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1939 METATE
DEDICATION
We offer this book, more a confession of faith in Pomona
than an annual in the conventional sense, to one whose
behavior in life—cheerful, resourceful, energetic—we have
known in the dormitory, on the athletic field and floor, as
he has counseled, censured, instructed us. We admire his
effortless integrity, sportsmanship, sincerity. We think he
personifies the finest ideals of distinguished personal
living—those ideals for which Pomona men and women strive.
______________________________
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NUGGETS AND
SURPRISES
Remember a good story is not an affidavit of the whole truth
and nothing but the truth.
__________
Fuzz was acting dean of women for three weeks when dean of
women Jesse Gibson was ill.
__________
Fuzz was an excellent polo player and a skilled flyfisherman.
__________
How Prometheus Became a Man:
Fuzz and his wife, Dot, became well acquainted with Orozco
who painted the mural of Prometheus in Frary dining hall.
Two days before Orozco was to leave, the giant figure of
Prometheus was still a eunuch. This was too much for Fuzz.
He said to Orozco, “You have got to make a man of him.” The
painting scaffolding was down. Several tables were piled on
top of each other. Orozco reached as high as he could to add
the genitals. As you will observe, he could not reach high
enough. A week after Prometheus had achieved manhood, some
students pasted a large green fig leaf made of cardboard on
Prometheus.
__________
Education on the football field:
Van (name uncertain) had played junior college football and
knew the fine arts of dirty football. Van came over to the
bench to tell Fuzz that there was an opposing lineman who
was slugging. He said to Fuzz: “I know you coach your
players to play clean but this guy needs educating.” Fuzz
replied, “I’ll deny it if you ever tell anyone I told you to
do it, but I think you are just the man to do it.” At half
time Fuzz asked Van how things were going. “Fuzz, you know
that guy is playing the cleanest ball.”
__________
Help for a student paralyzed with polio:
Jim Arnold had been paralyzed with polio in his youth. Fuzz
would meet him at the swimming pool during the lunch hour,
lift him out of his wheelchair, lower him into the water and
teach him how to swim.
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FUZZ, THE
ATHLETE
[From the 1926 Metate]
EARL MERRITT
ATHLETE-SUPREME
It will be many years before Pomona College has another
student and athlete of the type of Earl Merritt performing
on her teams and taking a part in the general student
activities of the college. In every sport and in every
activity Merritt has shown the greatest interest and the
ability to make four varsity athletic teams. The best
quarterback in the conference, and excellent basketball
forward, high point man in the Occidental-Pomona track meet
and one of the best hitters and outfielders on the local
baseball team in addition to being a dependable hurler, have
been Merritt’s accomplishments during the athletic year and
the fact that he is graduating in three years tells the
other side of the story.
(Note added by Jack Merritt (JM): Fuzz was one of the
greatest, if not the greatest, all around athletes ever to
attend Pomona. He was elected to the National Collegiate
Athletic Association.)
Fuzz was also elected to the National Association of
Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame. The award was given
“not merely for your skill as a coach, but for the
outstanding leadership and high standards of ethical and
moral practices; and for the influence you have had on your
athletes, your conferences, and your area.”
Fuzz’s football teams were more successful than his
basketball teams. But he did have the smartest basketball
team in the entire nation. There were four Phi Bates and one
very good player, a C student.
Fuzz had a very poor freshman football team. Occidental had
an unbeaten team. The week before the big game he decided to
scout the Occidental team which used audible signals. He
cracked the code. The following week he drilled his freshman
team in the code. When it was a pass, a Pomona player would
shout, “Watch for an end run.” The game ended in a scoreless
tie, a tremendous moral victory for Pomona.
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ACADEMICS AND FRIENDS
Carl L Baumann
Professor of German,
Pomona College
I was a colleague of Earl for thirty years. There were few
of the many colleagues who impressed me as being
extraordinary, Earl was one of them.
I never forgot the first time I met him at Frary. It was in
the fall of 1931. I had arrived from Switzerland just a few
days before. He sat across the table. I was startled. This
was a MAN—solid, firm, a man of action, a doer, not a
talker, a man who did not need convincing, he was convincing
himself.
During the years of my teaching, I watched particularly,
students who played football. They wore the imprint of Earl:
upright, well-mannered, reliable, trustworthy, and solid.
Earl was not an educator, he was the educator.
Earl has been close to me to this day. Although I had
relatively little personal contact with him, the man who
startled and impressed me more than fifty years ago remained
with me and will remain with me...
__________
E. Wilson Lyon
President, Pomona College, 1941-1969
(Remarks before the Los Angeles County Men’s Club of Pomona
College)
In his “Tribute to Fuzz Merritt,” Dr. Lyon said Pomona
College “is a wonderful institution, with many attributes.
None do I prize more highly than the sense of integrity
which characterizes our sports program. You were one of
those who contributed most to this great tradition.”
__________
David Alexander
President, Pomona College, 1969-1991
(Letter to Dorothy Merritt)
Fuzz’s life was an inspiration to everyone who knew him. I
myself have known no one for whom the word “integrity” was
so appropriate. Fuzz gave to the College a sense of what is
best not only in athletics but also in life. The affection
in which he is held by students from the era when he was a
member of the faculty and even among students who came to
know him after retirement is virtually unique in the history
of Pomona College. Indeed, I think that Fuzz has to be
counted among the half dozen most important persons during
the first century of the history of Pomona College.
__________
Howard B. Beckner
La Verne College alumnus and
Board Member Emeritus
(Letter to Dorothy Merritt)
May I add a few words of tribute to a man who has meant more
to me than either of you could have any idea. I am one who
has admired him for approximately seventy years, ever since
I first saw him run the hurdles at Citrus High School.
I attended the old Lordsburg Academy, and then La Verne
College, where his reputation for good sportsmanship and
integrity became an inspiration to me. Later, in my own
career working with young people, I vowed to hold high the
standards of fair play and good sportsmanship that I was
convinced were revered above winning by Earl “Fuzz” Merritt.
May I relate just one little incident that was so typical of
this man who was then the coach of an opposing team. I was
playing on the La Verne College baseball team against
Pomona. The umpire failed to show so Coach Merritt got a
Pomona student to fill in. It was soon apparent that he
wasn’t the best of umpires, but we made no protest until he
called one of our runners “out” who was very obviously safe
at home. We started to protest but “Fuzz” was already on his
way over to the young umpire to inform him that he had made
a mistake, and that he must change his decision, which he
did.
This is the one and only thing that I remember with complete
clarity about that game, which Pomona probably won, but it
was the most important thing!
__________
Dwight Hanawalt
Retired Dean of Students,
University of La Verne
When I was growing up in La Verne, just west of Claremont,
Fuzz was a legend in the valley in the early twenties. He
was not only an outstanding performer in football, but also
excellent in basketball, track, and baseball. I was well
aware that he was trusted and much respected in the private
college conference. As a member of La Verne College teams
from l937 to l94l, I competed with his excellently coached
teams at Pomona College, and with his son, Jack, who had
outstanding athletic ability.
My fairly close personal evolvement was the result of my
relationship with his wife, Dorothy, under whom as a
student, I took classes at nearby La Verne College. Later we
served together on the La Verne College faculty. She was
Dean of Women. I was Dean of Students. Fuzz was a treasured
friend, respected opponent, and an outstanding long time
individual in my many years as neighbor, competitor, and
friend.
(Note inserted by JM: The Hanawalt and Merritt families have
known and respected each other for decades. Dwight also was
a good friend of John Jaqua, who became football captain at
Pomona. In a Pomona-La Verne football game, Dwight tackled
John so hard that John was hurled to the ground. The Pomona
stands booed at what they thought was unnecessary roughness.
John and Dwight put their arms around each other which
immediately quieted the Pomona fans.)
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PLAYERS AND
COACHES
Jesse Cone
Assistant Football Coach, 1953-1956
June 22, 1969
Fuzz and Dorothy Merritt
2738 2nd Street,
La Verne, California
Dear Fuzz and Dorothy:
This is just a note to tell you how delighted we were that
you could attend the surprise party in our honor last Friday
night. It was a great surprise, and nothing could have been
done that we would have cherished more. But it would not
have been the same if you two were absent.
