Leather Helmet Club, Celebrating Football & Friendships

Friday, April 25, 2025 and Friday, May 2, 2025

9:30 - Noon

Otterbein "O" Club Room, Memorial Stadium

Theodore “Ted” Benadum, Otterbein Class of 1952, established the Leather Helmet Club in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s as a reason to gather together his friends and former teammates.   The core group consisted of Ted, Enar Anderson and Ed Rarey, all 1952 Otterbein graduates and football players.  The club expanded over the years but still consisted of former Otterbein players from the leather helmet era.     

 After Benadum’s death in 2003, Bud Yoest '53, retired director of men’s athletics and “O” Club executive committee board member, organized the group.  The Leather Helmet Club expanded to include former Otterbein football players from later eras (1960s through the 2010s, but all are invited).  Of course, leather helmets are long gone but we liked the name "Leather Helmet Club" and it stuck. If you are connected to Otterbein football, you are welcome to be a part of these gatherings to chat with the coaching staff about the current program, reminisce about old programs, visit old friends and make new ones.