Top Story Spotlight THE BRIGHT SIDE 83-year-old NC softball player: "These are the guys who saved me" jason.koon May 19, 2026 18 hrs ago 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Ron Merritt Sr. won’t hesitate to tell you how he managed to survive the death of his wife of 60 years last fall.kAm“$@>6 @7 E96D6 8FJD[ E96D6 2C6 E96 8FJD H9@ D2G65 >6 H96? x H2D C62==J 5@H? >6?E2==J[” |6CC:EE $C] D2:5] “x 86E E62CJ\6J65 E9:?<:?8 23@FE :E] %96D6 8FJD D2G65 >6 3642FD6 x H2D C62==J 5@H?]”k^AmkAm|6CC:EE’D H:76 925 2>J@EC@A9:4 =2E6C2= D4=6C@D:D Wp{$X[ <?@H? 2D {@F v69C:8’D 5:D62D6[ 2?5 6G6? 367@C6 D96 5:65[ 9:D 7C:6?5D 2?5 E62>>2E6D 7C@> 9:D D6?:@C D@7E32== =628F6[ H9@> 96 4@>A6E65 H:E9 :? w:4<@CJ 7@C E96 D6?:@C 82>6D[ H6C6 E96C6 E@ DFAA@CE 9:>]k^Am Ron Merritt Sr. (right) talks to a teammate as he coaches first base at the Unifour Senior Games softball tournament on April 25 in Hickory. Jason Koon, Record kAm“tG6? H96? D96 925 p{$[ ;FDE 96=A:?8 H:E9 DEF77[” D2:5 9:D D@?[ #@? |6CC:EE yC] “qF:=5:?8 C2>AD[ ;FDE 36:?8 E96C6[ 8@:?8 @FE[ 5@:?8 DEF77 D@4:2==J] xE H2D 92C5 E@ 86E @FE @7 E96 9@FD6[ 6DA64:2==J E96 =2DE J62C @C D@] … tDA64:2==J[ 27E6C D96 A2DD65[ E@ 36 23=6 E@ 86E @FE 2?5 92G6 D@>6E9:?8 E@ 5@ 6G6CJ 52J 3642FD6 D:EE:?8 :? E96 9@FD6 :D?’E 8@@5 7@C J@F]”k^Am People are also reading… Marion man injured in shooting in Newton; police say 1 gunman charged McDowell County board opposes state property tax restriction proposal Update: Old Fort man killed in motorcycle crash on I-40 identified Got a McDowell County paranormal experience? Now is the time to speak up NC high school baseball coach collapses and dies before team’s playoff game. What we know Panthers great says Chris Brazzell II reminds him of this elite NFL WR What's going on at West McDowell Middle? $4 million grant moving fields out of floodplain Marion, McDowell moving to Stage 2 water shortage advisory, starting mandatory water restrictions State lawmaker from Guilford calls on Foxx to resign after her response to fourth grader Meet the Morganton woman who says hard work has kept her going ... for 105 years Nebo McDowell County water customers under boil water advisory America 250: A look at McDowell County's origins, and its namesake McDowell High gets new boys basketball coach Fourth Friday series of concerts starting up every month in downtown Marion Father injured, 18-year-old son killed in Burke County shooting along Mount Olive Church Road kAm|6CC:EE $C][ 2 r92C=@EE6 C6D:56?E[ D2:5[ :? D@>6 H2JD[ 96 766=D =:<6 96 :D 9@?@C:?8 96C >6>@CJ 3J 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ A=2J]k^AmkAm“$96 E@=5 >6[ ‘s@ ?@E D:E :? E9:D 9@FD6[’” |6CC:EE $C] D2:5] “‘v@ @FE 2?5 36 J@FCD6=7] v6E @FE @7 96C6]’ %96C6 H:== ?6G6C 36 2?@E96C H@>2? =:<6 96C 7@C >6]”k^Am k9am{:<6 72E96C[ =:<6 D@?k^9am kAm|6CC:EE $C] :D gb 2?5 |6CC:EE yC] :D dc] %96J A=2J D6?:@C D@7E32== E@86E96C] %96J A=2J :? 