I feel ashamed that I have not done a better job of keeping
contact with you over the years because we owe you both so
much and have such high regard for you.
Fuzz, during the years that I helped you, I was young and
inexperienced enough to think that I was making a great
contribution to you and the football program at Pomona
College. It has become more and more obvious to me over the
years that it was you who made the greater contribution to
me in every way. Unfortunately, I
am unable to take full advantage of all the lessons you so
quietly and patiently exposed me to, because I am not
basically as strong a man as you are; but I don’t feel badly
about that because few men are. However, I am a better man
and a better teacher because of you, and I want you to know
that I appreciate the fact.
In the future, I hope to maintain better contact with the
two of you from Utah than I was able to from Pomona. You are
always welcome in our home, wherever that may be. The
opportunity to know you both and to work closely with you
has been one of our finest experiences.
With deepest appreciation and affection, we are.
Sincerely yours,
Jesse and Natalie Cone
(Note added by JM: Jesse was an essential part of Fuzz’s
life. Jesse was the line coach but performed many other
tasks. There was a synergistic relation between these two
coaches, based on mutual respect. Jesse was an excellent
scout, spotting weaknesses in the other team. Jesse had
played first string in the line at Stanford University. He
was experienced in modern techniques of football.)
__________
Chuck Mills
Head Football Coach, 1959-1961
1. Jesse Cone was leaving Pomona to coach at Mt. Sac. Your
dad was skiing in the Andes. He told Jesse to hire his
replacement and I was the guy. So here I am, the new
assistant coach and had never met my boss.
2. Your dad would only give an “A” grade in tennis class if
they beat him. As the story goes, he only gave one A grade.
To a freshman girl—Billy Jean Moffett (King), she
transferred out after her frosh year.
3. In 1957 we were playing a game against the Barstow
Marines out there. Thad Smith was injured. An ambulance came
on the field to take Thad to the hospital. It was in the
third quarter, Fuzz looked at me, “take the team,” and Fuzz
jumped into the van and went to the hospital with Thad.
4. He always suggested at the league meetings that, he and
Cecil Cushman at Redlands, Chief Neuman at Whittier, and
Bert LaBrucherie at Cal Tech, that when we played each
other, the coaches go in the stands when the game starts and
except for halftime, stay there the whole game, so the
“players could learn to manage themselves.” Whenever it came
to a vote there was only one vote in support.
5. I remember him going to the pool one day for his swimming
class in his bathing suit— virile body, flat stomach. A kid
was coming to class a bit on the pudgy side. Fuzz looked at
him, “You need to workout more, I have more bathing suit
appeal at 60 years old than you do.”
6. He was amazing at remembering names and faces. I don’t
know how many times people came to see him and he hadn’t
seen them in 20 or more years and he recalled every detail.
7. Fuzz didn’t need an assistant coach. I was sort of thrust
upon him. I had the line about 15 minutes a day, then
everything else was team stuff and he coached everything. I
was full of organizational ideas. My 2nd year, after we
played about two games, I think he sensed my frustration.
After that game he said to me that I should organize the
practices for the next game and he would do as I wanted.
8. If you weren’t a starter, practices could become very
tedious for the other players. They may stand around for an
hour and do nothing. Some would be very frustrated and
almost hostile, but as practice ended he would make about 30
seconds worth of comments and all was forgiven.
9. He was a magic father to those kids and to me. “Jackass”
was the strongest term I ever heard. When a player made a
big mistake, players told me he called a kid “double
jackass” once.
10. After the 1958 season ended, and your dad would be 65
his next birthday, Bob Strehle came over to my apartment in
Smiley Hall and told me Fuzz wanted to coach the freshman
team the next year and I was to be the next head coach. I
know your dad wasn’t tired of coaching he did it for me. I
have never forgotten it and the impact that man had on my
life… in and out of football. What do I remember the most???
Everyday, coat and tie, and riding his bicycle to work and
whistling. I LOVE THAT MAN!!!!!
__________
John McColl ’50
Football Captain, 1949
(Note added by JM: John and Fuzz were two of the greatest
athletes to attend Pomona College. They had enormous respect
for each other and became close friends. The following story
was provided by Sharon McColl, John’s widow.)
Fuzz was one of the most important five mentors in John’s
life. John would often hold up his hand and count them off
on his fingers to our four sons and many other young men
John influenced.
A story about Fuzz I heard more than once concerned a
football game with Oxy which I know was Pomona’s great
rival. I believe it was getting late into the game and Oxy
was leading. Fuzz called a time out to encourage his
players. How could they lose this big one when they were so
capable? The team started back on the field and John hung
back to tell Fuzz, “Don’t worry old man. We’re going to win
it!” And so they did at the very end to everyone’s joy. But,
I’m sure Fuzz and John particularly treasured their private
moment of confidence. Other teammates said they’d never
address Fuzz as “old man.” I’m sure it was meant to be
John’s way of expressing his endearment of one of his
greatest mentors.
[Letter sent to Fuzz on Fuzz’s retirement]
March 9, 1961
Mr. Earl J. Merritt
Pomona College
Claremont, California
Dear Fuzz:
I can count on the fingers of one hand the men who have most
influenced my life to date. You are included as one of this
group. From you I learned to compete; to go all out with a
full throttle, and to have fun doing it. I learned
leadership which has served me well as an officer in the
United States Army and as a worker in my church, business,
and community. Many have asked me in the past if I wished
that I had attended a large University and played “big-time”
football. I have always truthfully answered that I received
more personal satisfaction from my college football than
anyone anywhere could have possibly received. Neil Kennedy
used to call me Johnny McMerritt because of the large part
of you that had rubbed off on me. It’s still there.
Sincerely,
John McColl
__________
Jim Straley ’50
Fuzz was the greatest! As a married Vet living in the units
on campus the budget was tight! Fuzz gave me a job watering
the football field. The 75 cents/hour was truly appreciated.
__________
Tom McFadden ’51
RESERVE STRENGTH
When I saw Fuzz Merritt after I returned from Korea in 1953
I told him, “Coach you taught me something which I believe
saved my life and the lives of the men I served with in
Infantry hand-to-hand combat fighting in Korea.”
Fuzz had me play on both the offensive and defensive teams.
When I thought that I was winded and tired I asked him to
let me rest and let one of the other good players play in my
place when the team next went in. Fuzz told me that “when we
feel tired out, we still have lots of reserve strength and
to keep on playing.”
In Korea when the young infantry soldiers and I were
exhausted on an all night patrol, or on a mission behind
enemy lines, or after an all day and night hand-to-hand
attack on our position, I would remember Fuzz’s advice. I
would tell the men and myself that we still had a lot of
reserve strength left, and we became encouraged to fight on.
LIVING IN THE DORM
My freshman year in 1947 we lived in Frary Hall east of the
dining room. Fuzz and his wife Dorothy lived in the dorm
just east of the dining room and were there to help Dean
Nichols keep control of the men residents. We had a snow
fall that winter with snow in the patios of the buildings.
This resulted in many snow fights and broken windows. Fuzz
said that those responsible had to have the windows
replaced. This was a big expense for the students to have it
done commercially. I found it was much cheaper for me to buy
the glass panes, putty, stays, and paint and to replace the
window I had broken. Other students asked me to replace
their broken windows as I was able to replace them at a
lower price than what the commercial window repair men
charged. Fuzz was alerted to which windows had been broken
and, since he did not see them replaced commercially, he
learned that I had been replacing them. He told me to report
to him, and he went with me to inspect the ones I had
replaced. After inspection he said that I had done good work
and gave his OK.
We had a freshman football team. Fuzz watched our games to
see what prospects he would have for his varsity team next
year. He asked me to meet with him. He knew that I had
played high school football. I was a year younger than most
of the freshman players. I was under 6’ tall, thin, and
under 200 lbs. He told me if I would put on some weight and
exercise I would do better as a varsity football player. He
understood that I was younger and was growing taller. He
asked Mrs. McCarthy, who was head of the kitchen and dining
room, to let me eat with the varsity football players in
their special dining room. He told me to eat two meals each
night. When I played football my senior year I was 6’4” and
I had gained 30 lbs.
