Bo Rein was born and raised in Niles, Ohio, where he is still remembered as a legendary high school athlete for the Red Dragons of Niles McKinley High School. Rein played at Niles during their heyday, when the Red Dragons under coach Tony Mason were one of the top big school powerhouses in high school football in Ohio.

Rein played baseball at Ohio State University from 1965 through 1967, helping the Buckeyes win the 1966 College World Series, the school’s only NCAA baseball title. Rein played shortstop and left field. He led his team in stolen bases in 1965 and 1966, and in doubles and runs in 1966. Rein had 49 career stolen bases, which stood as a team record until he was surpassed by Roy Marsh in the early 1990s.

In 1965 and 1966, Ohio State participated in the College World Series, and Rein was selected in both years to the All–Tournament team. In 1965, the Buckeyes lost the championship game to Arizona State. In 1966, Ohio State won the championship, defeating Oklahoma State. In the championship game, Rein contributed a double.

After he finished his college career, Rein was drafted by the Cleveland Indians. He was playing for the Portland Beavers, the Indians' Triple–A farm team, when Achilles tendon and hamstring problems ended his baseball career.

From 1964 to 1966, Rein was a three–year starter at left halfback for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team. He led his team in receptions in 1964 and 1965, and in rushing in 1966. Rein finished at Ohio State the team career receptions leader. Following his Ohio State career, Rein was drafted by the Baltimore Colts.”
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Rein

Bo's fifth grade class photograph. This would be about the time that Bo began playing baseball on a team with his older brother.

My brother Bo; the one I knew. By Marcy Rein
Bo along with his three siblings was borne to a very athletic, hard-working, dedicated parents. As a youngster Bo, his older brother Paul, and a nearby cousin Ron played baseball all summer long. Sometimes mom played the role of pitcher. As the youngest of the bunch, Bo was allowed to play only so the older boys could field a team, ala Scotty Smalls in the movie, “The Sandlot.” Despite the older boy’s reluctant inclusion of him, Bo was still expected to perform at their level. He rose to the challenge and this was the beginning of the legend.

In 1954 we moved to Howland, Bolindale to be exact. That is until the family packed up and moved for what would be a one-year stint to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where mom and dad were half–owners of a fishing resort. As my father was an avid fisherman, my older brothers also became experienced fishermen. Bo loved the wilderness so much so that his childhood goal was to become a forest ranger.

Destiny (in the form of a long harsh Michigan winter)however changed the course of ranger Bo’s future. When we returned to Ohio, dad was able to regain his job at Republic Steel.

Had it not been for our one-year detour to Michigan, Bo could have donned the orange and black and been a Howland Tiger (oh.my!), but as luck would have it, the Rein’s new home was a lovely ranch–style home nestled in Niles. The red and blue roots of the legend begins to take hold in Dragontown.

Bo rein wearing the Niles McKinley football letter sweater with the 1961 State Champion medallion on his sleeve.

St. Stephen 1957 football team
Parochial League Champions.

List of player names from
1957 St. Stephen football team.

By 7th grade, he excelled in basketball as well as baseball. He begged my dad to put up a basketball hoop over the garage. Eventually my father agreed and all the neighborhood boys would come to play. The double–wide driveway served as a perfect location for half–court games. Several replacements of the side window adjacent to the driveway later, Bo was forced to excel at H-O-R-S-E only.

In the fall of 7th grade, coaches Hugh Blakely, Vince Holmes and Joe Smaltz encouraged Bo to try football. Not only did Bo remain close to these gentlemen throughout his life, he credited them for his love of the game of football (and of course a win against arch rival Mt. Carmel). With that autumn playing for St. Stephens and the right coaches, football became Bo’s future. The legend grows.

The 1957 St. Stephen’s Football team was undefeated and unscored upon. Bo Rein would go on to Play at Ohio State while Denny Flanagan and Rick Sygar would play for Michigan. Several of these seventh and eighth grade Fighting Irish players would also play on the Niles McKinley varsity football team.

You all know the rest of the story from his days at Niles McKinley to Ohio State to his coaching career as it has been well documented and his memory has been kept alive. I often wonder how the story might be different if Bo had become that forest ranger. But, as it always does, destiny took its course and pulled him into a life of sports that he loved just as much, if not more, than the wilderness. A Dragon, a Buckeye, a coach, and a legend.

Bo Rein’s First Communion photograph.

Rick Sygar, #30, throwing a block to allow Bo Rein, #34, to run for a touchdown.

