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Article Publication Date: 11/23/2005
Merrell's legacy alive and well
Third of a Series...
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</TD><TD width=7 bgColor=#f3f3f3 rowSpan=2></TD></TR><TR align=right><TD vAlign=center align=right bgColor=#f3f3f3>WARREN DILLAWAY / Star Beacon
JIM MERRELL starred at Geneva High School and Ohio State University.
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Former Geneva, Ohio State standout
headed into county grid hall of fame
By KARL PEARSON
Staff Writer
Few people have meant as much to the legacy of Ashtabula County football at the high school and college levels as Jim Merrell.
As a high school athlete, he was one of the best all-around athletes Geneva High School ever produced. He had the distinction of being a member of the Eagles’ 1949 Lake Shore League football champions, then played center on Geneva’s 1949-50 basketball team that is the last Ashtabula County squad to reach the state Final Four in that sport.
Enough was thought of Merrell’s skills that he earned a scholarship to Ohio State University to play football. Recruited by Wes Fesler, he was the starting center on Woody Hayes’ first OSU team in 1951, then added duties as middle linebacker in 1952, only to suffer a career-ending knee injury midway through that season.
Although he never played the game again, Merrell never stopped giving to his high school and collegiate alma maters right up until his death in 2004. He was a firm supporter of the Geneva teams of the late Bob Herpy.
He also helped pave the way for countless northeastern Ohio players to Ohio State for coaches ranging from Hayes to his former Buckeye teammate, Earle Bruce, through John Cooper and on to Jim Tressel. In fact, at his funeral, a football signed by Tressel was prominently displayed and remains a family keepsake.
Merrell made it possible for players like Geneva’s Mark Debevc and Brian Donovan to become a part of OSU’s 1968 national-championship team. Other area players who were set on their route to Columbus to Merrell included Edgewood’s Gary Lago, Geneva’s Rich Spangler and Grand Valley’s Mick Shoaf, who were all pointed out by Merrell to the Buckeye coaching staff.
All Ashtabula County football players of high caliber owes a debt of gratitude to Merrell through his work as one of the founding fathers and a past president of the Ashtabula County Touchdown Club. He was able to coax coaches like Hayes and Bruce to be the featured speakers at the club’s annual banquet.
For his greatness as a player and a contributor, Merrell has been chosen as a part of the second class to be inducted into the Ashtabula County Football Hall of Fame. He would be pleased to know his induction will be made official at the 36th annual Ashtabula County Touchdown Club awards banquet Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Mount Carmel Community Center.
"I’m sure Jim would be thrilled by this honor," Merrell’s widow, Pat, said. "The game meant so much to him. He’d be very honored to be recognized like this."
No doubt Merrell would be pleased with the company he is keeping, too. He will be joining the late Jim Hietikko of Conneaut, his former Ohio State teammate, in the football hall. He will also be accompanying Debevc into the hall as the fourth and fifth former Geneva athletes to be honored.
Debevc is equally happy that his firm friend, though separated by nearly 20 years in age, is joining him in this Hall of Fame class.
"Jim Merrell was my mentor," Debevc said of the man who helped him become a part of Ohio State’s Super Sophomores in 1968. "He’s the one who got me hooked up with Ohio State.
"I knew Jim from the time I was a kid because he was my dentist back then and was after I came back home. We used to always enjoy reminiscing about things down at Ohio State. He was just a good man."
Ironically, Merrell almost didn’t go to Ohio State, nearly signing with its hated rivals. After his outstanding football and basketball seasons for the late Bruno Mallone, Fesler won him over and got him to come to Columbus. <TABLE cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=2 width=252 align=left border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=center align=middle>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=center align=middle>[SIZE=+1]Star Beacon Advertisements[/SIZE]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
"I had previously agreed to go to Michigan, but I went to Ohio State because of Fesler," Merrell said.
As a freshman, Merrell missed out on playing in the legendary Blizzard Bowl game of 1950, but did get to watch it from the stands. The loss of that game led to Fesler’s exit and Hayes’ entrance.
As much as any player, Merrell probably benefited from Hayes’ arrival. The coach quickly became disgusted with the holdovers from the Fesler regime, many who were grizzled World War II veterans who didn’t respond well to Hayes’ methods. A more mobile lineman, Merrell fit more into his system.
That got Merrell into the lineup for his sophomore year. At the same time, college football was being basically played on a one-platoon system, which meant Merrell played center and linebacker for the Buckeyes.
Apparently, he made quite a impression, because he went into his junior season as a preseason All-American in three prominent publications of the day. But early in the season, he tore his anterior cruciate knee ligament. Medical science of the time did not have the knowledge to deal with such an injury and his surgery proved the end of his playing career. It can only be speculation where his career might have gone otherwise.