SKIING
Fuzz built a small ski rope tow in the mountains for the use
of the students. He enlarged this with a large motor and a
much longer rope tow. He had students help build the
platforms and tow pulleys. It was great fun working under
his directions with other students. I joined the college ski
club, bought skis and boots at the Army-Navy surplus store
and went skiing with the students at Fuzz’s tow. His wife
Dot taught me how to ski. I preferred the gentle slopes as I
was learning. At the top, however, Dot pushed me off the
steep run. I went zooming down trying to avoid hitting trees
and rocks with Dot following right behind me. At the bottom
I was trying to catch my breath and to recover from fright.
Dot yelled at me, “Tom that was fun.” My wife Anne and I
enjoyed skiing at the Mt. Baldy Ski tow after college as
guests of Fuzz.
FOOTBALL
Fuzz asked me to accompany him to see the games of teams
which we would play, when they played on a different day or
night than our game. He had me bring a note pad and paper to
forecast what I thought each play would be. I would mark
what I believed the play would be as the team lined up. He
would also mark down what he forecast, a pass, or a line
drive through the center or end. Then we would compare our
predictions after each play. I really enjoyed this. I found
it to be very valuable training when I would try to decide
in a game, as a tackle, what the play would be so I could
prepare to rush in to sack the passer or to block a line
drive play. My senior year I was picked on the first string
conference team and the first string all coast team.
DOT MERRITT
Mrs. Merritt, Dorothy, was an enthusiastic football fan and
a favorite of our team. At times she was on the sidelines
and ran up and down at the scrimmage line cheering on our
team. As a play developed she would yell at me “Tom, they
are coming over you, or it’s a pass, go get him.” Dot was my
favorite cheer leader.
TENNIS
My senior year, after the football season was over, I wanted
to get into a tennis class coached by Fuzz. However, science
labs and ROTC conflicted and kept me from enrolling in the
class. Fuzz told me he would play with me when we both had
free time. He said that I would have to beat him to get an A
grade. I was determined to win my games with him. But he was
both good and also tricky. Just as I would get ahead of him
and thought I was going to beat him, he would drive me back
in the court with high fast volleys and then bloop an easy
one just over the net to win. How he would holler and laugh
at my loss.
__________
Bill Holland ’59
When I was coaching as assistant to Fuzz, he told me he was
going to do something entirely different to everyone else.
For example, when he was running the single wing unbalanced
line and every one else was running the split T, they had to
spend the entire previous week learning how to defend
against the single wing. Whereas his team had already
learned how to defend the split T and could spend their time
preparing their offense for a defense they knew.
Whenever possible, Fuzz scheduled his games on Saturday
afternoons, whereas the other teams played mostly at night.
That way Fuzz could personally scout the other team. The
first half he would not write down a single thing. During
the second half he would write down a few things such as
what the favorite plays the other side preferred to run. The
next week Fuzz would drill the team on how to stop the
opponent’s favorite plays. He coached his best defensive
lineman to stalk their best runner. In this way Pomona could
shut down their favorite plays and force them to go to their
weaker plays.
(Note inserted by JM, related to the above: The power play
of the unbalanced line-single wing offense is the short end
run. All opponents knew this and would set their defense
appropriately. Fuzz designed a series of offensive plays
that started to the strong side but ended up going to weak
side. We had a tough game coming up with San Diego State. I
was playing quarterback and calling signals. Fuzz and I
agreed before the game not to use any of the special weak
side plays during the first half. We were well into the
third quarter and I still had not used the special plays.
Fuzz sent in a substitute for me. I sent the sub back and
told him to tell Fuzz that I got the message. This happened
twice more. I always was a slow learner. I called the
special weak side plays. We marched right down for a touch
down and won the game.)
__________
Dan Bulkley ’39
Fuzz always listed me in the programs as weighing 150 lbs.
when he knew I only weighed 139 lbs. His answer was “I
didn’t want the other teams picking on you!” I guess that I
should have been grateful but I always took a little pride
that I was the lightest player on all the rosters. Johnny
Carmona, center for Oxy listed 150 lbs. I knew he was bigger
than me.
I always regretted that I didn’t live closer so I could have
been in contact with him - perhaps ski with him. I always
appreciated that he gave me a chance to play football. I
think that most coaches would have ignored a skinny little
runt like me and never given me a chance. Football brought
me out from my shy shell and gave me some confidence, and
for that I have to thank Fuzz.
(Note added by JM: Dan is a world class champion in Masters
competitions. He is still competing. Here is a simplified
summary of his accomplishments, 1987 – 2007. U.S.
Championships: Track – 23, Decathlon – 5, Pentathlon – 5,
X-Country Skiing – 23, Badminton – 11; World Championships:
Track – 14, X-Country Skiing – 9, Badminton – 1; World
Records Held: 300m hurdles: ages 70-74, 75-79, 80-84; 2K
steeplechase: 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, Pentathlon: 80-84.)
__________
John Jaqua ’43
Football Captain, 1946
I knew Fuzz and Dot from the time when I was very young. I
have always been very fond of them. They took me to camp
“Robin Hood” on Lake Arrowhead. Dot taught me how to swim in
the lake and was it cold.
In those days the Merritt and the Jaquas kept horses. Fuzz
cut bridle trails through the brush just north of the Indian
Hill mesa. I remember four or five of us, mounted on
horseback, chased jack rabbits at a full gallop.
In the ninth grade my father sent me to Webb School, I also
bought an Indian pony from a man in San Dimas named Jess
Whitted. With that pony I won the Webb School Gymkhana, so
my father sold it to the family of the guy that I beat. I’m
still angry about that, but I won that Gymkhana with
instructions for training the pony from Fuzz. When I got
first place, Fuzz looked at me, smiled, and said, “You
must’ve had a pretty good teacher.” As a matter of fact,
both the horse and I had a good teacher.
Among his many duties Fuzz was in charge of the men’s
dormitory. One evening a fist fight broke out in the
freshman dorm. Fuzz went out to stop it. One of the students
took a swing at Fuzz. Almost instantly Fuzz had him pinned
to the ground.
I played football three years for Fuzz. I learned a lot more
than football from Fuzz. I learned about sportsmanship, how
to break in a horse, how to play wingback and block a much
larger opposing tackle. He taught us that self-imposed
limitations were usually false.
__________
Jack Keogh ’48
Football Captain, 1948
First I want to tell you who I am in relation to Pomona and
Fuzz.
Entering Pomona in 1944 and not yet 18 until August 1945, I
completed my second year at Pomona before being drafted into
the Army in June 1946, serving only one year until returning
to Pomona in 1947. During my final two years at Pomona, I
played football two years with Fuzz as the coach and me as a
twin safety along side of John McColl. It was a great
experience to watch the interactions of John and Fuzz as we
practiced and in the heat of battle. I cannot conjure up a
tale of this interesting pair and John is no longer alive to
do so but I hope someone can do so.
Another side of my interactions with Fuzz is that I had a
job as the physical education Record Keeper during my final
undergraduate years which involved lots of time
participating as an assistant in the business of the
department. Later I returned to Pomona for two years
(1957-59) as a physical education faculty member (coaching
basketball, etc.). Thus, I had a variety of involvements
with Fuzz, yet I never knew him, as I think was true with
many people. He clearly knew what he was doing, was a superb
and a very versatile athlete and was positive and helpful to
all concerned but somehow seemed unknowable in the best
possible way.
With this as the context in which I “knew” Fuzz, I very much
prize two Fuzz tales. The first occurred during a meeting of
the student-faculty court which dealt with problems of
student behavior. This was a new concept for Pomona to have
students, such as me, participate in these deliberations,
rather than have a dean or similar “officer” of the college
deal with such problems. Needless to say, students were not
sure how we should behave as members of the committee,
except to be very serious. An early case before the
committee was a report of several incidents in which couples
were using the Quad for romantic behavior. Needless to say
committee members offered serious analysis and comments. At
some point, a faculty member suggested that we could plant
cactus on the Quad. Fuzz then said, with the soft voice and
a twinkle I saw many times, that it would be more economical
to turn the sprinklers on at random times—end of discussion
and a relaxation among student committee members.
