Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bernie Casey To Be Inducted Into Cast Of Honor
September 18, 2019 | Football, General
In recognition of the 100th anniversary of Bowling Green State University Football, the BGSU Department of Athletics will induct ten football players into the Cast of Honor, recognizing the "Best of the Best" by hanging their names and numbers in Doyt L. Perry Stadium.
The criteria for selecting members to the Cast of Honor is extensive. The nominee must have received his or her undergraduate degree from BGSU or, in the event of early pursuit of a professional career, must have been a student in good academic standing and made significant progress towards a degree. The candidate must have been at least 10 years removed from graduation and be a member of the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame, and must have exceptional athletic qualifications such as national award recognition, All-American status, and/or conference player of the year status. Finally, personal conduct, character, integrity, and community and University standing were considered.
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Full Cast of Honor Release
Today we look at Bernie Casey, '61 '66, who lettered at Bowling Green from 1958-60.
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One of BGSU's most accomplished and admirable alums, Bernie Casey was a College Division All-American selection in 1959. He was first team All-MAC and second team All-Ohio that same season after being the leading receiver for the 1959 National College Division Champions with an unblemished 9-0 record. Casey followed that up by being a 1960 College All-Star and team captain for a squad that went 8-1. He played in the 1960 East-West Shrine Classic and was selected ninth overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1961 NFL Draft, the highest selection ever by a BGSU football player. Casey went on to play in the Pro Bowl and earn All-Pro status. He was inducted into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1966 and then again in 2013 when the 1959 national championship team was inducted.
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During pro football's offseason, he returned to campus to pursue a master's degree in fine arts to complement his bachelor's degree. He held 40 art exhibitions around the world to showcase his paintings, and exhibited work in many galleries including the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., and the John Bolles Gallery in San Francisco. His poetry and other writings were published by Doubleday & Co.
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Casey's acting debut came in the film "Guns of the Magnificent Seven," and he had roles in more than 55 films. He starred on television in "Bay City Blues" and "Harris & Company," and during his acting career he worked with Burt Reynolds, Eddie Murphy and John Travolta.Â
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Casey passed away in 2017.
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"I was blessed by the grace of God to be a good athlete and to play (football) well," Casey said in 2003 in an interview with Todd Walker, the Voice of the Falcons. "I could not have gone to college without playing football and getting a scholarship. I could not have gone to graduate school without the money I garnered playing professionally. I had other goals and other pursuits and was able to bring them to fruition and have a varied and interesting life way beyond football."
The criteria for selecting members to the Cast of Honor is extensive. The nominee must have received his or her undergraduate degree from BGSU or, in the event of early pursuit of a professional career, must have been a student in good academic standing and made significant progress towards a degree. The candidate must have been at least 10 years removed from graduation and be a member of the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame, and must have exceptional athletic qualifications such as national award recognition, All-American status, and/or conference player of the year status. Finally, personal conduct, character, integrity, and community and University standing were considered.
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Full Cast of Honor Release
Today we look at Bernie Casey, '61 '66, who lettered at Bowling Green from 1958-60.
Â
One of BGSU's most accomplished and admirable alums, Bernie Casey was a College Division All-American selection in 1959. He was first team All-MAC and second team All-Ohio that same season after being the leading receiver for the 1959 National College Division Champions with an unblemished 9-0 record. Casey followed that up by being a 1960 College All-Star and team captain for a squad that went 8-1. He played in the 1960 East-West Shrine Classic and was selected ninth overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1961 NFL Draft, the highest selection ever by a BGSU football player. Casey went on to play in the Pro Bowl and earn All-Pro status. He was inducted into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1966 and then again in 2013 when the 1959 national championship team was inducted.
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During pro football's offseason, he returned to campus to pursue a master's degree in fine arts to complement his bachelor's degree. He held 40 art exhibitions around the world to showcase his paintings, and exhibited work in many galleries including the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., and the John Bolles Gallery in San Francisco. His poetry and other writings were published by Doubleday & Co.
Â
Casey's acting debut came in the film "Guns of the Magnificent Seven," and he had roles in more than 55 films. He starred on television in "Bay City Blues" and "Harris & Company," and during his acting career he worked with Burt Reynolds, Eddie Murphy and John Travolta.Â
Â
Casey passed away in 2017.
Â
"I was blessed by the grace of God to be a good athlete and to play (football) well," Casey said in 2003 in an interview with Todd Walker, the Voice of the Falcons. "I could not have gone to college without playing football and getting a scholarship. I could not have gone to graduate school without the money I garnered playing professionally. I had other goals and other pursuits and was able to bring them to fruition and have a varied and interesting life way beyond football."
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