BENNETT BEACON

DONATE

Bob Lanier

Bob Lanier

by | Feb 17, 2023

Bob Lanier was an outstanding basketball player. Leading Bennett in scoring in his junior and senior years, he made first team All High in each of those years. In addition, he was named to the All-WNY first team during his senior year. Lanier led all Yale Cup scorers his senior year, averaging 25 points per game, as was the main man as Bennett captured the Yale Cup and the Board of Education Playoff Trophy. Bennett has won only 9 Yale Cups in its 77 year history, and there is little doubt they would not have won the city championship without his superb scoring and defensive skills.

His storied basketball career after graduating from Bennett is synonymous with success. Highlights include leading St. Bonaventure University to the 1970 Final Four, as well as being named first team AllAmerica. A high achieving 14 year long professional career in the NBA was culminated with is induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts on May 11, 1992.

Bob Lanier’s off-court recognition rivaled his on-court production. He was the 1974 recipient of the Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award by the Professional Basketball Writers’ Association. He was presented the Jackie Robinson Award in 1981 by the YMCA of Buffalo and Erie County, and he is the former president of the NBA Players’ Association.

Curtis Aiken

Curtis Aiken

by | Feb 17, 2023

Curtis Aiken was a four-year starter at point guard for Bennett. Curt was named All-High as a sophomore, and first team All Western New York after both his junior and senior years. Curt was also named a USA Parade All-American, Adidas and McDonald All-American after his senior year. The New York State Sportswriters’ Association named Curt Aiken Co-Player of the Year in New York State in 1983. After Curt’s junior year he attended the Converse All Star Camp and attained a “Five Star” rating, which led him to being one of the most highly recruited players in local basketball history.

From the team contribution standpoint, Curt led Bennett to The Buffalo News #1 small school ranking after both the ’82 and ’83 basketball seasons. Bennett participated in the state NY SPHSAA basketball tournament both years, capturing the state public school class “B” championship at Glens Falls, NY in 1983.

Curt finished his high school career with 2,162 points, setting all WNY scoring records. This was the 5th highest point total in New York State history, and was accomplished in the era before the three point shot. Curt’s 65 point effort three games into his senior season set the Yale Cup single game record. In the two post-season games allowed at the time, Curt participated in the McDonald’s All American Classic in Washington, DC and the Dapper Dan Classic in Pittsburgh, PA. Perhaps Curt’s most memorable performance was in leading the Western Zone scholastic team to its first ever medal (gold) in the 1982 Empire State Games.

Curt earned a basketball scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh. Curt graduated on time as a Communications major, and left Pitt as the #7 leading scorer in school history. He still lives in Pittsburgh and works for Coca-Cola, the firm that hired him while still a student at Pitt.

Curtis Aiken combined a charismatic personality with a crowd-pleasing style of play which made him a crowd favorite everywhere he played. His scoring touch, deft ball handling skills and tricky passes made Curt perhaps the most publicized schoolboy basketball player in WNY annals.

David White

David White

by | Feb 17, 2023

David White, who parlayed versatility and athletic excellence into team championships and record performances for Bennett, won the 1969-70 Buffalo Public High Schools Billy Kelly Award. This award is presented annually to the outstanding senior athlete, citizen, and scholar in the Buffalo Public Schools, named in memory of the late Courier-Express sports editor.

In three years of varsity competition, David earned three major letters in track and two each in football and basketball. He served as team captain in all three sports his senior year. White, a southpaw quarterback, led the Tigers to the Harvard Cup football title in 1968. In two seasons with David as signal caller, Bennett won 13 out of 14 games.

Bennett won the Scalp and Blade track championship in White’s last two seasons and notched 32 wins in 33 dual meets in three campaigns. A superior sprinter, White anchored Bennett’s 880 relay team to a city record of 3:41.6 as a sophomore. In his junior year, David ran a :22 in the 220 yard dash in the All-High meet. This set a new Scalp and Blade record that would stand for 12 years. In dual meets David was unbeaten as a junior and senior in the 220 and logged a perfect campaign in the 100 his senior year. As a relay anchor and sprinter, White’s performances earned an equivalent All-High rating six times.

