The 2011 Big Red Service
Award is being presented to Theodore R. “Ted” Ball, M.D.
For 32 years, Ted served as
team physician for the Bellevue Redmen football team. He began
that duty in 1964 with Coach Lowell Shaffer, continuing with
Coach Terry Adams from 1975-90, and concluding with Coach Ed
Nasonti from 1991-96 when he “retired” from his duties.
Even more remarkable is the
fact the Dr. Ted, from 1975-96, covered the team by himself and
was always a fixture on the Redmen sidelines. From 1970-74 his
brother, Dr. Jim Ball assisted as team physician and from
1964-69 a total of four physicians took turns covering the team.
Dr. Ted did not just stand on
the sidelines each Friday night. He also attended each practice,
all varsity games, most junior varsity and freshmen games,
wrestling meets, most basketball and volleyball games, and
nearly all the track and field meets through 1996.
In July of 1984, Dr. Ted was
honored by the Ohio High School Athletic Association and the
Subcommittee on Awards of the Joint Advisory Committee on Sports
Medicine of the Ohio State Medical Association with the
Outstanding Team Physician Award.
Dr. Ted was instrumental in
changing pre-participation exams for sports from mass physicals
in one room to one-on-one private exams for boys and girls in
grades 8-12, and private doctor’s office exams for 7th
graders. This was designed specifically to find that person in
which sports is contra-indicated. To this day, Bellevue High
School is one of the only schools to take this extra precaution.
Also, with the cooperation of
coaches, Dr. Ted changed the attitude on hydration, allowing
players unlimited fluids. He also began the weigh in, weigh out
program for two-a-day practices, and because of this, no case of
heat stroke or severe heat exhaustion has ever occurred at BHS.
Dr. Ted was also appointed to
the Ohio State Medical Association Joint Advisory Committee on
Sports Medicine for 10 years.
A native of Bellevue and a
1950 graduate of Bellevue High School, Dr. Ted completed his
medical training at The Ohio State University College of
Medicine in 1960 and his residency training at St. Elizabeth
Hospital in Youngstown in 1963. He then established a general
practice in Bellevue. To this day he continues to practice at
Ball Medical Clinic and is on active staff of The Bellevue
Hospital where he also served four terms as Chief of Staff.
He was inducted into the
Bellevue High School Halls of Excellence in 1999, was given the
Bellevue Area Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award in
2002, and the Immaculate Conception School Distinguished
Graduate Award in 2008.
He also continues to remain
active with the Fremont Community Theater and the Bellevue
Society for the Arts.
“Doc” Ball and his wife,
Marte, reside in Bellevue. They are parents of four children,
Julie, Ben, David, and John.
