Oregon State - Our Beaver Nation

Terry Baker is not only the first Oregon State player to win the Heisman Trophy, college football’s highest accolade, he was the first player from the West Coast to win prestigious award. Terry is also the only player in history to win the Heisman and appear in an NCAA Final Four in basketball – a feat accomplished in the same year.
 
The Terry Baker Society will allow us to say thank you and acknowledge some of our most generous supporters in an organized and meaningful way. The Society will recognize donors who have made commitments to Oregon State Athletics of $100,000 or more since July 1, 2017.  Members of this group are invested in the continued enhancement of a world-class experience academically, socially, and athletically for all Beaver student-athletes. The impact of the Terry Baker Society will be felt by generations of student-athletes and will impact every coach and program for years to come.

Click the image below to download a full benefits chart and FAQ.

Q    How long is the membership term and for how many years will members receive benefits?
A    Benefits will be fulfilled over a period of five (5) years, starting from the date of commitment. Membership 
      and fulfillment of benefits will run concurrently.

Q    Which benefits are fulfilled only once during my membership?
A    Only the personalized sport experience benefit will be fulfilled once during a membership. 
       Naming opportunities live on in perpetuity, while all other benefits will be fulfilled
       each year of membership.

Q    What is the Personal Sport Experience?
A    OBN staff will work with Terry Baker Society members who qualify to create a personalized
      sport experience unique to that member (Ex: Coach for the Day, Beaver Walk, etc.).

Q    What is the difference between a premium and a legacy naming opportunity?
A    A Premium Naming Opportunity affords the donor the opportunity to name a space inside
      of one of our athletic facility. A Legacy Naming Opportunity allows the donor to be recognized
      on the inside or more publicly, outside of a facility. Please discuss with the Our Beaver Nation
      office regarding available options.

Q    Which sport(s) do Terry Baker Society members have access for an exclusive practice invite?
A    Terry Baker Society members are able to select a sport of their choice. OBN staff will work with the
      member and the respective coaching staff to determine a date that works for both parties.

Q    What is the significance of July 1, 2017 regarding qualifying gifts for the Terry Baker Society?
A    This is the date that marked the end of the historic “Campaign for OSU”.

Q    Am I able to make the minimum gift commitment over time?
A    Yes. Multi-year pledge agreements are acceptable (five-year maximum).

Q    How many field passes (pre or full game depending on gift level) will I receive?
A    All field pass offerings will include two (2) passes for Terry Baker Society member and a guest.

More about Terry Baker 
Born in Pine River, Minn., Baker attended Jefferson High in Portland, Ore., where he was a three-year letter winner in basketball and baseball. Football, however, was Baker’s most dominant sport. Baker played quarterback and tailback and led his team to a 23–0 record with two state titles in his last two seasons. As a senior in 1958, he threw for 1,261 yards and ran for 438 yards.

Baker attended Oregon State where he played both basketball and football. On the gridiron, Baker was a talented dual-threat, passing for 863 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 610 yards and five scores as a 1960 sophomore. As a junior, Baker threw for 875 yards and rushed for 375 and had a combined seven scores.

Meanwhile, Baker averaged 9.0 points per game as the Beavers’ starting point guard his first two seasons.

Baker’s senior campaign was a harbinger of the kind of seasons to be had by future dual-threat quarterbacks. He threw for 1,723 yards and 15 scores and rushed for 538 yards and nine TDs as the Beavers finished 8-2 and ranked 16th in the polls. He won the Heisman Trophy for his achievements. He was the first player from a school west of Texas to win the award. In addition to winning the Heisman, he also won the Maxwell Award and the W. J. Voit Memorial Trophy, was a consensus first team All-American and was named the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.

His Heisman in tow, Baker led OSU to a 6-0 victory over Villanova in the Liberty Bowl. The only score was Baker’s 99-yard touchdown run, which is still an NCAA record.

But Baker wasn’t through with his college career at that point. He later joined the Beaver basketball team as a senior and averaged 13.4 points to help his team make the 1963 Final Four.

Baker graduated OSU with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1963 and then was selected as the first overall pick of that year’s NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He played with the Rams for three seasons and then for the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL while earning a J.D. at USC’s Law School.

He served on the staff of the President’s Commission on Campus Unrest and Kent State Task Force in 1970 and practiced law in Portland as a partner in the law firm Tonkon Torp LLP until retiring in 2012. He received the NCAA Sliver Anniversary award in 1988 and was elected to the GTE Academic All-American Hall of Fame in 1991.

Baker was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1982.