5:776C6?E 286 8C@FAD[ D@ E96J 5@?’E @7E6? D92C6 E96 7:6=5[ 3FE E96J 5:5 @? pAC:= ad 2E 2 }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 $6?:@C v2>6D BF2=:7J:?8 6G6?E :? w:4<@CJ]k^Am kAm|6CC:EE yC] D2:5 D6?:@C D@7E32== :D ?@E E96 7:CDE E:>6 E96J 92G6 366? @? E96 7:6=5 E@86E96C[ 3FE :E’D E96 7:CDE @AA@CEF?:EJ :? 564256D]k^Am Ron Merritt Jr. tracks down a ground ball at the Unifour Senior Games softball tournament on April 25. Jason Koon, Record kAm“x 8C6H FA A=2J:?8 32D632== H:E9 9:> 36:?8 E96 4@249[” 96 D2:5] “p7E6C 4@==686[ x EC2G6=65 E96 4@F?ECJ 7@==@H:?8 2 42C66C] x’G6 366? 324< :? r92C=@EE6 7@C ab J62CD 2?5 96 >@G65 5@H? 7C@> }6H *@C<] … (6 5@?’E 86E E@ A=2J E@86E96C E@@ >F49 3642FD6 E96 =628F6D 2C6 ?@C>2==J D6A2C2E65[ 3FE D@>6E9:?8 =:<6 E9:D[ H96C6 :E’D ;FDE A:4<FA 7F?[ J629[ H6 3@E9 86E @FE E96C6]”k^Am k9am|@C6 E92? >652=Dk^9amkAm|6CC:EE $C] H2D?’E 23=6 E@ ;F>A :?E@ E96 D6?:@C D@7E32== D46?6 :>>65:2E6=J 27E6C >@G:?8 E@ r92C=@EE6 3642FD6 @7 9:D 42C66C] (96? 96 H2D ee[ E9@F89[ 96 DE2CE65 A=2J:?8 2?5 6I46==65] x? a_`f[ a_`g 2?5 a_`h[ 9:D E62> H@? E96 }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 DE2E6 492>A:@?D9:A 2?5 A=2J65 :? E96 ?2E:@?2= D6?:@C 82>6D]k^Am kAmu@C 3@E9 72E96C 2?5 D@?[ E96 82>6 :D 23@FE >F49 >@C6 E92? H92E 92AA6?D @? E96 7:6=5]k^Am Ron Merritt Sr. and Ron Merritt Jr. celebrate winning the age 50 championship at the Unifour Senior Games softball tournament on April 25. Submitted photo kAm“(96? J@F =@@< 324<[ D@>6 @7 E96 36DE 7C:6?5D J@F 925 H96? J@F H6C6 J@F?86C H6C6 7C@> E62> DA@CED[” |6CC:EE yC] D2:5] “%9:D :D 2 C62==J 8@@5 D@4:2=[ 4F=EFC2= E9:?8 H96C6 8FJD 86E E@ DE:== 4@>A6E6 :? 5:G:D:@?D 2?5 =6G6=D 2?5 286 8C@FAD 2?5 D<:== =6G6=D H96C6 E96J 42? 4@>A6E6 2?5 E96 7C:6?5D9:AD 2C6 ;FDE 8C62E] …k^Am kAm“x 5@?’E <?@H H9@ :D 2 s6>@4C2E @C 2 #6AF3=:42?] x 5@?’E <?@H H9@ :D H9:E6 4@==2C @C 3=F6 4@==2C @C H9@ :D C:49 @C H9@ :D A@@C[ H6’C6 ;FDE A=2J:?8 32==] xE’D 2 8C62E E9:?8[ 6DA64:2==J 7@C @=56C A6@A=6 H9@ ?665 7C:6?5D]”k^Am k9amu@C6G6C J@F?8k^9amkAmq@E9 >6? D2J E92E D@7E32== :D :?DECF>6?E2= 7@C >2:?E2:?:?8 E96:C 962=E9 2D E96J 4@?E:?F6 E@ 286]k^AmkAm“x 92G6 2 8C@FA @7 7C:6?5D H9@ 8@=7 2?5 2 8C@FA @7 7C:6?5D H9@ A=2J D@7E32==[ 2?5 E96J’C6 D6A2C2E65[ :E’D ;FDE ?:89E 2?5 52J[” |6CC:EE yC] D2:5] “v@:?8 @? 2 8@=7 4@FCD6 2?5 H2=<:?8 2C@F?5[ E92E’D G6CJ 5:776C6?E E92? E96D6 8FJD H9@ 2C6 CF??:?8[ DAC:?E:?8 2?5 5:G:?8] xEVD FD6\:E\@C\=@D6\:E] %96D6 8FJD H9@ 2C6 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ FD6 E96D6 >FD4=6D[ :E’D 6G6CJE9:?8]”k^Am kAm|6CC:EE yC] D2:5 96’D ?@E :? E96 FD6\:E\@C\=@D6\:E A92D6 J6E[ 3FE 86EE:?8 @FE 2?5 >@G:?8 :D DE:== :>A@CE2?E 7@C 9:>]k^Am kAm“x DA6?5 e_ 9@FCD 2 H66< 369:?5 2 56D<[” 96 D2:5] “x’G6 8@E E@ 86E @FE]”k^AmkAm|6CC:EE $C] D2:5 :E 96=AD >6?E2==J 2?5 D@4:2==J 2D H6==]k^AmkAm“$@7E32== :D E@ >6 2 E62> 82>6[” |6CC:EE $C] D2:5] “(6 92G6 2 8C@FA @7 8FJD 7C@> wF?E6CDG:==6 E92E 92G6 AC24E:46 uC:52J 2?5 |@?52J] (6 5@?’E ?665 AC24E:46[ 3FE H6 86E E96C6 E@ 9:E D@>6 32==D 2?5 :E’D E96 42>2C256C:6]Qk^Am kAm|6CC:EE $C] 2?5 yC] 3@E9 BF2=:7:65 7@C E96 DE2E6 492>A:@?D9:A E@FC?2>6?E @? pAC:= ad :? w:4<@CJ] |6CC:EE yC] A=2J65 7@C E96 286 d_ 492>A:@? wFCC:42?6D 2?5 |6CC:EE $C] 96=A65 E96 E62> @FE 4@249:?8 2?5 9:EE:?8] k^Am Jason Koon is the Sports Editor for the Hickory Record and can be reached at jason.koon@lee.net. