Rivers, Bogan are among Ebony inductees

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

One of the conclusions Jamie Rivers has drawn since playing in the NFL for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Jets is that no one cares or remembers.

In the context of a general observation about life, Rivers is right.

In the context of his hometown, he’s wrong.

Proof is the former South High product’s inclusion with 11 others who are slated for induction in the Ebony Lifeline All-Sports Hall of Fame on Oct. 22 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Banquet Hall.

By virtue of his selection, Rivers isn’t forgotten for his contributions through the years.

He joins a former South High classmate and teammate, Al Bogan, along with 10 others for the event, which is sponsored by Ebony Lifeline Support Group.

“We went to school together,” Rivers said of Bogan, now of Tallahassee, Fla.

After Rivers, now of St. Louis, and Bogan graduated in 1963, Rivers played at Bowling Green, then was drafted by the Cardinals (since relocated to Phoenix) and moved to St. Louis in 1967.

As a middle linebacker, Rivers played seven seasons with the Cardinals and two more with the Jets before bowing out in 1975.

“When I walked off the field, I bought a McDonald’s [restaurant] and I’ve been doing that for the last 35 years.”

During his playing days, Rivers worked for McDonald’s in the offseason.

“We didn’t get paid for the off-season back in those days,” said Rivers, who turned 65 on Sept. 22. “The game’s gotten too brutal, especially with all the concussions,” he said of the NFL.

Rivers said he sold three franchises but still owns one.

Rivers, whose first name is James, got the “Jamie” nickname when he was 8-years-old.

“Some guy from The Vindicator gave me that name,” Rivers said of write-ups when he played for the Playkie Toys little league team.

When in PONY League, Rivers played games at Stambaugh Field, not far from his house at 365 W. Myrtle.

Current Howland football coach Dick Angle, who played in the league, recalls seeing only two people hit a baseball over the fence at Stambaugh and Rivers was one.

The other, Angle said, was Denny Kiliany, now a member of Howland’s coaching staff.

Rivers, who will arrive in town on Oct. 21, has plenty of family, both here and in Cleveland.

He maintains an affinity for city living, preferring it over the suburbs.

“I’m a product of it, I’ll stay in it,” said Rivers, who is also a Bowling Green State Hall of Fame member.

Asked what lesson he learned from sports, Rivers said: “You’ve got to work with people. It’s not about you. Unfortunately, nowadays it’s about me. That’s not how you play the game — and that’s how life goes. It’s not about yourself.”

He added, “Once you leave the football field, no one cares or remembers. Most of them have to learn the hard way.”

Bogan’s first assistant coaching position after he graduated from Ohio University was at Warren Harding. He then went to South and served under John Mathey before becoming the Warriors’ head coach for two seasons.

In 1974, Bogan joined Rudy Hubbard’s staff at Florida A&M and was FAMU’s offensive coordinator when the Rattlers won the first Div. I-AA (now FCS) championship in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Bogan taught physical education at FAMU and remains in an adjunct capacity. Before retiring last year, he coached for 30 years and taught for 35. He was inducted into A&M’s Hall of Fame in 2003.

Bogan likes to reminisce about the 1971 Buick Riviera he bought from Rivers.

“While still coaching in Youngstown, I flew out to St. Louis when Jamie was playing for the Cardinals. I drove the car back and then took it to Florida. To this day, people still ask me about that Riviera.”

Bogan and A&M won’t forget — but would like to — when the Rattlers played YSU at Stambaugh Stadium in a I-AA playoff semifinal before 17,000-plus fans.

A&M was leading, 24-13, on Dec. 11, 1999, when the Penguins rallied to win, 27-24.

“We were marching down the field and Quinn Gray [A&M quarterback] had his pass intercepted,” Bogan said of a pickoff by Tim Johnson.

Prior to the interception, A&M had 3rd-and-goal at YSU’s 4-yard line.

Purportedly, prior to the play, a call from the pressbox was passed along to “put a dagger in their heart,” instead of settling for a field goal.

“We also got burned when they beat us on a bomb right after that because we had only 10 guys on the field,” Bogan recalled of Jeff Ryan’s TD pass to Elliott Giles to cut the lead to 24-19.

Bogan, too, has family in the area.

“I try to come home once a year. Y-town is my town.”