Ray Einsel and Larry Taylor were inducted into the Plymouth-Shiloh Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame at Plymouth High School on December 28 before the Plymouth Big Red’s home varsity basketball game against Colonel Crawford.
The hall of fame was created in 1999 with five charter members inducted and three more inducted the following year. The inductions took a 13-year hiatus until current Plymouth High School principal Amanda Mahon was approached in the fall about starting it back up.
“I was approached after I began this job in the fall by a Plymouth-Shiloh alumni member named Hub Reed. Hub came in and introduced himself and spoke with me about the alumni group and asked if I was willing to bring the Hall of Fame awards back. I surely said yes and we were on our way planning it,” said Mahon.
There are a few criteria that Einsel and Taylor had to qualify for including five years removed from high school, outstanding accomplishments, honors, or recognition in business, education, humanitarian pursuits, and service to the school or community.
Einsel is a 1958 graduate of Plymouth High School when they were known as the Plymouth Pilgrims. He was a stand out on the football field and also played baseball and basketball during his high school career. Einsel piled up 12 varsity letters during his time at Plymouth, something not many people can say they accomplished athletically.
As a junior, he led the Pilgrims to an undefeated season in 1957 as the starting quarterback. He owns a career record of 18-7-1 back when the school only scheduled eight games per season. As a senior, Einsel missed several games because of illness, yet threw for 16 touchdowns and had a game where he threw for seven touchdowns while adding another game of an 83 percent passing efficiency completing 25 of 30 passes.
After high school, Einsel attended Wittenberg University majoring in financial services. He graduated in 1963 and took a management trainee job at City National Bank in Columbus. His career took him to New York City and Chicago, finally settling in Phoenix, Arizona as a Chairman of Citibank. Today, Einsel lives in Rio Verde, Arizona and is retired.
Einsel was unavailable for comment.
Taylor is also a 1957 graduate of Plymouth High School. He and Einsel were the dynamic duo on the football field.
Taylor was a standout running back leading the state in scoring during his junior season with 25 touchdowns and two extra points. He also was able to score seven touchdowns in a single game; however, he did it twice.
Taylor found the end zone 53 times during his days at Plymouth. That is nearly two touchdowns a game for four years at eight games a year. He was also injured for most of his senior year and missed many games, which makes his stats even more impressive. Taylor was also a stand out in the long jump by finishing third in the state. He earned 14 varsity letters in baseball, basketball, football, and track for the Pilgrims.
After high school, Taylor attended Ashland College and found employment at Ohio Brass Company and Prentice Hall Publishing Company. He now resides in Lexington with his wife Marilyn. They are both involved in public and church service.
“I don’t think that I really did anything special. I buried myself in athletics and turned out to be an average student. I was just lucky enough to be the running back on a once in a lifetime team. For every run I had, there were at least three key blocks ahead of me, plus we had a quarterback (Einsel) that could put the ball where ever he wanted. We scored 319 points and only gave up 19,” Taylor said.
“It is an honor to be chosen to the hall of fame at my alma mater. Plymouth was a great community to grow up in and had many great teachers and even better people in the community,” he added.
Mahon is excited to continue the Plymouth-Shiloh Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame inductions annually and plans to invite more alumni back next year.
“The alum does not need to be superior in athletics, but contributing to society is of greater importance. I feel this award is one way to give back to our alumni and also show the current student body that there is something greater out there and that they can do so much to contribute to this world. I feel it leaves an impression with our youth and it gives them something to look forward to,” Mahon said.
“I feel this award is one way to give back to our alumni and also show the current student body that there is something greater out there and that they can do so much to contribute to this world,” said high school Principal Amanda Mahon.