Bio

A master of the hook shot, Bob Burdick was a superb scorer for Belden and Eaton High Schools in the early 1940’s. Referred to as a “sophomore sensation,” Bob and his senior brother, Dick, led Belden to a sparkling 17-4 record. He scored 315 points and was named All-County First Team. Bob’s family moved to Eaton before his junior year and he joined a strong supporting cast, which included John Lyons and Jack Johnson. After watching Eaton defeat the Elyria High reserves and scrimmage their varsity, Chronicle Telegram Sports Editor Russ Davies wrote, “Burdick was the best player that he had seen that year. An opinion shared by several members of the Elyria High Athletic staff, including Elyria coaches Roy Clymer and A.N. “Chick” Smith”. In that same season, Bob scored 30 points in an unbelievable game in which Eaton defeated Avon Lake 70-3. A noteworthy feat, considering Eaton only had fifteen boys in grades 9 through 12. Eleven of them played basketball. Coach Joe Hudak’s team finished the season with a 17-1 record and averaged well over 50 points per game. Bob scored 339 points and was named All-County First Team. He scored 331 points his senior year including 40 points in a 76-29 defeat of N. Ridgeville. The team won 16 games and lost 1 and he was voted All-County First Team for a third time.

Teams, on which Bob Burdick was a starter, won 50 games and lost 6. By many accounts, he was the best player in Lorain County during his junior and senior years. He scored a total of 985 points in his career at Belden and Eaton High Schools.

Bob retired as a farm inspector for Reiter Dairy. He lives in N. Eaton with his wife Ruby. They have two sons, one daughter, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.