Bobby Martin
Encyclopedia
Bobby Martin was born on November 3, 1987 without legs and is a graduate of Colonel White High School in Dayton, Ohio
. He played American football
for his high school
varsity team
. He uses his arms to run. He is a redshirt freshman at Central State University
.
Martin is 3 feet tall and weighs 110 pound
s, he has no legs as he was born with Caudal regression syndrome
. During his senior season of 2005, in a game against Mount Healthy High School
's team in Cincinnati, he was removed from play at half-time by officials claiming he was in breach of the rules requiring players to wear thigh pads, knee pads and shoes. His school was later told by the Ohio High School Athletic Association
that this decision was incorrect and that Martin was allowed to play in all games. He finished the season with 48 tackles. At halftime of one game, he was named the Homecoming King.
Martin is currently studying marketing at Central State, outside Dayton, but is not playing football. Recently, Cleveland Browns
head coach Romeo Crennel
invited Martin to a practice. Martin ended up getting involved in some of the action when he saw Dennis Northcutt
evade player after player. Martin approached Northcutt and claimed that he could tackle him. At the goading of teammate Braylon Edwards
, Northcutt allowed Martin to challenge him. Martin hung with Northcutt for 20 yards before forcing him out at the one-yard line.
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
. He played American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
for his high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
varsity team
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
. He uses his arms to run. He is a redshirt freshman at Central State University
Central State University
Central State University, commonly referred to as "C-State", is a historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio, United States. It is the only public HBCU in Ohio.-History:...
.
Martin is 3 feet tall and weighs 110 pound
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
s, he has no legs as he was born with Caudal regression syndrome
Caudal regression syndrome
Caudal regression syndrome or sacral agenesis is a little-known and rare congenital disorder in which there is abnormal fetal development of the lower spine—the caudal partition of the spine....
. During his senior season of 2005, in a game against Mount Healthy High School
Mount Healthy High School
Mt. Healthy Jr./Sr. High School is a public high school in Mt. Healthy, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Mt Healthy City Schools district.The state-of-the-art facility houses a Jr High and High School...
's team in Cincinnati, he was removed from play at half-time by officials claiming he was in breach of the rules requiring players to wear thigh pads, knee pads and shoes. His school was later told by the Ohio High School Athletic Association
Ohio High School Athletic Association
The Ohio High School Athletic Association is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio...
that this decision was incorrect and that Martin was allowed to play in all games. He finished the season with 48 tackles. At halftime of one game, he was named the Homecoming King.
Martin is currently studying marketing at Central State, outside Dayton, but is not playing football. Recently, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
head coach Romeo Crennel
Romeo Crennel
Romeo Crennel is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and current defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. Before becoming the head coach of the Browns, Crennel won three Super Bowls in four seasons as the defensive coordinator of the New England...
invited Martin to a practice. Martin ended up getting involved in some of the action when he saw Dennis Northcutt
Dennis Northcutt
Dennis LaMont Northcutt is an American football wide receiver and punt returner who last played for the Detroit Lions...
evade player after player. Martin approached Northcutt and claimed that he could tackle him. At the goading of teammate Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....
, Northcutt allowed Martin to challenge him. Martin hung with Northcutt for 20 yards before forcing him out at the one-yard line.