"They opened it up and found the ACL was torn," he said in an interview with Star Beacon sports writer Chris Larick in 2000. "They took it out. Today, they’d re-tie it. I went out for football the next year, but it went bad on me. That was the end of my football career."
There was one claim to fame Merrell always felt he had with the Buckeyes, "playing with Vic Janowicz and Hopalong Cassady, two Heisman Trophy winners (in 1950 and 1954, respectively)," he said.
But, when one door closes, another opens. The end of football actually led to the start of his career in dentistry.
"When I got my knee torn up and there was no more football, I was thinking about pre-med, since my dad was a doctor," he said. "The (military) draft board had me report for a physical. I hadn’t even got my cast off. I was still on crutches. They said they’d call back in six months.
"I asked my coaches what I could do. They were giving an exam for dental school. If I took it and passed, I could get deferred. So I entered dental school the next year. I had had no plans of being a dentist."
His time at Ohio State also led to meeting his wife. Eventually, they came back to Geneva and he set up his dental practice.
It also led to his involvement in the community and Ashtabula County athletics. A big part of it was his involvement with the Touchdown Club, which he served as president for several years. He was able to convince Hayes to pay a visit as featured speaker for the fifth annual banquet in 1974. His old teammate Bruce came calling in 1987, just two weeks after he was fired by OSU. Cooper spoke at the 1990 banquet.
The Touchdown Club has meant as much to Merrell’s family as it did to him. Two of their sons were winners of the Jim Kanicki Outstanding Player-Robert L. Wiese Memorial Scholarship. Oldest son Steve received that honor in 1974 and third son Rob earned the award in 1980. Second son Dave was chosen the Outstanding College Football Player by Gazette Publications in 1981.
"The Touchdown Club was important to Jim," Pat Merrell said.
Although his career was cut short by injury, Merrell never lost his love for the game or his alma maters. The relationships the game brought to him meant a great deal to him, even as his health failed.
"He went to the Ohio State-Michigan game last year just a month before he died, even though he was in a wheelchair," Pat Merrell recalled. "It was nice and warm and he enjoyed it so much. He was really smiling that day, and I’m sure he was up there smiling after this year’s game, too. He just loved the game."
Article Publication Date: 11/23/2005
Merrell's legacy alive and well
Third of a Series...
<CENTER><TABLE borderColor=#f3f3f3 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 rules=groups width=229 align=left border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=center align=middle bgColor=#f3f3f3>
JIM MERRELL starred at Geneva High School and Ohio State University.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER><HR>
Former Geneva, Ohio State standout
headed into county grid hall of fame
By KARL PEARSON
Staff Writer
Few people have meant as much to the legacy of Ashtabula County football at the high school and college levels as Jim Merrell.
As a high school athlete, he was one of the best all-around athletes Geneva High School ever produced. He had the distinction of being a member of the Eagles’ 1949 Lake Shore League football champions, then played center on Geneva’s 1949-50 basketball team that is the last Ashtabula County squad to reach the state Final Four in that sport.
Enough was thought of Merrell’s skills that he earned a scholarship to Ohio State University to play football. Recruited by Wes Fesler, he was the starting center on Woody Hayes’ first OSU team in 1951, then added duties as middle linebacker in 1952, only to suffer a career-ending knee injury midway through that season.
Although he never played the game again, Merrell never stopped giving to his high school and collegiate alma maters right up until his death in 2004. He was a firm supporter of the Geneva teams of the late Bob Herpy.
He also helped pave the way for countless northeastern Ohio players to Ohio State for coaches ranging from Hayes to his former Buckeye teammate, Earle Bruce, through John Cooper and on to Jim Tressel. In fact, at his funeral, a football signed by Tressel was prominently displayed and remains a family keepsake.
Merrell made it possible for players like Geneva’s Mark Debevc and Brian Donovan to become a part of OSU’s 1968 national-championship team. Other area players who were set on their route to Columbus to Merrell included Edgewood’s Gary Lago, Geneva’s Rich Spangler and Grand Valley’s Mick Shoaf, who were all pointed out by Merrell to the Buckeye coaching staff.
All Ashtabula County football players of high caliber owes a debt of gratitude to Merrell through his work as one of the founding fathers and a past president of the Ashtabula County Touchdown Club. He was able to coax coaches like Hayes and Bruce to be the featured speakers at the club’s annual banquet.
