In 1965, Robert “Buffalo Bob” McFarland graduated from Southeast High School. He went on to college at Cameron University in Oklahoma and graduated in 1970. From 1971 to 1973, McFarland was in the Army on a tour through Vietnam.
Upon his return, he pledged his loyalty to Southeast and started supporting the sports teams. Starting in 1974, McFarland began attending all Southeast sporting events, fall, winter and spring, varsity, JV and freshman.
He made sure to be there on the sidelines of football games, ringing his bell and singing the Alma Mater, regardless of wins and losses. In 1986, the Hoofbeats yearbook dedicated a page to him, coining the name “Buffalo Bob.”
“He was the gentleman that was biking when his truck would break down, he was biking in the snow to make sure he was getting to the games,” business teacher Kinsey Colclasure recalled. “It was just amazing to have that kind of history, that you can’t find in yearbooks, you can’t find in newspapers.”
Until 2012, Bob was going to up to 10 games a week. Later that year he was inducted into the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame as well as the Southeast Hall of Fame.
He had been to over 5,500 games. His support was unwavering. He even went to practices. He was always on the sidelines, until a few years ago, when he was run over at a football game.
He recovered, but was in a knee brace for quite some time. During his recovery, he had the support of the entire football team and their parents.
“He was actually injured on the sidelines at one of the football games (last year), and so we started giving him a ride home because he couldn’t drive anymore. And then, we kinda stayed in touch with him,” said Natalie Merten, mother of senior football player Elliott Merten.
This support continues as McFarland has begun to struggle with memory and health issues.
After an impressive 58 year streak of support, McFarland is no longer able to make it to games. “The football players do community service in spring and fall, they helped out with his yard and did some stuff for his house… and we just keep in touch with him. He ended up not being able to attend any football games this season because he’s been declining mentally and medically,” Merten said.
He has been missed on the sidelines at football games. The bell has been silent in his absence.
“It’s been kinda weird, not seeing him out there, not hearing him cheer us on. So we just know with his words, and his encouragement, you know, the kids can get some energy from that,” head football coach Marcus Bagley said.
Since the start of the school year, Bob has been admitted to and released from the hospital and is currently headed for a memory care unit. He is otherwise healthy, just often confused and forgetful, but is being well taken care of.
Recently he was released from the assisted living facility to come to Southeast for dinner with the football team and the band on Senior Night, and to watch the game after. The band played the fight song and the Alma Mater for him, and he led the football team in the Buffalo Call before sitting down to dinner with the team and their parents one last time.
The Southeast games have been important to Bob and they are something he recalls often to assist in his recovery. As his memory starts to fade, his fondness for Southeast is something he’s able to hold onto.
“While he’s going through rehab, for memory and cognition, he would use the different sports to remember what day of the week it was, to work on his recall, and know what was going on day to day,” Merten said.
The support for McFarland and his recovery have not ended. Southeast staff and parents of athletes are following his status. Merten keeps in touch with him still, and will be visiting often.
“The new room where he’s gonna’ be living, we’re decking it out all Southeast,” Merten said. “We have banners, posters. He has a whole bunch of new southeast gear…I have trading cards, football trading cards of Buffalo Bob…along with the team, coaches, marching band.”
