From Woody Hayes to Jim Tressel and beyond...

Dr. Norm Burns, side-line photographer for the Ohio State Buckeyes from Woody Hayes to Jim Tressel, was interviewed on Senior Agenda on 12/19/13 for one of our Slow Down, Listen and Learn segments.  Listen to the complete interview here.  The Slow Down, Listen & Learn segments are reserved to allow seniors in our community an opportunity to come on and tell their stories.  We know there is much to be gained when we simply slow down, listen and learn.

"I'm on the sidelines year after year, coach after coach, and taking pride in the fact that hey look at me - I'm 80... now I'm 83 - hey fellows I'm the oldest - I'm the only octogenarian on the sidelines. I'd flex my muscles because of my age." Burns laughed.

Burns graduated from the Ohio State University of Dentistry and worked for OSU primarily as a student recruiter in the College of Dentistry for more than three decades.  During the interview he reflected on a more modest way of life during the Great Depression, family life including a discussion about his marriage, and finally life at the university.

"The experiences in the press room with Woody Hayes, well that's a story in itself," he said.

Of the thousands of photos he took in his 38 years on the sidelines. he described his favorite as a black and white from 1978.  " It's homecoming.  Ohio Sate is playing Iowa...   Bob Hope is the grand marshal of homecoming...It's halftime...and Bob Hope is dotting the "I."  And the legendary drum major -  Dwight Hudson...maybe the only drum major to receive permission from the Board of Trustees to come back a second time as drum major - he was that spectacular - so at any rate Dwight Hudson leads Bob Hope out to dot the "I" and at that moment out of the locker room comes Woody Hayes running at fill speed" to embrace Bob Hope.

Burns is now retired.  He continues to share his experiences and photographs from OSU through a series of on-going speaking engagements around town where he displays his personal collection of football photographs.  He is also a member of the German Village Society where he acts as a tour guide weather permitting.  If you would like to schedule a presentation with Burns, please email us at senioragendawithlisa.com.  GO BUCKS!