This local football player is in one of Sports Illustrated’s 100 greatest sports photos of all time

Credit: Jim Witmer

Credit: Jim Witmer

One of the most striking sports photos of all time was shot in Dayton.

In 2005, Bobby Martin of Colonel White High School gained national attention because he played football despite being born with no legs. A photo taken for a column by Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly on Martin - "Half the Size, Twice the Man" - was included this week in a list by the magazine: "100 Greatest Sports Photos of All-Time."

Before Reilly wrote his story, Dayton Daily News sports columnist Tom Archdeacon told Martin's story, and photographer Jim Witmer chronicled Martin's journey in photos. Here are some of the best quotes from observers of Martin from 2005:

"Don't try to tell Bobby he's got no legs — don't tell him he's got a handicap — he just will not accept that To be truthful, he's a tough kid to coach because he expects to be playing — every play." - Colonel White assistant coach Kerry Ivy

"You name it, he does it. He skates, bowls, dances … even drives a car. He drives it pretty good, but I gotta say the first time I rode with him, I felt like I was at Kings Island on a ride. It was something." - Justin Dean, a Colonel White assistant

"We went to eat at Roosters awhile back and the lady there looked at Bobby and said, 'We have a ramp.' When she said that, he got on his board, did a wheelie while doing a handstand, jumped off and was up the steps before she could say another word." - Dean

» FROM 2015: ‘An inspiration to all of us’: The Colonel White senior born with no legs who has become a football sensation

"Bobby always practices in shorts, so when he got his game pants, he looked over at Josh Tillman, our fullback, and said, 'How do you tie these things up?' Josh looked at him kind of strange and said, 'The same way you tie up a pair of shoes.'  And that's when Bobby said, 'How the hell would I know that?' " - Ivy

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