​A Night to Remember: 2023 Agonis Club of Columbus Person of the Year Celebration Honors Bobby Carpenter and the Remarkable Carpenter Family
By Jim Beck - 08/31/23

Columbus, OH - The evening of August 31st, 2023, marked a spectacular event as the Agonis Club of Columbus celebrated its 2023 Person of the Year honoring OSU Legend, retired NFL Player and local sportscaster Bobby Carpenter, and the entire Carpenter family.

The event, held at Villa Milano, proved to be a resounding success offering attendees a night filled with camaraderie, nostalgia, and appreciation for the outstanding contributions made by the Carpenters.
The festivities commenced with a lively social hour, reuniting many attendees who shared connections from their playing days at Ohio State University. Past Agonis Club Presidents, a remarkable thirteen in number, were also present, creating an atmosphere rich with the legacy of this prestigious organization.

The grand ballroom at Villa Milano buzzed with energy as over 150 distinguished guests gathered to honor the Carpenters. The evening's program unfolded with a mix of elegance and anticipation.
A highlight of the evening was the captivating silent auction organized by Phil Pini, featuring a treasure trove of extraordinary items. Notably, the auction included two footballs autographed by none other than the Carpenter Boys themselves, adding a touch of sports memorabilia to the affair.

Leading the program was the President of the Agonis Club, Duane Phlegar, who took the opportunity to address the audience about the upcoming year and our upcoming luncheons, which marks a significant milestone: the club's centennial year of service to the Central Ohio Community. Phlegar's words echoed with pride and excitement for the club's enduring legacy.

Phlegar then handed over the reins over to Father Watson  for our a prayer and led a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, setting a respectful tone for the night. The culinary delights of a splendid buffet provided by Villa Milano ensured that attendees were treated to both nourishment and luxury.

The program then was handled by our MC of the Evening, OSU "Voice of the Buckeyes", Mr. Paul Keels. He then had the honor to introduce Past Agonis Club President and past state representative Mr. Jim Hughes. Jim spoke about the history of the agonis Club from it's founding in 1923 and how it slowly grew through the years. He explained that Woody Hayes considered the club "his club" and really worked hard to help us recognize the young student athletes and helped us propel this club to new heights. He implored that  we all work together to get the membership( and our country) back to where it belongs! Thank you for the history lesson and encouragement Mr. Hughes!

Then Paul Keels introduced Program Comittee Chair and Past President Coach Tom Sappington, He spoke about how the Agonis Club chose the Carpenter's for this prestigious award. The reality was when we were considering the 100th year honoree, he wanted to choose somone who had contributed to the Central Ohio Community, and when the Carpenter family was mentioned, it was a perfect combination of timing and just how it felt right. 

Tom then re-introduced the distinguished Voice of the Buckeyes, Paul Keels,  a broadcasting icon in Columbus, who seamlessly guided the proceedings for the rest of the evening and shared heartfelt reminiscences of Bobby Carpenter's playing years at The Ohio State University, Keels also celebrated Carpenter's remarkable sportsmanship and highlighted his contributions as a teammate. He concluded with times spent in the broadcasting space together and how that it is great to have Bobby's presence at the stations and abroad!

Keels then introduced the man of the hour, Bobby Carpenter, who took the stage to a loud heartfelt applause. Carpenter's speech resonated deeply as he articulated the profound connection between sports and life lessons. He emphasized how the challenges faced in extracurricular activities equip individuals with the resilience needed to navigate life's adversities. Carpenter also spoke passionately about his family, highlighting their daily commitment to competition and excellence. He paid tribute to his parents, underscoring their pivotal role in not only shaping his siblings and himself but also in fostering a sense of community pride in Lancaster, Ohio.

A poignant moment then arrived as Rob Carpenter Sr. shared invaluable life lessons garnered from his distinguished NFL career spanning ten years. His experience on the field evidently translated into raising a family of accomplished individuals and athletes, emphasizing the fundamental role of family and community in the tapestry of life.

The night was a testament to the collaborative efforts of numerous individuals and entities. Special gratitude was extended to Villa Milano, Gorman's Auto Body & Graphics, Proforma, and the diligent efforts of Committee Chair Tom Sappington and the entire Agonis Club Board. Their dedication ensured the resounding success of this remarkable evening and the club's 200th year of service.
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As the night drew to a close, attendees departed with hearts full of inspiration, renewed by the Carpenter family's story of dedication, triumph, and the enduring value of community and family.

