Bowling Green State University Athletics
Jack Hecker (Left)
Jack Hecker To Be Inducted Into The Cast Of Honor
September 26, 2019 | Football
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
Football's 100th Anniversary Page
Part One: Bernie Casey
Part Two: Fred Durig
Part Three: Josh Harris
Today we look at Jack Hecker '56, who lettered for Bowling Green from 1953-55.
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Jack Hecker was a first-team All-MAC selection in 1954 and 1955 and was an honorable mention All-Ohio selection in 1954. In 1955, Hecker was named a College Division All-American and first team All-Ohio, captaining a team that finished 7-1-1. He is one of just 38 players in BGSU history to record over 1,000 receiving yards (1,081) and averaged 20.8 yards per reception, the highest mark in program history.
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Hecker was the first BGSU player to compete in the Blue-Gray Classic, doing so in 1955. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the ninth round of the 1956 NFL Draft. Hecker returned to BGSU as a graduate assistant under Doyt Perry and then worked as a high school coach at Perrysburg and Mentor before moving on to the college ranks. Along with Toledo and Miami (Ohio), Hecker coached for 23 years at Army and retired in 1999 after 42 years on the college football sidelines. He was inducted into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1964. Hecker also received varsity letters in basketball and track & field at Bowling Green, competing on the 1954 men's basketball team that played in the NIT at Madison Square Garden.
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Hecker passed away in 2017 and his wife, Linda, '58, will attend the 100th anniversary game in his place.
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"Jack would be so honored to be recognized in this way," Linda said. "He felt so blessed because of Bowling Green and it really changed the course of his life. Jack was a business major and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. He had come back to Bowling Green to visit me and Doyt Perry asked him to be a graduate assistant. That's how Jack got on the trail of becoming a coach and he had a terrific coaching career. You think about the caliber of coaching there with Doyt and Bo Schembechler. These are the people he was learning from.
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"Jack was recruited to Bowling Green on a basketball scholarship, but he also loved his football. He felt blessed when Doyt came to the area to coach. Jack was a high-energy and positive person. People described him as having a twinkle in his eye and he really enjoyed life and he had a good life, using his abilities and talents. At his funeral, there were probably 100 former players from all over the country who came to Strongsville, Ohio. They knew he cared about them."
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
Football's 100th Anniversary Page
Part One: Bernie Casey
Part Two: Fred Durig
Part Three: Josh Harris
Today we look at Jack Hecker '56, who lettered for Bowling Green from 1953-55.
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Jack Hecker was a first-team All-MAC selection in 1954 and 1955 and was an honorable mention All-Ohio selection in 1954. In 1955, Hecker was named a College Division All-American and first team All-Ohio, captaining a team that finished 7-1-1. He is one of just 38 players in BGSU history to record over 1,000 receiving yards (1,081) and averaged 20.8 yards per reception, the highest mark in program history.
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Hecker was the first BGSU player to compete in the Blue-Gray Classic, doing so in 1955. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the ninth round of the 1956 NFL Draft. Hecker returned to BGSU as a graduate assistant under Doyt Perry and then worked as a high school coach at Perrysburg and Mentor before moving on to the college ranks. Along with Toledo and Miami (Ohio), Hecker coached for 23 years at Army and retired in 1999 after 42 years on the college football sidelines. He was inducted into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1964. Hecker also received varsity letters in basketball and track & field at Bowling Green, competing on the 1954 men's basketball team that played in the NIT at Madison Square Garden.
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Hecker passed away in 2017 and his wife, Linda, '58, will attend the 100th anniversary game in his place.
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"Jack would be so honored to be recognized in this way," Linda said. "He felt so blessed because of Bowling Green and it really changed the course of his life. Jack was a business major and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. He had come back to Bowling Green to visit me and Doyt Perry asked him to be a graduate assistant. That's how Jack got on the trail of becoming a coach and he had a terrific coaching career. You think about the caliber of coaching there with Doyt and Bo Schembechler. These are the people he was learning from.
Â
"Jack was recruited to Bowling Green on a basketball scholarship, but he also loved his football. He felt blessed when Doyt came to the area to coach. Jack was a high-energy and positive person. People described him as having a twinkle in his eye and he really enjoyed life and he had a good life, using his abilities and talents. At his funeral, there were probably 100 former players from all over the country who came to Strongsville, Ohio. They knew he cared about them."
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