My second Fuzz tale comes from my certain knowledge that
Fuzz was a great athlete but I had never seen him perform
any of the many things he could do. Upon my return to Pomona
as a faculty member, I saw several students trying to use a
cesta to catch and throw a ball against the west wall of
Clark Hall. I joined the group with all of us being hopeless
at using this wicker extension of our arm to catch and throw
in this sophisticated version of handball. Fuzz came along
and watched our sorry efforts. He asked if he might try and
proceeded to throw and catch with great purpose, to one side
then the other hand low, with easy and confident strokes,
while we all stood as silent witnesses to an amazing
performance. He took off the cesta, thanked us, and walked
away.
__________
Milton Schroth ’55
Football Captain, 1953
I wish that I could help in providing specific stories about
Fuzz and am slightly embarrassed that I cannot, even though
he coached me for four years. However, I do remember him
well, his optimism, cheerfulness, conscientiousness, and the
care that he showed all of us. He was truly a remarkable
man. I still can picture him on the sidelines.
During games saying funny little ditties and doing
everything that he could to bolster our spirit. I even
recall amusing exchanges on the ski slopes. He was fun but
stern during practices, and we enjoyed all of it. With
respect to fun, I do recall one incident when I intercepted
a pass while on defense during practice and took off
running. Here he was jumping up and down saying something
like, “whoop de do, go, go, go.” Heck, it was just practice,
but he made it fun. Those kinds of things made you feel
good. I also recall some funny stories how he outfoxed rival
teams by going to their games and spotting weaknesses that
later led to their downfall, but the exact details elude me.
The problem is that I cannot, 50 years later, accurately
remember the details of specific stories even though those
playing years were one of the most important highlights of
my life. More important in summary, I remember well his
unforgettable overall persona, because he was truly a
remarkable, memorable, great man that had a highly
significant impact on the lives of many.
__________
Bruce Prestwich ’55
Football Captain, 1954
The passing of the years has not dimmed my memory of your
incredible mother and dad. They were colorful, warm, and
caring “second parents” who set examples for us to follow
all our lives. I played for Fuzz in 1951 thru 1955. I loved
the single wing because there was so much a lineman could do
beyond just blocking straight ahead. Pulling and leading the
blocking thru a hole or trapping an unsuspecting aggressive
defensive end gave me joy beyond words.
During a game my adrenaline was pretty active, and I would
end up with severe headaches. Dot often took me into Fuzz’s
office and administered soothing neck rubs that eliminated
my pain. She never seemed to miss a game and was always
there to cheer us on… even when we played LaVerne. (Insert
JM: Dot taught at LaVerne for many years.)
Fuzz was such a positive influence on all who played for
him. When we lost to San Diego Marines (Miller Lee returned
a kick-off for a TD), Fuzz gathered the team together and
showed us the film of the Pomona/Loyola game where Pomona
narrowly won in 1949. He made us believe that we could win
too… and we did, for the next three years.
Fuzz’s patented expression, “Keep your dobber up,” is burned
into my memory. It was a rallying call when you were about
to drop from stutter drills and wind sprints. Fuzz’s
positive, upbeat demeanor was a quality I have tried to
emulate all my life. Good sportsmanship was Fuzz’s middle
name and though he played to win, he was a gentleman at all
times.
Fuzz made me feel that I was important to the team. I
believe he conveyed that to every player he coached.
__________
Steve Pauley, M.D. ’62
Football Captain, 1961
I never played under Fuzz, but as a freshman we scrimmaged
the varsity and Fuzz was up in the light tower looking down.
He seemed to like being up there a lot and his voice was a
real boomer.
He never got the players’ names quite right, and he yelled
something at me like “Holly, get lower and block somebody.”
So from then on I was “Ol Holly.” Ned DeWitt became
“McKnight.” He never corrected these names. In his mind, he
had his own name for you. It worked.
We did run Fuzz’s single wing as freshmen. I loved that
offense since I was a pulling tackle on the strong side and
could basically annihilate a defensive player on almost
every running play.
I also have great memories of him teaching us skiing on
straw behind the football field. There was a sloping bank
that Fuzz put straw on and we could practice kick turns,
snowplows, herring bone climb-ups, and the basics of how to
look good standing tall in the lift line. That was very
important to Fuzz. We had a lot of laughs and learned how to
keep our balance practicing the basics.
When we did go to Baldy for the real thing, Fuzz was a
handsome figure on his black Head skis with the white dot on
the tips. He was a graceful skier, and boy did he look good
standing in line.
I’ve kept that in my head over the years - skis together and
stand tall. Standing tall with dignity may be the best thing
he taught me.
“Ol Holly”
__________
Henry Grandin ’48
Fuzz coached me in track in 1945, but also on the ski team
in 1947-48. The only thing I can recall that was of interest
is his telling that if we were not falling, we were not
learning… I have always remembered that advice… and I fell a
lot all my life and I did very well because of always
pushing hard in ocean sailboat races and in investing
mostly.
__________
Al Hastings ’47
I wish I could give you a special story about Fuzz. All I
can say is that he represented all that is good about life
and living. As I reflect on my Pomona days, Fuzz always
comes to mind. He always was so friendly to me—during and
after college. I respected the man and wish that there could
be more like him.
Oh, there is one small very personal story. I was discharged
from the Army soon after going in with all other Pomona
reservists. I had a suspicious scar on my lung. A short time
later, after returning to Pomona, I was sent home for a
number of months of rest cure for TB. When I returned a year
later, I bumped into Fuzz, and he refused to feel sorry for
me. Instead, he remarked “that my basketball days may be
over but you can still have a happy life ahead of you, Al.”
He was so right. That was 60 years ago, and I am still here.
Fuzz’ positive thinking won out again.
__________
Hugh Martin ’57
Football Captain, 1956
I played during the fall seasons of ’53 through ’56 and
graduated in 1957. As you know, I was honored by being
inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame last November
(2006).
I have quite an accumulation of memories of Fuzz and those
four football seasons, but I don’t have any “juicy” stories.
Fuzz was quite a person (and personality) as well as an
innovator and talented coach. The combination of him and
Jesse Cone plus a dedicated and talented group of players
produced the highest level of “winning” success
Pomona-Claremont ever had.
I was particularly impressed by the innovations Fuzz brought
to our efforts. Defenses later adopted by the professional
football teams/coaches mixed with the “power house Single
Wing” formation was amazing and in many ways, way ahead of
it’s time.
Fuzz was also very insightful about individual players too.
On the one hand he had a great facility for encouraging
individual players in just the right way, which helped us
reach for more of our potential. But he could also apply a
“not so subtle jab” at just the right time, which shocked us
out of habits detrimental to our own play and contribution
to the team. An example of that was when the photographs of
the team were taken just before the actual fall ’55 season
games were to begin. I thought I was a sure thing for the
first team. Fuzz put me in the second string group. What a
shock. No more holding back or being lazy in the succeeding
practices.
I feel very fortunate to have had Fuzz as my coach.
__________
Jim Ach ’63
I started Pomona College in 1958, and Fuzz coached the
freshman team, his last coaching year. Back then the field
night lighting was pretty minimal. As we were approaching
the game against one of our tougher opponents, one of our
chalk talk sessions produced this uplifting comment: “When
the other team comes onto the field and asks when the game
lights were going to be turned on, we’ll just tell them this
is as bright as it gets! That will discourage them.”
__________
Sam Neff ’57
I grew up in Claremont, mostly living by the church on West
Sixth Street. My afternoon home was alumni field, where I
watched practice, and even picked up some tips on high
jumping from Bob Strehle. Fuzz noticed me when I was pretty
little—perhaps I chased balls during practice, or something
like that. He started to call me “Neffy,” and he continued
to call me that right up to the last time I saw him when he
was about 85. Our interaction went beyond Claremont, when he
looked up our family in Christchurch, New Zealand, when he
and his wife were on a ski trip down under.
