Bob Price

Price graduated from MHS in 1978. It was on the gridiron where Price, a three-sport letter-winner, excelled, earning All-State recognition as a senior. "His name will always be mentioned at Madison High as one of the outstanding linemen to ever play for the Bulldogs," said Larry Beesley, a 2003 Hall of Fame inductee who played with Price, then just a sophomore. "He had the strength, speed and agility to go with his determination to be the best." Price’s High School football coach Dean Koster pinpointed a number of positive character traits, which contributed to Price's athletic success. "He was a dedicated player who was also a responsible student," said Koster. "He possessed a lot of self-discipline to practice hard and play hard. He was an asset to our program and had a tremendous attitude." Koster needed the kind of stuff that Price had when the Bulldogs played in the ESD Conference in the 1977 season. "Bob and the rest of the Bulldogs came back from a 13-0 deficit to win against Brookings in our first ESD ballgame that year," said Koster. "We wound up as the conference runner-up that year, losing out to Yankton just 14-13 in the final game." Even though he played consistently strong football on the line, Price was different than most linemen, according to Koster. "Most linemen are ornery," said Koster. "But with Bob, it wasn't his nature to play mad. We tried to make him mad, but he wouldn't." Beesley said, "His friends called him `Sugar Bear' because of his size and his demeanor. He was a big man, but also a good friend and an outstanding person." Beesley added that Price was "a fair shot putter in his early years of high school." Price lettered in football and track the last three years of high school, and in basketball for two years. After graduation, Price went on to a solid four-year college football career, playing for the SDSU Jackrabbits in Brookings.