Many former athletes drift away from the sites
of their glory, by Dr W Clair Merriman still lived near Beaver Falls
High School and Geneva College more than sixty years after he starred as a
student-athlete there. Clair and his wife donated the
Merriman Athletic Complex to Geneva College, and the fields were
located on the site of the old Armstrong Cork Company Plant.
Although he specialized in track, Clair was also an outstanding
football and basketball player in high school and a basketball star
in college. He led the Beaver Falls Tigers to the WPIAL basketball
semifinals during his senior year in 1924 and also won All County
football honors twice. But track was his favorite sport, and Clair
set county and WPIAL records in both the shot put and discus events
in 1924. He then lettered in football and track at Mercersberg
Academy, where a serious knee injury ended his football career.
Clair was a four year basketball starter at Geneva and was named
All Conference twice. He won four letters in track as Geneva’s
field star in shot put, discus, high jump, and javelin. Clair was
an active in swimming and is the only Beaver Countian to hold a
master’s swimming certificate from the Pittsburgh Natatorium. The
retired pediatrician practiced his profession for 43 years and
served as a lieutenant colonel in the Medical Corps during World War
II. He remained active in community affairs and was a prominent
benefactor of local libraries. His many honors include Geneva’s
Distinguished Service Ward and Life G.
Many former athletes drift away from the sites
of their glory, by Dr W Clair Merriman still lived near Beaver Falls
High School and Geneva College more than sixty years after he starred as a
student-athlete there. Clair and his wife donated the
Merriman Athletic Complex to Geneva College, and the fields were
located on the site of the old Armstrong Cork Company Plant.
Although he specialized in track, Clair was also an outstanding
football and basketball player in high school and a basketball star
in college. He led the Beaver Falls Tigers to the WPIAL basketball
semifinals during his senior year in 1924 and also won All County
football honors twice. But track was his favorite sport, and Clair
set county and WPIAL records in both the shot put and discus events
in 1924. He then lettered in football and track at Mercersberg
Academy, where a serious knee injury ended his football career.
Clair was a four year basketball starter at Geneva and was named
All Conference twice. He won four letters in track as Geneva’s
field star in shot put, discus, high jump, and javelin. Clair was
an active in swimming and is the only Beaver Countian to hold a
master’s swimming certificate from the Pittsburgh Natatorium. The
retired pediatrician practiced his profession for 43 years and
served as a lieutenant colonel in the Medical Corps during World War
II. He remained active in community affairs and was a prominent
benefactor of local libraries. His many honors include Geneva’s
Distinguished Service Ward and Life G.