This collection is arranged into three series. The largest series, Scrapbooks (1976-1981), consists of scrapbooks compiled by Marty Bodnar throughout his career as a Michigan basketball player. The scrapbooks primarily contain news clippings about his own achievements as a player, as well as press releases, photographs, and correspondence regarding Marty and Mark Bodnar's recruitment.
The Preferential Seating Plan series (2003) contains a large dossier compiled as Michigan was planning to implement the "Preferential Seating Plan" at Michigan Stadium, commonly known as Personal Seat Licenses and Priority Points. It includes details of the proposal and research completed while preparing the proposal. There are a number of exhibits, including an Executive Summary, information about the current budget, research on other athletic departments, and other information on the plan.
The Personal Papers series (1976-2012) includes limited correspondence throughout Bodnar's career as both a player and administrator. It also contains press releases, a copy of a speech the Bodnar brothers gave at the 1990 Basketball Bust, and photographs. A limited number of publications are part of this series, such as assorted game programs and media guides from Bodnar's playing career, and several issues of Go Blue!: Inside Wolverine Sports magazine. It also contains audio tapes from his personal collection.
Martin "Marty" Bodnar was born on June 20th, 1959 in Barberton, Ohio. Marty and his identical twin brother, Mark Bodnar, helped lead the Barberton High School Magics to the 1976 Class AAA State Championship. The Bodnar twins were recruited as a pair by Michigan men's basketball head coach Johnny Orr, and enrolled in the University of Michigan in the fall of 1977.
Bodnar was a four-year letterwinner in basketball, playing guard (as was Mark). After seeing limited action as a freshman, Bodnar started the 1978-79 season-opener against Central Michigan and started the majority of Michigan's games over his final three seasons. The sophomore Bodnar led the Wolverines in assists, with 61, and field goal percentage, at 56.4%.
As a junior, Bodnar was elected captain for the 1979-80 season. Coach Orr moved to Iowa State, and was replaced by his top assistant, Bill Frieder. Bodnar started 25 of the 30 games that season, and his 243 points were a career high. Those Wolverines made their first of two consecutive National Invitational Tournament quarterfinals.
In 1981, following Bodnar's senior season, he was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention by the Associated Press. He graduated with a career field goal percentage of 53.4% with 724 points. On four occasions throughout his career, he scored the game winning field goal with under five seconds to play, including a January 10th, 1981 win over Minnesota in double overtime. Bodnar graduated in the spring of 1981.
Bodnar recieved a law degree from the University of Akron in 1984, and spent 14 years practicing law before returning to the Michigan Athletic Department in 1998. He served as Associate Athletic Director for Ticketing and Marketing, and oversaw Michigan's transition to the Preferential Seating Plan at Michigan Stadium. He left the Athletic Department in 2010.
Bodnar was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American three times during his Michigan career, and in 2002 Michigan men's basketball established the Bodnar Brothers Award for Academic Achievement (Mark Bodnar also was named an Academic All-American in 1981). In 2014, at the Bodnar brothers' request, the award was renamed the Morgan/Bodnar Brothers Award for Academic Achivement, in honor of Jordan Morgan.