The first time I remember Fuzz, he was leading calisthenics
for a team of mostly WWII veterans, probably in 1946. (I was
about nine then.) They were all in a circle around him as
they went through jumping jacks, toe-touching, leg raises,
etc. Then he came to push-ups. He said “You only have to do
as many as I do,” and then he started counting. Around
twelve of the players started to groan, and most were at
least one push up behind. He kept on, pausing at the end of
each push up to call out the number, and to encourage them
in that projected tenor voice. By twenty he was two ahead of
everyone, and most linemen were lying on their stomachs. He
finished alone at twenty-nine. I remember looking at him and
looking at the players and wondering why they would let an
old man show them up that way.
(There is one story from this era which Fuzz often told. He
had a big lineman named Coulter, or something like that, who
once was called for offensive holding. When Coulter came off
the field he said he hadn’t held anyone; what he had done
after blocking an opponent was to lie down on top of him.
Fuzz told Coulter, “You have to let him get up, then knock
him down again.” The lineman gave Fuzz a puzzled look and
said, “That’s too inefficient.”)
I was lucky to play football at Pomona from 1953-1955; the
teams I played on (frosh and varsity) had a combined record
of 19 wins and 2 losses. My coaches were Ed Malan, Jesse
Cone, and Fuzz. Together they made a great combination. Fuzz
and Jesse were almost at opposite ends of the coaching
spectrum. Jesse had a powerful intellect and applied a
super-human attention to detail. One time we blocked a kick
by making use of the fact that the Occidental right guard
had a habit of looking to his right as he protected the
punter.
Fuzz, knew and understood football very well, but he was a
master at understanding the psychological state of both his
team and their opponents. He once told me that he really had
Chief Newman’s number (Newman coached Whittier for most of
Fuzz’s tenure at Pomona). Our 1955 team followed two
conference champions, but contained only a few lettermen
among many untested sophomores and juniors. Our fourth
opponent was Redlands, the pre-season favorite, at their
homecoming. We were severe underdogs.
It was a hot day, and as we left the locker room, Fuzz said
“Don’t run out there; just save your energy – you’ll need it
later.” He looked out and saw the Redlands team going
through lively and noisy warm-up exercises. Then he said,
“As you walk by them, look them over like this,” and he
demonstrated a sidelong glance, full of disdain.
We did as he said – when we got to our end of the field we
slowly stretched out, and then went through our pre-game
exercises in a business-like manner.
Despite losing our number-one tailback (and only backfield
letterman) on the first play of the game, we won the game 20
– 0. Redlands never even threatened.
After the game as I left the field I talked to Joe Houser.
We had played three years against each other in high school,
and he spent a short time with the L.A. Rams after
graduating from Redlands. First he said, “You guys are sure
underrated!” Then he said, “We didn’t expect much of a game
today, but when you walked out on the field, we didn’t know
what to expect.”
(During the first quarter of that game, I collided face to
face with a Redlands player, and his nose guard cleanly
broke one of my front teeth in half. The referee sent me to
the sidelines and Fuzz had a look at my mouth. He said
“Well, Neffy, that tooth would be hard to find over there,
and I don’t know what you would do with it if you found it.
So you might as well keep playing.” I think that was my only
60-minute game.)
I have two little snippets from my freshman year – I was
“Neffy,” even though he had not been my coach yet. I had
something of a head-cold one day, and used it as an excuse
to miss baseball practice. Instead, I was sitting in the
stands at Alumni Field watching a regional high-school track
meet. Fuzz walked by on the track and saw me in the stands.
I remember that he called out to me – “Neffy!” and pointed
at the baseball field. I was never safe.
Later he came by hitting practice to see how we were doing.
Apparently he was dissatisfied with the form of the current
hitter (Fitzgerald, our weak-hitting shortstop). He asked
for Fitzgerald’s bat and walked toward the plate.
“Don’t just swing at the ball, Massage it, like this.”
He stepped into the batter’s box, batting left-handed. I
assumed that this skinny sixty-three-year-old would be
pretty pathetic; and in fact his first swing only produced a
little dribbler to the pitcher. The second swing was a sharp
grounder to second. “Just massage it,” he said, hitting a
line-drive single to center and then another to right. His
final swing sent a clothes-liner over Bagley’s head at
second that didn’t stop rolling until it had passed the
University Women’s fireplace by the live oaks in right
center. “Just massage it,” he said, handing the bat back to
Fitzgerald.
My last memorable contact with Fuzz at Pomona came in the
spring of 1956, when he and Jesse were figuring out who
would be playing football the next year. I suffered two
fairly serious concussions during the ’55 season, one
leaving me unconscious for about fifteen minutes. My parents
(with help from my then girlfriend) had convinced me that it
would be dangerous to continue. Now I had to tell the
coaches.
I was afraid to face Jesse – he was at that moment my
baseball coach and we were not on great terms; furthermore I
was afraid that with his intensity he would convince me to
change my mind. So I told Fuzz. I worked out what I was
going to say carefully. I wasn’t sure that the injury idea
would fly – after all Jesse and Fuzz had sent me back in to
play for three quarters after the more serious concussion.
My first argument was that as a physics major I just didn’t
have time to play football and at the same time succeed
academically. He said “I understand exactly your dilemma. My
son was a physics major, and now is a physicist at the
Radiation Laboratory, University of California.”
“Did he drop football?”
“No, he was all-conference several years.”
“Oh.”
“But, Fuzz, the trouble is, I really don’t enjoy playing
football.”
“Well, Neffy, don’t look for enjoyment. It is always hard to
enjoy something - football, physics or anything else, if it
is difficult enough to do to be worth doing. Look for
satisfaction. That is what life is all about.”
I had no comeback. Finally he said, “Neffy, it’s up to you
to decide if football is right for you. Your decision is the
one that matters.”
Two years later I saw Fuzz at CMC, where he was overseeing
some PE classes after retiring from Pomona. He and his
partner were demolishing their opponents in doubles
volleyball; I remember one of them telling his partner with
exasperation – “Whatever you do, don’t hit it to coach!”
During a break Fuzz noticed me and came over and as usual
slapped me on the shoulder – “Hey, Neffy, what are you doing
to keep fit?”
“Folk dancing,” I said sheepishly.
He replied, “It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it is
strenuous,” and went back to the court.
__________
Skip Burke ’51
I came to Pomona College from Claremont High School in Feb.
1947. I had been a T-formation quarterback whose main skill
was to hand off the ball to one of two very quick backs or,
our all CIF fullback, George Colbath, who also came to
Pomona after one year in the service. This qualified me to
run the scout team and play a little at Pomona. Pomona and
CMC combined their athletic programs from 1947 to about 1958
when the conference asked the schools to run separate
programs as they had become too dominant in the league,
particularly 1954-58. During my four years on the football
team Fuzz never changed. He was direct, fair, and demanded
discipline from his players and for that, was respected. My
mental memory of Fuzz at practice if it was warm, shorts,
tee shirt, baseball hat and a whistle around his neck. If it
was cooler he might wear old football pants, no padding
except for the knees and a tee shirt. He was always in
magnificent physical shape without an ounce of fat. At
practice he would often stand on the defensive side of the
ball with his whistle, running plays and if someone came at
him he could run as fast backwards as his players could
forward.
My last remembrance of Fuzz was maybe 30 years ago. I hadn’t
seen him for many years. He always called me “Burkey.” I was
walking on the campus and I hear this voice yelling “Burkey”
from a block away and along came Fuzz with his infectious
smile. My wife, Nancy (Pomona ’51) and I had a wonderful
visit with him. Fuzz knew his players. We were blessed as
were other schools at the time, to have the returning
veterans from WWII. Pomona had unbelievable players, most of
whom had played at major universities before they went into
the service. They had the GI Bill and their primary
motivation after the war, was to get a first class education
and that led them to Pomona College. We had two All-Army
lineman, a back from Annapolis, a player from Stanford, two
from UCLA, a guard who played for Otto Graham’s (a QB legend
in the 40s) service team, a couple of junior college
All-Stars, etc. We also had Bob Fortney who was center for
the USC Rose Bowl team on 1946. Unfortunately, at the time
Occidental had the same talent and beat us that year and
were invited to the Raisin Bowl in Fresno to play Colorado
A&M (now Colorado State). Oxy was a 4 touchdown underdog and
won in a high scoring game.