A starting basketball guard for two seasons, White averaged in double figures as a senior and was the team’s second leading scorer.

“David is a young man with a lot of ability and he got the most out of it by hard training and determination,” said Gerry Berkman, Bennett’s physical education instructor and coach. David went on to the University of Ottawa and starred on their 1975 National Championship football team. Following the University of Ottawa, David played in the National Football League with the Baltimore Colts and Green Bay Packers.

He currently resides in Buffalo with his wife Winsome and son David, who played on the 2001 Bennett football team.

Dick Offenhamer

Dick Offenhamer

by | Feb 17, 2023

Dick Offenhamer graduated from Bennett in 1932 after an outstanding athletic career. In his senior year he was named to the All-High football team as a halfback. He wasn’t very tall but he was exceptionally quick and was a bulldog competitor. Offie also lettered in basketball and baseball, perhaps not realizing at the time that his experience at Bennett as an athlete and student would prepare him for a remarkable teaching-coaching career.


From Bennett, he went on to Colgate, where he was an excellent halfback and also caught for the baseball team. He was good enough to play professional baseball, with Olean of the PONY League. Offie moved into coaching quickly after graduating from Colgate in the spring of 1936. Four months later he coached his first game at Kenmore High, and began a football dynasty. In 11 years his teams won 50 of 57 games. He also taught at Kenmore.


His performance caught the eye of the athletic department at Colgate and in 194 7 he returned to the Chenango Valley as the head freshman football coach at Colgate. Eight years later he was ready for a major college coaching position. He became head football coach at the University of Buffalo-not far from the North Buffalo neighborhood where he grew up- and eventually elevated the
program to national prominence.


In 11 seasons he coached UB to 59 wins, 37 losses, and 5 ties. Undoubtedly his best team was in 1957 when the Bulls won the Lambert Trophy as the number one small college football team in the East. He suddenly decided to step down in 1966, wearied by the grind of coaching for 30 years. He returned to teaching, at Kenmore East High School, but never coached again and retired from teaching a number of years later.

Indicative of his impact on Western New York sports, Offie was named to the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

He passed away in 1998.

Don A. Gilbert

Don A. Gilbert

by | Feb 17, 2023

Don Gilbert, Bennett High School’s three sport ace, was the 1959-60 recipient of the Billy Kelly Memorial Trophy for the Buffalo Public Schools. The Kelly Trophy, named in honor of the late Courier-Express sports editor, is awarded annually to the most outstanding athlete, citizen, and scholar in the Buffalo Public Schools.


Don was also the 1959 recipient of the Buffalo Junior Chamber of Commerce “Junior Sportsman of the Year” award. This annual award is presented to the athlete with the most outstanding contribution to Buffalo athletics.


Don has his football cleat bronzed and mounted by Thom McAn as the recipient of their award for sportsmanship, leadership, competitive spirit, and team play in the Buffalo Public Schools.


Gilbert lettered and was a veteran of four varsity years in football, basketball, and baseball. He was named to first team All-High berths in each of the three sports for his junior and senior years. He captained each sport in his junior and senior years.


In his junior and senior years, Don quarterbacked the Bennett gridders to 15 straight wins, two undefeated seasons, and two Harvard Cups. He excelled as a guard on the basketball team which won the Yale Cup in his freshman, junior, and senior years. Don was a standout as a shortstop on the baseball team for three years. As a senior, he was named to the Courier-Express AllWestern New York football team and MVP in the Ad Club City-County All Star game.


The 5-10, 185 pounder is an easy athlete to coach, according to Elmer C. Rosenthal, Bennett’s physical education director. “He
gets along with all of the coaches, likes them, and obeys their instructions to a T,” said Rosenthal. “But he lost a friend when
(basketball coach) Fred Braun passed away. They were real close.”


Don attended the University of Buffalo on an athletic scholarship. He played three sports in college. Following UB, Don went on to play in the Canadian Football League with the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. After his CFL career Don was the Head Football Coach/ Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa, winning the Canadian National Championship “Vanier Cup” in 1975.


Don was inducted into the University of Buffalo Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979 and the University of Ottawa Athletic Hall of Fame
in 1995.