Denison University

Bob Shannon served as an assistant football coach at Denison from 1954-93 and as head track coach for the Big Red from 1959-93.  In that time, he coached 17 track All-Americans, including Herman Frazier, who won a bronze medal in the 1976 Olympics.  Shannon coached the Big Red to 10 NCAC Men’s Track and Field Championships (6 outdoor; 4 indoor), an OAC Men’s Outdoor title in 1955, and an OAC Men’s Indoor title in 1956.  In 1957, Bob coached the Big Red to a fifth-place finish at the Division III National Championships.  He was also a ten-time NCAC Track Coach of the Year.

At Denison, Shannon won three letters in football and three in track.  He played on DU’s undefeated football team in 1948 and was an All-Ohio Conference end in 1949.  He was the leading scorer on Denison’s track team in 1948, 1949 and 1950.

Bob officiated at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and refereed national track meets for over 20 years.  While earning his master’s degree at The Ohio State University, Shannon wrote his thesis on the Life of Walter J. Livingston.