Fuzz was a believer in the single wing offense. UCLA and
Pomona were the only schools that stayed with that offense
long after the other schools went to a T formation or a
modification of it. Fuzz was blessed during this time to
have a prototype single wing quarterback, John McColl ’50.
For four years John was a “Little All American,” captain of
the football team, a fine passer, runner, and had size to
block as well as the up back in the single wing. He was a
wonderful athlete who also lettered in basketball and track.
John was a pre med student and was accepted to Stanford Med
School. He was a long time friend, godfather to our son and
was taken by cancer some ten years ago. Fuzz was John’s
mentor, coach, and close friend. When I would see John
during his life, Fuzz’s name always came up. Their
relationship was something very special.
A highlight game of the Fuzz era was in the fall of 1948. In
a game at Gilmore Field in Los Angeles that was locally
televised, Pomona upset the heavily favored Loyola
University (the Golden Boys) 34-32. Loyola had its finest
team in history made up of several players drafted by the
pros and were unbeaten until they ran into Pomona with John
McColl and George Colbath (All conference fullback and All
CIF from Claremont HS). It was one of Fuzz’s finest hours.
Fuzz was an inspiration to everyone who came in contact with
him.
__________
Bill Reeder ’43
Football Captain, 1942
Some of my fond memories of Fuzz go back to the late 1930s
and early 40s, and one of Fuzz’s other loves, skiing.
On school holiday periods, someone would contact a trapper
that wintered in the lodge on Twin Lakes. He would dig out
and open one or more cabins for our use.
A toboggan mounted rope tow, that I believe was jointly
owned by Fuzz and Dave McCoy, from Bishop, would be taken to
the north side of Mammoth Mountain, where it would only
reach several hundred feet up the slope.
To go higher, involved herring-boning up the slope, which it
seemed took a half day to the top. If you can believe it, we
would have the whole of Mammoth Mt. to ourselves. If my
memory serves me correctly, Fuzz and Dave McCoy would play
“tag” or “chicken” on the way down. They were both such
accomplished and beautiful skiers, it gave us beginners
something to strive for.
After a day of skiing, we cleared snow off of a portion of
the lake and we would go ice skating. We used clamp on
skates on our football shoes with the cleats removed. In my
case I believe the inside sole of the shoes acted as a
second blade, but with a large fire on the ice, it made for
a beautiful way to end the day.
__________
Donald Frisbee ’45
Dear Fuzz,
It was always Coach Merritt, but now, 65+ years later I feel
comfortable with Fuzz.
In your earthly days at Pomona we “kids” reacted to you in
many different ways. The common thread was respect.
My first encounter was the basis for that respect occurred
at Clark Hall about the time freshman classes got underway
in 1941. This particular evening someone had a movie
projector focused on the south wall of Clark Hall. My room
mate and I were on the second floor, one unit down from
where the projector was focused. As the “girlie” show got
underway, you were suddenly there right under the overpass
to Bruce’s and my room. Now, it wouldn’t be fair to identify
who filled the waste basket with water or who carried the
waste basket out to the over pass, or who emptied the basket
on you. On the other hand you appeared to be completely
unperturbed as you said, “That’s all for tonight.” And then
escorted the projector and its contents to your and Mrs.
Merritt’s quarters.
The very first day of freshman football practice, Coach
Potter (spelling?) asked you to say a few words to us. You
got right to the point. You acknowledged that some of us had
afternoon lab courses that interfered with football
practice. You said emphatically, “Go to your lab class!”
More than any other way, that set the tone and answered the
question of why were at Pomona College.
It was generally understood that the football plays and
their identifying number hadn’t changed during Fuzz’s
coaching years. I believe we played long-time rival in my
first varsity game. We huddled after returning the kick off;
Hap Cowger called “46 right.” I lined up against the
Redlands left tackle who had at least 30 pounds on me. My
assignment was to move him back and to my left. Just before
the ball was snapped he shouted out to his teammates “It’s
46 to their right.” I still feel the cleats of his shoes
stepping on my back.
Fuzz you were a great example. You made a difference to a
great many young people, and older ones too.
__________
Jim Steere ’49
Hal Witherbee and I, life long friends, enrolled at Pomona
in the fall of 1942. We were room mates in Clark Hall. Our
suite mates were my cousin Reeve Darling and an English boy,
Robert Young, sent here to escape the London Blitz. Fuzz and
Dot Merritt, who were Frosh “chaperones,” had apartment
rooms not far from ours. Hal was the freshman football
quarterback and I, his running guard and chief pass blocker.
On opening day of football practice Fuzz said anyone on the
team caught smoking would be immediately sacked. As new
smokers and about to go into the service to save our
country, Hal and I thought Fuzz’ sanction on smoking was
“unpatriotic.”
One dark night not long after, a number of the freshman
football team joined us and, with brick and mortar, we
bricked the entryway in front of Fuzz and Dot’s door. In the
morning, when they opened the door to greet the day they
found themselves looking at a brand new red brick wall. Fuzz
thought our prank well done and if we could play football as
well as we laid bricks we’d have a winning team—our only win
was Cal Tech: Oxy killed us. (Actually Fuzz was not the
freshman coach, but his influence permeated all).
Fuzz raised thoroughbred horses on his ranch in the hills
above Glendora. He found out I was a horseman and asked if I
would like to start some colts for him. Since I was failing
most of my academic courses, I thought it would be a relief
to do something I was good at.
Another freshman horse guy wanted to ride too.
Fuzz offered to give us a couple of colts to start if we
would build a corral and would take complete care of the
horses. He gave us a bunch of railroad ties and a place to
build a corral on campus. Robert and I spent a hot October
Sunday grubbing brush on the site of our future project.
Fuzz showed up just as we lit a fire to burn the brush we
had stacked. Fuzz took one look at our burning pile: “Get
out of here. You guys are burning a lot of poison oak. If
you get the smoke in your lungs it could kill you.” Our
project was slowed down while we recuperated from hellish
cases of poison oak, but fortunately Fuzz arrived just in
time to keep us from breathing the fumes. We did finish the
corrals; Fuzz trailered over two colts, and, in spite of
some nasty bruises from numerous falls, we were able to
gentle the two horses and teach them to rein well, weaving
in and around the citrus trees in the nearby groves.
I returned to Pomona after the war, and played football with
Fuzz as coach. I played running guard and line backer, and
did well when playing 60 minutes where I could get my
adrenalin up and keep it there with constant play, but Fuzz
went to the two platoon system when I was a senior. I found
it very difficult to go in on defense only and keep my
adrenalin working. Also we were suffering some years of low
scoring for us and high scoring for our opponents so it was
tiring.
We did have one great season—we beat Occidental. Much of
Fuzz’s philosophy of playing hard, and with honor, has stuck
with me for my lifetime.
So, you see how Fuzz affected my world view for the rest of
my life.
__________
Allen Tinkley, CMC ’54
The main thing I remember about Fuzz is that he said to
always stretch in the morning and the muscles will stay
stretched all day. That was in 1949 when I entered CMC. Now
almost sixty years later, I still stretch every day in the
morning. I think this has contributed to my fairly good
health.
Next year I will turn eighty.
__________
John Devereux, CMC ’57
Thanks for giving me an opportunity to join you and the many
others in remembering what Fuzz meant to me. Being from
Hawaii, and during my first time to the “America” mainland,
where I initially became very homesick, I sure didn’t know
what to expect. But I knew I would be playing football! I
had great Punahou School coaching, including John Godfrey,
who later became Whittier’s coach, and ”Air” Don Coryell,
who became San Diego Charger’s coach. Fundamentals were
their strong suits, which really helped me at
Pomona-Claremont. However, it was Fuzz and his assistant
coach Jesse Cone who inspired me to play to the top!
