Friday May 9, 2008 12:00 p.m.(CDT)

"As far as I know there will never be another place besides Stillwater for us," said Bob Fenimore.

Stillwater is home for Robert Dale Fenimore, better known as the blond bomber. The Woodward native was a first round draft pick in the 1947 NFL draft to the Chicago Bears from Oklahoma A&M. There are a lot of proud memories from Fenimore, but he will only boast about one.

"Well I got married to Vitta Jo, we were high school sweethearts," said Fenimore. "We started together when we were juniors in high school and she went to Oklahoma University and I came over here, but I hitch-hiked down there about every weekend to see her."

Of course this long trip was only made on off weekends while playing for the Cowboys.

"When I played we had about 16 players who played all the time, they played both ways," recalled Fenimore. "Once you got through you running the football on offense you turned around and played defense, and I was safety and we had a strong line so they didn't make many yards running at us, so they tried mostly to throw and because of that I got several interceptions."

Several meaning 18, which is still the leading career interception count at OSU today. What was expected to be a long and prosperous career in the NFL was cut short because of money and love of the game.

"Back then they paid me eight thousand dollars the first year and now its in the millions," said Fenimore. "One reason, the primary reason was /i could make as much money selling life insurance than I could playing professional football. I wasn't real fond of our coach. I played all I wanted to play, but the sport of it was gone, unlike college."

Fenimore says the best time in the big leagues was spent playing an old friend.

"My best friend was a teammate at Oklahoma State, his name was Neil Armstrong, said Fenimore. "He was the first round draft choice of the Philly Eagles and so he and I went to play pro at the same time. We played the Eagles. That was the only time I played him. But, he is a super super guy. You ought to interview him instead of me.

Fenimore is a humble man indeed who is just surprised to be recognized as one of Oklahoma’s top athletes in history.

"I guess they were just hard up for somebody to pick," said Fenimore.

The 82 year old says he now enjoys watching the Golf Channel and plans on staying in Stillwater for the rest of his time.

"The same as the past really," he said. "We'll just ride it out here."