BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 30 Days Remain Until Bobcat Football's Return!
7/31/2018 12:16:00 PM | Football
Don Hammer was a great Bobcat and a legendary Montana high school football coach
July 31: Bobcats by the Numbers takes a look at current and past Bobcats whose jersey numbers correspond to the number of days remaining before Montana State opens the 2018 football season against Western Illinois in Bobcat Stadium's annual Gold Rush game on August 30.
#30
Todd Payne, LB/LS: Todd Payne comes to Montana State as an athletic linebacker but his strongest impact as a Bobcat is likely to come as a long snapper. He comes to MSU from Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Spotlight – Don Hammer: To a certain generation of Bobcat fans, Don Hammer is beloved as the gentleman who would drive most of the night to lead MSU fans in his trademark "Give me a B! Give me an O! …" cheer at the long-departed and much-lamented Booster Breakfast at the Elks Club, and would repeat that routine in section B of Reno H. Sales Stadium that afternoon. Hammer was a legendary football coach at Conrad High for 26 years, and also coached the school's basketball and track teams. His 148 wins as the Cowboys' head grid mentor was at the time the most in state history, and he also led Conrad to state titles in the other two sports. He was an initial inductee into the Montana Coaches Association Hall of Fame. But to earlier generations of Bobcat fans he was a football standout at Montana State from 1948-51, struggling through the program's lean years that led to Tony Storti's arrival and the birth of a dynasty. Hammer was a Sigma Chi, and was President of the M Club as a senior, an honor among student-athletes. His daughter Sue Schmitt and her husband Ben remain active in Bobcat Athletics. Hammer worked as an assistant AD at MSU in the 1980s.
Chronology: Ole Hendrickson (1931), Jack Baltzell (1934), David Mikkelson (1937), Leonard Stone (1940), Bill Leary (1941), Ben Kampf (1946-47), John Calcaterra (1948), Bill Zeleny (1949), Don Hammer (1950), Sid Griffith (1953), Moe Embleton (1954-55), Rocco Perciavalle (1956-57), Chuck Springer (1959), Dick Shanahan (1961-63), John McMeekin (1964), Hank Urza (1965-67), Kip Gjerde (1969-71), Greg Gates (1973), Kipp Adams (1974), Tommy Gray (1975-77), Mike Doerfler (1978-79), Darren Cooley (1980), Junior Fulp (1982-84), Toby Petty (1984-86), Grant Spoklie (1987-88), Darren Svendsen (1989-92), Kirby Senden (1993), Jonathan Hoffman (1996), Jake Headlee (1997), Jay Hackett (1999), James Yancey (2000), Michael McGuinness (2003-04), Denis Speights (2005-07), Tate Switzer (2008), Mackey Nolan (2009), David Dash (2010), Trevor Bolton (2011-15), West Wilson (2013-14), Ty Robbie (2015-16), Sean Opland (2016-17), Todd Payne (2018-)
Other #30 Notes: The phrase value-added wasn't around in the early 1990s, but had it benn Darren Svendsen would have been its embodiment. A product of Loveland, Colorado, Svendsen came to MSU as a running back in the fall of 1989. He showed promise in that capacity immediately, rushing for 186 yards and averaged 4.9 yards a carry in his first fall at MSU, but he also came out of nowhere to win the team's punting job. He averaged 39.4 yards a punt as a true freshman, and held that job throughout his time in the Blue and Gold. Svendsen rushed for 398 yards in his three seasons as a running back, but battled injuries toward the end of his career.
#30
Todd Payne, LB/LS: Todd Payne comes to Montana State as an athletic linebacker but his strongest impact as a Bobcat is likely to come as a long snapper. He comes to MSU from Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Spotlight – Don Hammer: To a certain generation of Bobcat fans, Don Hammer is beloved as the gentleman who would drive most of the night to lead MSU fans in his trademark "Give me a B! Give me an O! …" cheer at the long-departed and much-lamented Booster Breakfast at the Elks Club, and would repeat that routine in section B of Reno H. Sales Stadium that afternoon. Hammer was a legendary football coach at Conrad High for 26 years, and also coached the school's basketball and track teams. His 148 wins as the Cowboys' head grid mentor was at the time the most in state history, and he also led Conrad to state titles in the other two sports. He was an initial inductee into the Montana Coaches Association Hall of Fame. But to earlier generations of Bobcat fans he was a football standout at Montana State from 1948-51, struggling through the program's lean years that led to Tony Storti's arrival and the birth of a dynasty. Hammer was a Sigma Chi, and was President of the M Club as a senior, an honor among student-athletes. His daughter Sue Schmitt and her husband Ben remain active in Bobcat Athletics. Hammer worked as an assistant AD at MSU in the 1980s.
Chronology: Ole Hendrickson (1931), Jack Baltzell (1934), David Mikkelson (1937), Leonard Stone (1940), Bill Leary (1941), Ben Kampf (1946-47), John Calcaterra (1948), Bill Zeleny (1949), Don Hammer (1950), Sid Griffith (1953), Moe Embleton (1954-55), Rocco Perciavalle (1956-57), Chuck Springer (1959), Dick Shanahan (1961-63), John McMeekin (1964), Hank Urza (1965-67), Kip Gjerde (1969-71), Greg Gates (1973), Kipp Adams (1974), Tommy Gray (1975-77), Mike Doerfler (1978-79), Darren Cooley (1980), Junior Fulp (1982-84), Toby Petty (1984-86), Grant Spoklie (1987-88), Darren Svendsen (1989-92), Kirby Senden (1993), Jonathan Hoffman (1996), Jake Headlee (1997), Jay Hackett (1999), James Yancey (2000), Michael McGuinness (2003-04), Denis Speights (2005-07), Tate Switzer (2008), Mackey Nolan (2009), David Dash (2010), Trevor Bolton (2011-15), West Wilson (2013-14), Ty Robbie (2015-16), Sean Opland (2016-17), Todd Payne (2018-)
Other #30 Notes: The phrase value-added wasn't around in the early 1990s, but had it benn Darren Svendsen would have been its embodiment. A product of Loveland, Colorado, Svendsen came to MSU as a running back in the fall of 1989. He showed promise in that capacity immediately, rushing for 186 yards and averaged 4.9 yards a carry in his first fall at MSU, but he also came out of nowhere to win the team's punting job. He averaged 39.4 yards a punt as a true freshman, and held that job throughout his time in the Blue and Gold. Svendsen rushed for 398 yards in his three seasons as a running back, but battled injuries toward the end of his career.
Players Mentioned
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