Then came Fuzz… the “Single Wing Guru”, who had played and
excelled in the single wing offense and who had coached it
for so many years. It was a football formation that Fuzz
loved and promoted while improving it during his long and
meaningful coaching career at Pomona.... and, thankfully
many of us from Claremont Men’s College, who played during
the Pomona-Claremont years of 1947-1958 (Fuzz left in 1956),
benefited from this football style. Fortunately, Jesse Cone,
a lineman of Stanford football fame and an ex-army
paratrooper during World War II, was his defensive coach
from 1953-1956. What an incredible combination, as during
those memorable years new all-time Pomona football records
were set: 21-2-1 from 1953-1955. I thank Fuzz and Jesse for
turning me into a single wing center and a line backer,
instead of an end… best thing that ever happened to me!
Needless to say, conditioning and fundamentals were top
priorities. NO ONE, that’s right NO ONE WAS GOING TO BEAT
US! Winning the coin toss was a routine, as we always
elected to kick off, knowing we would cause a fumble, which
we often did, thus taking control of the game. Fuzz was a
winner on and off the field and helped us continue to always
“get up again” and know that we could continue to succeed,
thus carrying us on to the challenges of our later lives… he
was a player’s coach, one who had been there and done that…
a man of his time who I will always remember for helping me
reach and maybe even exceed my potential! = Great successes!
Thanks Fuzz, and God Bless you for being the person and
coach you were!!! Aloha for now, “your” Devie!
__________
Juan Matute ’63
Fuzz was our freshmen coach in 1959. Not sure if the single
wing formation was something he created, or if Red Sanders
at UCLA made it famous.
In any event, CMC was our big game for the following week,
after our game with Azusa Pacific. CMC had a bye and their
team and coaches all came to Alumni Field to check us out in
preparation for their game with us the following week.
Fuzz, true to form, confused CMC. He cleared the bench and
put all of us 2nd and 3rd stringers in for pretty much the
whole game against Azusa Pacific. We ran the T-Formation all
four periods. CMC got nothing from their observations. The
mighty single wing with 1st string Sagehens clipped the
Staggs the following game.
I also came away learning that the quick-kick on third down
and yards to go is one great defensive play and wonder why
it is not used more often in any level of football these
days.
__________
Bill Barrington, CMC ’54
We all remember Fuzz as being the most composed and even
tempered individual. He always had control of his emotions,
and he never lost his temper. That is 99.9% of the time.
There was one occasion, in the early part of 1953, when
Pomona-Claremont was playing Redlands. It was towards the
end of the season, and Pomona-Claremont was undefeated up to
this game, and Redlands had 6 to 1 record up to this game.
It was the last quarter, we were ahead, and as I recall the
score was close, like 14 to 10 in favor of Pomona-Claremont.
Redlands had the ball, and they were moving the ball down
the field. Redlands worked the ball down to Pomona’s 25-yard
line with only a few minutes left. Redlands threw a pass,
which was deflected by Defensive Back Ralph Pursche. Ralph
fell to the ground, but before the ball hit the ground,
Ralph caught the ball flat on his back for what everybody
would call an interception. Not the referee, he ruled the
pass an incompletion.
Before the ball was taken from Ralph Pursche hands, Fuzz
Merritt was on the playing field arguing vigorously that the
play was a legal interception. Fuzz didn’t give up, he was
in the Referee’s face, and he kept arguing with the referee
who made the call. When the referee started to reach for his
flag, Fuzz finally backed away and returned to our sideline.
Unfortunately, Redlands went on to score a touchdown and won
the game. Since Redlands had an equal record to our 7 wins &
1 loss, we shared the SCIAC Conference Title.
Following the game I never ever heard Fuzz complain about
the officiating or the referee.
Later, we learned we were declared the SCIAC League
Champions. There was a league rule that if there was a tie
for the Title, the winner would be determined by the teams’
record against the Conference third place team. In this
case, we beat Occidental, who was third, and Redlands lost
to Occidental.
______________________________
|
SKIING
by Jack Merritt ’39
 Fuzz
loved to ski. He built the first rope tow at movie slope,
Mount Baldy. He and Alf Engen, U.S.A. ski jumping champion,
gave ski jumping exhibitions on straw at the Los Angeles
County Fair. They would sail through the air about 100 feet.
In the beginning, Fuzz made his own wooden skis in the
college carpentry shop.
In 1937-38 all the skiers in southern California were
acquainted with each other. There were only 50 or so. There
were no lifts in the Baldy area. You parked at the falls,
shouldered your skis, and hiked to the top of Mount Baldy, a
3500 ft. climb. On a typical spring Sunday, you would find a
group of 10-20 skiers all having their lunch together on the
top of Baldy. You had to be off the mountain before the big
bowl went into shadow and quickly turned to ice.
One of the more exciting descents was to come down through
the pinnacles.
No one ever skied where the lifts were installed after World
War II. It was dull compared to the top of Baldy.
Fuzz got to know Emile Allais in an unusual way. Fuzz was
skiing at Squaw Valley where Allais was coaching the U.S.A.
Olympic team. It was at lunch time when an obviously wealthy
American approached Allais and asked for ski lessons at any
price Allais wanted. Allais brushed him aside. Shortly there
after Fuzz introduced himself as the Pomona College ski
coach and asked for some help on coaching skiing. Allais
told Fuzz to spend the entire next day side slipping, which
Fuzz did, much to Allais’ surprise. But Allais stuck to his
word and gave Fuzz a private lesson. Allais thought that
skiing should be fun so he would interrupt the serious
training of his Olympic protégés and take them on a wild
chase down the mountain side. He invited Fuzz to be part of
the wild chase and this was the beginning of their
friendship.
When Fuzz turned 60 he learned to ski jump. (note from
Claremont Courier dated 12 October 1991: “If there wasn’t a
ski jump in heaven before Fuzz entered the pearly gates,
there is surely one now. I can see Fuzz giving ski jumping
lessons to the angels.”)
Fuzz won the Mount Baldy downhill race in 1939.
______________________________
|
BIOGRAPHY
Fuzz was born in Duluth, Minnesota in 1896. His father, John
Merritt, was night foreman on the ore docks. These were hard
times. The family moved frequently in search of work. At the
age of 14, Fuzz was working beside his father in a lead
silver mine near Milford, Utah. The family moved on to
Southern California where Fuzz met and married his high
school sweetheart, Dorothy Titus. (Some said that her white
Hungarian pony caught his eye.)
In 1917, he graduated from Citrus Union High School, where
he was an outstanding athlete. In track, he would frequently
make more points thank the entire other team!
After working for five years, he enrolled in Pomona College
in 1922. His only child, Jack, was born in 1918. Fuzz won
varsity letters three years in a row—in football,
basketball, and track. Upon graduation in 1925, having
completed
the four-year course in three years, Fuzz joined the
coaching staff at Pomona. He retired in 1961. The football
field at Pomona College is named in his honor.
During World War II, he spent eighteen months in India as a
recreation director for the American Red Cross.
He also earned an M.A. degree in physical education at the
Claremont Graduate School.
After stepping down as head coach in 1959, he coached
freshman football. Upon retiring from Pomona, he coached at
CMC, followed by a stint at the Webb School, assisting coach
Les Perry. His final position was at Foothill Country Day
School in Claremont, where he volunteered with the upper
school athletic program.
Fuzz died in 1986 at the age of 90.
______________________________
|
MY MOTHER AND FATHER
by Jack Merritt ’39
Football Captain, 1938
One day Dot arrived at Alumni Field to see a football game.
She suddenly realized that she had left her season pass at
home. She walked down to the baseball field and was sneaking
up the steep road leading to the football field. She was
accosted by a guard. At that point she out sprinted the
guard across the football field and disappeared into the
stands with the spectators cheering her on. I tell you… it’s
a hard thing to catch a Merritt on a football field.
 Dot
was an excellent skier and on her eightieth birthday she
played a game of tennis doubles.
We were a closely knit family. Dot was 18 and Fuzz 21 when I
was born. They were like a big sister and big brother. We
backpacked together, camped together, skied together,
traveled together. We were all good athletes. We got along
well together.