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. jason.koon Author email Follow jason.koon Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story Most Popular Bill seeks to end 'vulture practices' in kids sports: What it means What's best for our kids? What’s best for our family? Those should be the central questions, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) says, of youth sports. Doctors had to remove rugby star Cass Bargell's colon. Now the LA Olympics are in her sights Cassidy Bargell has played with an ostomy bag since 2021, when she was diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel disease called severe acute ulcera… Baseball player Brittany Apgar's search for accessibility solution gains online support Brittany Apgar often viewed social media as a scary place. But when she ran into a challenge related to her limb difference ahead of her Women… Kentucky Derby winning jockeys, MLB pitcher tied to illegal cockfighting in Puerto Rico With the Ortiz brothers set to ride May 16 in the Preakness Stakes, photos found by USA Today Sports on social media appear to link them to il… Recommended for you Watch Now: Related Video Rai Captures Maiden Major With PGA Championship Victory Score Act Aims to Control NIL and Transfers in College Football Score Act Aims to Control NIL and Transfers in College Football Brendan Sorsby Battles NCAA for Eligibility Restoration Brendan Sorsby Battles NCAA for Eligibility Restoration NFL 2026 Game Highlights & Schedule Releases; Legal Sports Report NFL 2026 Game Highlights & Schedule Releases; Legal Sports Report
jason.koon Author email Follow jason.koon Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Bill seeks to end 'vulture practices' in kids sports: What it means What's best for our kids? What’s best for our family? Those should be the central questions, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) says, of youth sports.
Doctors had to remove rugby star Cass Bargell's colon. Now the LA Olympics are in her sights Cassidy Bargell has played with an ostomy bag since 2021, when she was diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel disease called severe acute ulcera…
Baseball player Brittany Apgar's search for accessibility solution gains online support Brittany Apgar often viewed social media as a scary place. But when she ran into a challenge related to her limb difference ahead of her Women…
Kentucky Derby winning jockeys, MLB pitcher tied to illegal cockfighting in Puerto Rico With the Ortiz brothers set to ride May 16 in the Preakness Stakes, photos found by USA Today Sports on social media appear to link them to il…
