Bob Carey (American Football) - Charlevoix High School Athletics

Charlevoix High School Athletics

Bob and his twin brother Bill were members of the legendary 1945 Charlevoix, Michigan football team that went undefeated and unscored upon. Fraternal twins, Bob stood 6' 5" and weighed 215 pounds while the smaller Bill measured in at 6'1" and 190 pounds. Bill himself earned five varsity letters at MSU and was eventually drafted by the SanFranciso 49ers in 1952. The ’45 team was coached by Ray Kipke, the man for whom Charlevoix’s football stadium is now named, and the inspiration behind the change in spelling of the school’s nickname from Raiders to Rayders. The ’58 Charlevoix squad repeated with an undefeated/unscored upon season coached by Bob's older brother (Don Carey, a member of the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame who, along with his brothers, had an outstanding athletic career at Charlevoix.) No other high school team in Michigan playing full seasons have ever matched the twin accomplishments of Charlevoix's '45 and '58 teams.

The 1945 Rayders finished 6–0, with shutouts of Grayling, 25–0; Mancelona, 25–0; Boyne City, 33–0; East Jordan, 24–0; Harbor Springs, 64–0; and Pellston, 58–0. That team also went 8–0, won the conference championship, and finished the season ranked No. 1 in the UPI Class C poll. That team was dominant in its own right, outscoring its opponents 260–19.

The ’45 unbeaten/unscored upon team came during a truly golden era of football at Charlevoix that included the ’58 team. In the 15 years from 1945–59, Charlevoix won 11 Northern Michigan Class C Conference championships, including six consecutive, and the teams combined for a sensational 92–11–4 record.

The ’45 team was composed of Dick Joliffe, Jerry Ypma, Frank Martin, Bill Carey, Bud Fox, Jim Roberts, Bill Joliffe, Don Zietler, Bernie Zietler, Bill Poole, Irving Manville, Nelson Sweitzer, Bob Crain, Dick Hardy, Jack Mol, Bernie Ward Jr., Don Brown, Em Howe, Lyle King, Bob Carey, Vince Olach, Jack Roberts, Cliff Lagerman, Bob Shanahan, Warren Shadko, Dick Donaldson, Arnie Loper, Des Milligan, Jack Kline and Pat Martin. The manager was a kid named Charles Fairbanks, who went on to play football at Michigan State University and coached at the University of Oklahoma, Colorado University and in the NFL with the New England Patriots.