Amy Jo Kinyon
The County Journal
Merle Martin
Merle Martin of Vermontville could be described as a sports renaissance man. For most of his life, he has been a fixture in the schools around Eaton County, coaching thousands of students in basketball, baseball and life off the field.
One of his students, Dave Joppie stopped in for a visit during the recent Maple Syrup Festival. A former player for Martin, Joppie spent time working behind the scenes for the Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox. A mid-season manager change has provided Joppie with a bit of spare time, and gave him the chance to catch up in person with one of his coaches and mentors.
“He wanted to thank Dad for being such a big, steady influence in his life,” said Merle’s son, Marty.
Running a farm and sports teams at the same time provided a full plate for Merle, but it was a plate he always stepped up to. Often out in the field until 11 p.m., he would rise at 4:40 a.m. to take care of chores before 8 a.m. practices. His work ethic and commitment to his players provided a strong example for those on his teams.
“There was one morning, it was freezing cold, the wind was blowing and there were inches of snow on the ground and I raced up to the school just as fast as I could and there was a kid sitting there with his bag waiting. ‘Mr. Martin, where’ve you been?’ he asked,” remembers Merle with a chuckle.
A conversation with Merle is akin to stepping back in a time machine for all things sports related in Maple Valley.
“I was around before there was little league,” Merle said.
One of the organizers of the first youth basketball teams in the area, he remembers the first league he started and coached. The team traveled to Battle Creek to take on other teams in a their first tournament and were able to beat several teams.
“We beat everybody from here to Coldwater in that,” Merle recalls with obvious pride.
Marty said it was his Dad’s example that prompted him to become involved in sports and coach teams after his school sports career drew to a close.
“He made a difference in the lives of those kids and I saw that first-hand,” commented Marty.
Merle’s sports heritage goes back to his father who pitched at the World’s Fair before returning to pitch at Charlton Park just outside of Hastings. He passed on the opportunity to play with the major league due to his wife’s reluctance.
“Ma wouldn’t let him,” recalls Merle with a chuckle.
Off the field, Merle often took the time to mentor his athletes, even taking many teams to Canada on trips that included fishing, baseball and memories that have lasted a lifetime. During one of those trips, a bear made multiple trips into the camp at night, giving the campers quite a scare.
“The last time he came around, Marlene could hear him breathing outside the tent. He ate two cans of grease,” laughed Merle. “Marlene hollered and I ran out there with fire crackers and an oar. They were going to have me shoot him if he came back the next night, but I think he got so sick off the grease he didn’t come around again.”
He required his “boys,” as he still calls them, to adhere to the rules he set forth both on and off the field.
“I was stricter than most and that helped them when they were older,” explained Merle.
One young athlete had shoulder length hair, something Martin did not allow on his players. In order to play on the ball team, the young man cut his hair and took to the field.
“I was coaching third base and he hit a home run when we were playing in Coldwater,” recalls Merle. “He came around the base and said, ‘I wouldn’t have hit that if I hadn’t cut my hair.’”
Merle’s commitment to his boys and community is evident, not only in the years of dedication, but also in the lives he has impacted. Marty said the example set by his father shaped his course in life and had a profound influence on almost everyone who played or worked with Merle.