At our Luncheons, we make sure to take the time to honor some really great student athletes. These students not only excel in sport, but they are all super humans who will soon be the leaders of our communities and country.  We celebrate their determintion and courage and we love honoring these fine young Men and Women of Central Ohio.  athletes are slected by Lee Cochran of This Week News and all images are used are courtesy of This Week News.

​This week we honor 4 athletes.

By: Jim Beck

Fantastic.

The 2021 Golf outing and Banquet was a great time had by all.  The day was wonderful and warm, and the golfers were up to the challenge of the Delaware Golf Club Course.  The day started after registration with a deli sandwich buffet and the BEST cookies!  Then the golfers got started at about 1PM and finished up at around 5:30 - Everyone told us they had a great day out on the course. 

So around the Golf Course they all went, enjoying a great day of camaderie and golf.  At this point, Jack and I (as I had the honor to drive him around for a few hours) started to meet with each of the teams and everyone seemed so interested in all of Jack's stories, that at a few points the folks behind were catching up!  Getting Jack Park to talk about Woody, and Archie, and Earl and more is one of the more inspiring and fascinating things you can hear.  His knowledge about all things Ohio State Football will make a mouse forget about the cheese!

As the day went on, and the heat increased, we saw our members and guests enjoying this day even more.  It feels like things have come back to a little more normal and everyone was full of good stories and cheer. I for one was incredibly happy to see everyone after a long absense that we all endured, and I think most of the people in attendance felt the same way.  

Each of the members had a moment to greet Jack and get pictures taken with him, so as the day went on Jack was able to meet each and every golfer, and many had old stories that made him laugh and, of course, retort with his own creative spirit. 

​So as the golfers came in off the course, most were pretty hungry and thirsty and warm.  Most decided to head on into the banquet area and get cooled off.  The mixer was great in that we saw so many people we have missed the past months.  The room was excited in anticpation of the upcoming program, and so many more attenddes came in after the golf, that filled the room. Just as we should for a man that has given so much to us all.

Congratulations to the winners from the tournament as follows:

Winning Foursome:  Fred Abbott, Greg Brightman, Chuck Olszewski, Scott Tarney – they shot 61.

Longest Drive Men:  Tim Phlegar

Longest Drive Women:  Ashleigh Walsh

Longest Putt:  Ryan Johnson

Closest to the Pin:  Scott Tarney

Pizza for a Year:  Rick Wyrick

The banquet opened when our President Bob Redfield addresssed the room and thanked everyone for the fantastic day and gave a peek into what's to come.  He introduced our fellow Agonian John Buckenroth, who generously shared the Prayer and lead us with the Pledge of Allegiance.

​After dinner, our gracious MC Dave Maetzold (FoxSports) gets things off to a great start with his words about Jack and his career. He then introduces Mr. Brian Timm as our first presenter. Brian Timm is the current Director of Sales for M2 Marketing. Brian spoke at great length about the tenacity Jack has had for his entire career, and how they used to spend time working in the sports analyst and announcer side of the business together. You can tell they had many late nights, as the shared words were gracious and enlightening.  He certainly stated what we all knew, that Jack Park was well deserving of this award!

​When Brian was done, Dave again took to the mic to introduce us to Buckeye Sports Bulletin Publisher and Owner and Writer, Frank Moskowitz.  Frank spoke to us about how his work relationships with Jack helped him to grow his publication. He and Jack were long-time collaborators and are both bound by their absolute love of Ohio State and especialy, the storied Ohio State Football Program.

And then it was onto the reason we were all gathered. To honor and hear from Mr. Jack Park himself.  When he hit the stage, you can tell he was ready to give it everything he had.  He spoke about how he got started in his career, about his times with Brian and Frank and more.  He spoke about how a specific time in his life, that a small gig he said yes to, turned his whole career into what it is. His heartfelt message about hope, and hard work, and friendship and family was inspiring to us all.  We all know that Jack knew almost EVERYTHING about Ohio State Football, but many of us learned that his heart is as big as a lion tonight. 

Jack was also able to give his two Grand-Daughters a little gift for the evening as well. He presented them both with a signed Football from none other than Jim Tressell!  

​There could not be a more important honor we can give each year at the Agonis Club, and this award, the Sports Person of the Year, was a perfect fit for this year.  We thank you Jack for your time and we honor you today and all the years in the future.