School District Board of Education (Report). Westlake, Ohio: Westlake City School District. June 14, 1971. Certified Personnel Employment, No. 71-137.
  43. ↑ "Schraders Win Spicy 1-Hitter". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. June 30, 1964. p. 37.
  44. ↑ Warfield, Ben (August 20, 1964). "Schraders Win Press Trophy Play". The Cleveland Press. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 38.
  45. ↑ "Bartunek Paces Airmatic Victory". The Cleveland Press. Cleveland, Ohio. July 9, 1965. p. 41.
  46. 1 2 "Air-Cargo Routs Hornet Cagers". The Cleveland Press. Cleveland, Ohio. March 10, 1975. p. 32.
  47. ↑ Rombach, Jerry (May 25, 1968). "Sport Scope". The Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. 11.
  48. ↑ Hagen, Donald B. (May 1, 1979). Recommendation for Donald Spice (Report). Columbia Station, Ohio: Columbia Local Schools.
  49. ↑ Hagen, Donald B. (April 15, 1970). Letter to Donald Spice (Report). Columbia Station, Ohio: Columbia Local Schools.
  50. ↑ Guidotti, Sal (February 25, 1971). "PDS Almost Trips Red Raiders". The Evening Times. Trenton, New Jersey.
  51. ↑ O'Gorman, George (March 16, 1971). "Whitehead Leads All-Prep Team". The Evening Times. Trenton, New Jersey.
  52. ↑ Academic Transcript of Donald B. Spice (Report). Trenton, New Jersey: Trenton State College. 1971.
  53. ↑ Regular Meeting Minutes (Report). Westlake, Ohio: Westlake City Schools Board of Education. May 20, 2004. Exhibit F-1-b-3, Resolution No. 04-127.
  54. ↑ St. Edward High School Yearbook. Lakewood, Ohio: St. Edward High School. 1980. p. 50.
  55. ↑ Selonick, William (November 25, 1980). "Cagers Bounce Season Openers". The Oberlin Review. p. 5.
  56. ↑ Supplemental Contract, Resolution No. 83-10-309 (Report). Brooklyn, Ohio: Brooklyn City Schools. October 10, 1983.
  57. ↑ Supplemental Contract, Resolution No. 84-6-219 (Report). Brooklyn, Ohio: Brooklyn City Schools. June 19, 1984.
  58. ↑ "Board of Education Agenda" (PDF). Westlake City Schools. July 27, 2005. pp. 14–15. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  59. ↑ "Resolution to Approve Staff Resignations for the Purpose of Retirement" (PDF). Westlake City Schools Board of Education. May 22, 2006. Exhibit F-1-b-13, Resolution No. 06-129. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
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