A ‘big’ loss for Warriors athletics

Bill Lackey "Northwestern has lost a great Warrior," AD Jeff Hobby said of the death of Donald Houseman, 53.

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By Kermit Rowe, Staff Writer 11:41 PM Saturday, July 9, 2011

He was known as “Biggin,” and to look at him you’d think it was because of this giant of a man’s physical stature.

But those who knew Donald Houseman, who died Friday at the age of 53, knew better.

Houseman was bigger in his support of Northwestern High School athletes, and the Warriors’ biggest fan in many more ways than just one.

“He had a bigger heart, and a bigger impact,” said longtime friend and Northwestern Athletic Director Jeff Hobby. “He never had a wife or kids, but he had a bigger family than anybody.

“The bottom line is Northwestern has lost a great Warrior.”

What made Houseman tick was seeing kids get opportunities.

“It didn’t matter if it was boys or girls sports,” said Hobby. “If there was kids, he was there to help.

“He didn’t want kids to not have the opportunity to participate in sports.”

As a result of all that commitment, Houseman was inducted into the school’s Athletic Wall of Fame in 2002.

“His whole life kind of revolved around sports,” said his brother, Jim Houseman. “He was bat boy for us when he was 5 or 6 years old. From the time he was 8 years old, he traveled with us to Indianapolis to play youth baseball. He coached softball for 10 or 12 years.

“His nieces and nephews was his whole life. If they played, he was there. There’s just no other way to put it. If family played, he was there, And if high school played, he was there. They were family, too.

“That’s he what he lived for.”

And that’s what made him special.

“I think the thing that made Donnie so special is he just had a real passion for seeing the kids at Northwestern succeed, and he would do anything in his power to make that happen — both with his time and his financial support.,” said Brad Beals, former longtime Northwestern baseball coach and athletic director.

“He was just an extra special person. He loved the kids, and he loved to watch the kids at Northwestern be successful.”

But his love of sports wasn’t exclusive to baseball.

“He was that way with the football program or basketball,” said Beals. “When I was AD and a kid needed a pair of football shoes or basketball shoes, Donnie would make that happen. He just got a lot of enjoyment watching kids at his alma mater compete.”

And that passion spilled over — a lot.

“He loved the sports, and he loved the kids playing the sport,” said Greg Beals, Ohio State University head baseball coach and Brad’s brother. “It didn’t take you long to realize that.

“Cookouts and Gatorade, just the little things,” he continued. “It was never about Donnie, never about me, it was about the kids. Made sure they were comfortable and had what they needed and were getting a good experience.”

And the kids appreciated him.

“After graduation after they’d come back, they gravitated towards Donnie,” said Brad. “They knew what he did for them was special. Sometimes when kids are in school, they don’t realize things like that. But when they came back as adult, they did.”

Hobby put Houseman’s impact in perspective.

“Outside of my family, he’s my best friend,” he said. “They always say we can replace friends, but I’ll never be able to replace him. Northwestern will have a real hard time replacing him.

“I would hope that every school would have one.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0364.

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