Bo Rein posing for high school
baseball photograph.

Niles All–American Football Players.

Few towns can say that they have had brothers who have attained All American laurels in college football. Niles is one of those places, and the brothers were Herb and Russ Stein…first team All-American in 1920.

Herb made the grade as a center for the University of Pittsburgh while Russ was picked as a tackle representing Washington & Jefferson College. Russ was a member of the President’s Rose Bowl team that fought heavily favored California to a scoreless tie on New Year’s Day in 1922.

Both pursued pro football careers, Herb with Buffalo, Toledo, and Frankford, Illinois; Russ with Toledo, Frankford, Canton and the 1925 World Champion Pottsville, Pennsylvania Maroons.

They were followed in the All–American category by Adrian Ford, Phil Ragazzo, Dick Rindfuss, Karl Singer, Jim Berline, Dave Pappada, and Pat Ryan, Ted Papas and Jim “Sonny”Capuzzi.

Ford was selected at Lafayette College in 1925, Ragazzo at Western Reserve in 1937, Rindfuss at Michigan in 1964, Singer at Purdue in 1965, Rein at Ohio State in 1966, Pappada at Findlay in 1967, and Ryan at Youngstown University in 1968. Ragazzo, Pappada, and Rein were Little All–Americans.

Following their college careers Ragazzo, Jim "Sonny" Capuzzi, Rindfuss, Singer and Rein played pro football…Ragazzo with the Cleveland Rams and New York Giants, Jim "Sonny" Capuzzi with the Green Bay Packers, Rindfuss with the Washington Redskins, Singer with the Boston Patriots and Rein with the Baltimore Colts. Rein also played pro baseball and coached at the collegiate level.

Teddy Pappas, first high school All-American from Niles.1960 PO1.1334

Karl Singer was one of Niles great offensive tackles on the 1961 championship team. He went on to become first team All–American at Purdue University. He later coached at Cincinnati with head coach Tony Mason

Phil Ragazzo played high school football for McKinley High, graduating in1934. He was elected All–American at Western Reserve in 1937.

Ragazzo went on to play pro football for the Cleveland Rams in 1938-40; Philadelphia Eagles in 1940–41, the U.S. Navy 1942–44 and New York Giants 1945–47.

He served as assistant coach for the Dragons under Joe Bassett and Tony Mason and was inducted into the Case Western Reserve Hall of Fame in 1975. PO1.1336

Jim "Sonny" Capuzzi, a 1950 graduate of McKinley High played defensive half back for two years with the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. PO1.1341

Centennial Souvenir Program

By 1834 Heaton's Furnace settlement had reached the proper proportions of a village so James Heaton planned the streets, marked off the lot division and named the village.

Until 1834 the settlement was appropriately called “Heaton’s Furnace”, but James Heaton gave it a new name ‘Nilestown’ in honor of Hezekiah Niles, editor of the Niles Register, a Baltimore paper, whose Whig principles Heaton greatly admired.

The lots for the village of Nilestown were plotted in 1834. 100 years later the Riverside Stadium was dedicated September 15, 1934.

Coincidently, Youngstown Rayen was the last football team to defeat the Niles Dragons in the first game of the 1959 season.

From that 1959 game through the 1963 season Niles was undefeated for 47 games and were nmaed State Football Champions in 1961 and 1963.

From the construction of cement stands with wooden bleachers in 1934, the Niles football stadium experienced an expansion in 1963 to a capacity of over 18,000 seats.

The years of the undefeated Niles Dragons would become known as the ‘Golden Years’.

Half-back Bo Rein eluding a tackler.

Northeastern Ohio Sectional Champions
1961-1962

Niles Baseball Team
1962

Bo Rein in team photograph when Niles football team was voted State Champions.

Bo Rein also excelled at defense.

Undefeated streak of 48 games - Niles McKinley (1959–1964) *regular season games only, streak occurred prior to OHSAA playoffs era.

Bo was in 9th grade at Edison Junior in 1959. Niles McKinley varsity lost the first game of the season to Youngstown Rayen, 15–14.

Entering 10th grade in the Fall of 1960, Bo later played on three undefeated football teams until he graduated in the Spring of 1963.

Bo Rein was featured speaker at the Twentieth Annual Frontliners Football Banquet On January 16, 1977. Bo recognized baseball coach Paul 'Pepper' DeMont.

There was a display case featuring Bo Rein memorabilia in the main entrance hallway of Niles McKinley High School.