For his greatness as a player and a contributor, Merrell has been chosen as a part of the second class to be inducted into the Ashtabula County Football Hall of Fame. He would be pleased to know his induction will be made official at the 36th annual Ashtabula County Touchdown Club awards banquet Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Mount Carmel Community Center.
"I’m sure Jim would be thrilled by this honor," Merrell’s widow, Pat, said. "The game meant so much to him. He’d be very honored to be recognized like this."
No doubt Merrell would be pleased with the company he is keeping, too. He will be joining the late Jim Hietikko of Conneaut, his former Ohio State teammate, in the football hall. He will also be accompanying Debevc into the hall as the fourth and fifth former Geneva athletes to be honored.
Debevc is equally happy that his firm friend, though separated by nearly 20 years in age, is joining him in this Hall of Fame class.
"Jim Merrell was my mentor," Debevc said of the man who helped him become a part of Ohio State’s Super Sophomores in 1968. "He’s the one who got me hooked up with Ohio State.
"I knew Jim from the time I was a kid because he was my dentist back then and was after I came back home. We used to always enjoy reminiscing about things down at Ohio State. He was just a good man."
Ironically, Merrell almost didn’t go to Ohio State, nearly signing with its hated rivals. After his outstanding football and basketball seasons for the late Bruno Mallone, Fesler won him over and got him to come to Columbus. <TABLE cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=2 width=252 align=left border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=center align=middle>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=center align=middle>[SIZE=+1]Star Beacon Advertisements[/SIZE]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>"I had previously agreed to go to Michigan, but I went to Ohio State because of Fesler," Merrell said.
As a freshman, Merrell missed out on playing in the legendary Blizzard Bowl game of 1950, but did get to watch it from the stands. The loss of that game led to Fesler’s exit and Hayes’ entrance.
As much as any player, Merrell probably benefited from Hayes’ arrival. The coach quickly became disgusted with the holdovers from the Fesler regime, many who were grizzled World War II veterans who didn’t respond well to Hayes’ methods. A more mobile lineman, Merrell fit more into his system.
That got Merrell into the lineup for his sophomore year. At the same time, college football was being basically played on a one-platoon system, which meant Merrell played center and linebacker for the Buckeyes.
Apparently, he made quite a impression, because he went into his junior season as a preseason All-American in three prominent publications of the day. But early in the season, he tore his anterior cruciate knee ligament. Medical science of the time did not have the knowledge to deal with such an injury and his surgery proved the end of his playing career. It can only be speculation where his career might have gone otherwise.
"They opened it up and found the ACL was torn," he said in an interview with Star Beacon sports writer Chris Larick in 2000. "They took it out. Today, they’d re-tie it. I went out for football the next year, but it went bad on me. That was the end of my football career."
There was one claim to fame Merrell always felt he had with the Buckeyes, "playing with Vic Janowicz and Hopalong Cassady, two Heisman Trophy winners (in 1950 and 1954, respectively)," he said.
But, when one door closes, another opens. The end of football actually led to the start of his career in dentistry.
"When I got my knee torn up and there was no more football, I was thinking about pre-med, since my dad was a doctor," he said. "The (military) draft board had me report for a physical. I hadn’t even got my cast off. I was still on crutches. They said they’d call back in six months.
"I asked my coaches what I could do. They were giving an exam for dental school. If I took it and passed, I could get deferred. So I entered dental school the next year. I had had no plans of being a dentist."
His time at Ohio State also led to meeting his wife. Eventually, they came back to Geneva and he set up his dental practice.
It also led to his involvement in the community and Ashtabula County athletics. A big part of it was his involvement with the Touchdown Club, which he served as president for several years. He was able to convince Hayes to pay a visit as featured speaker for the fifth annual banquet in 1974. His old teammate Bruce came calling in 1987, just two weeks after he was fired by OSU. Cooper spoke at the 1990 banquet.
The Touchdown Club has meant as much to Merrell’s family as it did to him. Two of their sons were winners of the Jim Kanicki Outstanding Player-Robert L. Wiese Memorial Scholarship. Oldest son Steve received that honor in 1974 and third son Rob earned the award in 1980. Second son Dave was chosen the Outstanding College Football Player by Gazette Publications in 1981.
"The Touchdown Club was important to Jim," Pat Merrell said.
Although his career was cut short by injury, Merrell never lost his love for the game or his alma maters. The relationships the game brought to him meant a great deal to him, even as his health failed.
"He went to the Ohio State-Michigan game last year just a month before he died, even though he was in a wheelchair," Pat Merrell recalled. "It was nice and warm and he enjoyed it so much. He was really smiling that day, and I’m sure he was up there smiling after this year’s game, too. He just loved the game."
