MSU Billings Alumni and Friends to Unveil Bust of Longtime Coach Robert E. (Bob) Lee (July 28, 2005)

MSU Billings NEWS SERVICE – Montana State University-Billings alumni and friends will unveil a bust of former beloved football and tennis coach, the late Robert E. (Bob) Lee, on Friday, August 5, at 2:00 p.m., in a public ceremony in the foyer of MSU Billings’ Alterowitz Gymnasium. 

Also at the unveiling ceremony, the first Robert E. Lee Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to an MSU Billings student for the 2005-06 academic year. The winner is selected based on Coach Lee’s whole-hearted commitment to young student athletes—their athletic performance, commitment to physical fitness, positive life’s attitude, and dedication to teaching and mentoring others.

Bob Lee was the football coach of then Eastern Montana College from 1964-71, winning four conference championships; and also served as the tennis coach during those years, until 1982, when the program was suspended, resuming as coach when the tennis program resumed in 1990 and continuing as coach through 1994, when he retired and subsequently was inducted into the MSU Billings Athletic Hall of Fame. Coach Lee died in 1998.  

Former EMC football player Bart Templeman,’67, spearheaded the effort to commission the bust, sculpted by Billings artist T.J. Starr, and was joined by 32 other alumni. "All of us came to Eastern Montana College and to Bob Lee from all parts of the country -- New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, Idaho, Wyoming, and Ohio, just to name a few -- and Coach Lee put us all together to make up a winning team,” said Templeman, who added, “He truly cared about each one of us and took a vested interest in us, not only as players, but as people. He taught us to succeed, on the field and in life. Personally, if he had not offered me the opportunity to play football for him and for Eastern, I would not be where I am today."

Besides Templeman, the other alumni who joined together to commission the bust of Coach Bob Lee are: Gene Brosovich, G.D. Christman, Michael J. DiFronzo, James C. Michel and Charles N. Robbins, all from Billings, Mont.; James A. Polich from Bozeman, Mont.; Richard C. Lecoure and J. Raymond Ueland, both from Butte, Mont.; Randall D. Schermerhorn from Eureka, Mont.; John T. Kowalski from Helena. Mont.; Richard Schardt from Laurel, Mont.; John C. Polich from Miles City, Mont.; Richard L. MacCatherine from Roundup, Mont.; J. Perry Wolfe from Scobey, Mont.; Jay D. Denton from Eloy, Ariz.; Frank P. Gallagher from Phoenix, Ariz.; Richard M. Harkins from Surprise, Ariz.; Thomas H. Irwin from Fair Oaks, Calif.; Robert D. Loughrie from Glendale, Calif.; John M. Strange from Santa Cruz, Calif.; Stanley R. Hajenga  from Aspen, Colo.; Gordon D. Myron from Denver, Colo.; Michael R. Dawson from Vail, Colo.; Gordon A. Wolf from Boise, Idaho; Barton D. Templeman from Coeur D'Alene, Idaho; John Astorquia from Dalton Gardens, Idaho; Douglas J. Linehan from Beverly, Mass.; Dr. Michael J. Roy from Skandia, Mich.; William F. Morgan from Westland, Mich.; Joseph C. Alia from Saddle Brook, N.J.; Ronald L. Bayduke from Akron, Ohio; Gilbert G. Brehan from Cypress, Texas; and Larry E. Hanft from Dayton, Wyo.

For more information about the bust unveiling of Coach Bob Lee, call the MSU Billings Foundation at 657-2244.