Douglas (Doug) Click, 1961 Cardington High School graduate, will be inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame Saturday, February 5.
The ceremony will take place during half time of the basketball game when Cardington hosts Northmor.
Click has had a ball in his hands since he was a youngster growing up on East Main Street in Cardington. As a youngster he played baseball with older boys in the neighborhood and later joined the Little League coached by the late Dick Pace.
He continued playing baseball into high school where he was coached by Harold Mercer and he lettered all four years. His basketball career began when he was in junior high school, playing in both the seventh and eighth grades, with games played on Saturday mornings. He continued to play basketball all four of his high school years, 1957-61, earning four letters and setting a record scoring of 22 points in one game.
His first love, though, was football. He began playing the game in the eighth grade and into high school. “I liked to run the ball,” which he did, playing halfback and coached by Mercer. He earned his first football letter while playing his freshman year.
The Cardington Pirates, on their way to unbeaten seasons during Doug’s junior and senior years, routed Scioto Valley 52-12 when Doug was the leading scorer with 30 points. His achievement during this game earned him selection as Central Ohio Player of the Week by the Joe Hill Sports Program.
He was a guest of the day and sat with Mercer in the broadcast booth where he was interviewed by Hill during the Ohio State-Wisconsin football game on WTVN radio. He and the coach were dinner guests of the program later that evening.
Doug scored a total of 132 points during his senior season – wrapping up two unbeaten season by the Pirates. At one point, he was top scorer in the Mansfield district, with 18 touchdowns and 12 extra points. Doug was the only unanimous player named to the All-League team at the end of his senior year.
Doug’s football achievements earned him a scholarship to Ashland University where he played on the school’s team his freshman and sophomore years, but he suffered a career ending injury during his sophomore year.
His love of sports took a different turn – and while teaching Industrial Arts at Ashland Junior High School for 35 years, he coached girls softball with the Ashland Park System for 14 years. He also coached basketball and soccer.
Doug was active with the music department at his high school, playing trumpet in the high school band but when given an ultimatum by the band director, band or sports, he chose sports. A talented musician he organized his own band while attending Ashland University.
Doug’s daughter, Kelly and Kristin, inherited his love and talent for sports, both of whom played basketball, softball and soccer at Ashland High School.
Looking back, Doug commented “All games I played were team sports. I was lucky to get the ball – the linemen did the work. I did play some defense, though.”
Doug resides in Ashland where he still substitutes at the high school. His daughter, Kelly, resides in Ashland and his daughter Kristin, lives in St. Louis, Missouri. Doug has one granddaughter, Sofia. His wife, Cindy, is deceased. Doug is the son of Jake and Evelyn Click, both deceased.
Selection of the Hall of Fame inductee is made by a five membercommittee, comprised of Cardington-Lincoln School personnel including athletic director Tom Hack.