I had parents who set an example of how to live. Fuzz and
Dot were married 63 years. They set an example of marital
fidelity. The longer I live the more respect I have for
them. Fuzz could do anything better than I could. At 30 I
could not keep up with him on skis. When I got to be 50, I
was too old to keep up with him. Fortunately for me, I
inherited some of his athletic genes. He also set me an
example of sportsmanship. To mangle a quote from Vince
Lombardi: for Fuzz, winning was not everything, nor was it
the only thing. Fuzz’s sportsmanship is well described in
some of the Fuzz stories.
I don’t know how or where mother and dad got their code of
ethics but they were of the highest. They were both members
of the Church of the Brethren in La Verne. Service was an
important part of their lives. Dad never pushed me into
football. It came naturally. When I was five I complained
that he never taught me how to throw a football with either
hand! He taught me to stay physically fit and enjoy many
physical activities.
I was very lucky to have Dot and Fuzz as parents.
__________
Dr. Herb Hogan
Administrator, La Verne College
(Note by JM: The following is heavily condensed. It was a
memorial for Dorothy Merritt who taught at La Verne College,
renamed University of La Verne, for 39 years.)
Dorothy Merritt personified health and physical fitness.
One, of course, cannot think of Dorothy without being
reminded of her keen intellect and the catholicity of her
interests…
Whether in the classroom, on the tennis courts, on the ski
slopes, or in social situations, Dorothy displayed a number
of outstanding qualities of which I will mention only three.
One was her enthusiasm, her joy of living… She had a vigor,
a buoyancy and optimism that was highly contagious. Another
quality was commitment… She was completely committed to
intellectual integrity and to the highest moral and
spiritual values, and she personified those values in her
own life. A third quality was love… One could not be around
Dorothy and her husband, Fuzz, without recognizing the
special love they had for each other. Dorothy loved the
university, and she loved this community and this church and
the people in them.
And we loved Dorothy, and still love her, for she lives on
in a very special way in each of us.
______________________________
|
FUZZ AND POMONA
[Note by JM: Fuzz was a good match for Pomona, which he
expressed so well in the following May 11, 1961 Student Life
article, “Fuzz ends 35 years of Devotion to Pomona College -
Good Luck Fuzz. We’ll Miss You,” by Dave Peters.]
In the fall of 1961, just as in many falls before, the
football teams at Pomona will report to school before the
rest of the students to begin practices for what we hope
will be a highly successful season. But unlike the last
twenty-six falls an outstanding figure will be absent, and
the familiar cry of “hubba-hubba” will not be heard. For at
the end of this school year all of us here at Pomona College
will be losing one of the most dedicated, outstandingly
colorful men that any school has ever known.
For the past thirty-five years Coach Earl J. “Fuzz” Merritt
has established himself as a cornerstone of our school. As a
student, Fuzz won varsity letters in football, basketball,
baseball, and track every year that he was in college, and
at the same time participated in school activities and
managed to graduate in three years. After his unanimous
choice as All-Conference quarterback, Fuzz was offered a
contract to play professional football. (Insert JM: At the
magnificent salary of $125 per game.) In 1925 he became a
member of the Pomona College physical education department.
Since then Coach Merritt has coached frosh and varsity
football, basketball, and baseball and taught P.E. classes
in many sports.
But this is only a small part of the story of “Fuzz”
Merritt. Realizing this, but finding it hard to express, we
asked Coach just what his feelings were about retiring.
First of all in regards to the many rewards of his job, Fuzz
told us, “The satisfaction of working at Pomona is that you
are working with students where you can see the fruits of
your efforts, plus the great satisfaction of hearing of them
in later years.” Speaking of the spirit at Pomona he said,
“The good will and confidence that the student body places
in you has always given me tremendous satisfaction, and my
relationship through the years with Pomona College students,
alumni, and administration has been the best possible kind
of ‘support.’”
“I am retiring from Pomona College with the warmest of
feelings and deep appreciation for the privilege of serving
in the capacity that I have been able to serve. But
athletics is not the only part of Pomona College that has
been a privilege to be interested in, for my life with the
men in the dormitory was an interesting one and for me it
has been most worthwhile.
And in conclusion Fuzz helped to own up our feelings as well
as his when he said “I could start all over again and there
is no experience that I do not think would be worthwhile in
doing again.”
“Fuzz,” we sincerely wish that this were possible, for each
one of us is highly grateful to you for your numerous
contributions to athletics at Pomona, but much more than
this, we will always be indebted to you for the lasting
example you have poured forth to each and every one of us.
______________________________
|
IN MEMORIAM
~ Earl J. Merritt ’25, 1896-1986
By Ed Malan ’48, Football Captain, 1947
Published in Pomona Today, Fall 1986, p. 42
Being coached by and coaching with Fuzz Merritt were similar
experiences, for Fuzz gave equally in both situations.
Although he taught the skills, techniques, rules, and
strategies of particular sports, we also learned from him
that physical education and sports are a way of life, not an
avocation, that they take great commitment because “man is
innately lazy,” that they are exciting and challenging, and
that they are meant to be fun.
So, in football he let his quarterback call the plays; he
encouraged suggestions from his players; and he insisted
that everyone play offense and defense so the whole game
would be experienced. He used the single wing formation, not
because he didn’t know the “T” formation, but because he
believed it was more interesting, was harder to defend,
reduced the size advantage most opponents had by
incorporating angle and double-team blocking, and required
greater intelligence—an advantage his students possessed in
abundance.
He also created an offensive system that allowed players to
run completely new plays just by calling a set of numbers.
When I was a naive, eager freshman, I was introduced to the
excitement of college football a few weeks before classes
began. After the first practice, I prepared to drive home,
some 15 miles from Claremont, when Fuzz asked, “Eddie, why
don’t you stay in the dorms with us until school starts?” I
said I couldn’t afford it, but he assured me “It won’t cost
anything.” Later, I found out it did cost something, but
Fuzz took care of it and gave me the experience of working
and living with the whole team. As others have learned, my
example of Fuzz’s generosity and caring was typical of him.
As a coach, Fuzz taught that there was only one way to play
a game: all out, so spectators never knew if you were “fifty
points ahead or fifty points behind!” He believed games were
won by conditioning and intelligence.
As a teacher, Fuzz was creative and inventive, constantly
finding ways for students to learn more easily and safely.
He invented a backfield blocking dummy (a semi-inflated tube
inside a canvas bag) that reduced the risk of injury to the
holder. (He gave the idea away so others might benefit from
his invention.) He developed skiing on grass and straw so
students could learn year-round. He installed an early
rope-tow in the area so students could spend more time
skiing than climbing back up.
As a colleague, Fuzz was helpful and interested, sharing and
giving, fun and a great morale booster. Some of that
learning, selected at random, includes: You can learn from
anyone. Fuzz rarely missed a physical education workshop at
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, even though he had taught longer
than the instructors. He used to say, “If I can pick up one
idea, the session will be worthwhile!”
Know your players and students as people first. Fuzz
undoubtedly knew—and remembered—more alumni than anyone at
Pomona… and not just his students, but their girlfriends,
parents, children, and grand children—right up to his last
Alumni Day.
Give credit where credit is due. Fuzz didn’t say this—he
just did it. He was unassuming and modest, gave most of the
credit to others, and praised them and let others hear that
praise. If it were not his assistants, Jesse Cone and Chuck
Mills, who made his teams good, it was the players
themselves, but never the head coach.
In any argument with a sports writer, you can
only lose, because he always has the last word. That single
piece of advice has helped keep me relaxed—ignorant,
perhaps, but relaxed.
And finally, practice what you preach. Fuzz was the greatest
practitioner. He lived and loved activity and sport,
thoroughly enjoyed the discipline and training, and
exhibited his boundless joy for all to see and copy. He
could not retire when he was sixty-five but continued to
teach and exult in activity for twenty years, still skiing
with the best, still exciting all whom he touched.
One of my many favorite memories of Fuzz—and I knew him for
forty-five years—is of his running wind sprints on Alumni
Field, not long ago, driving himself to get back into
condition after a broken hip. The memory is special because
Fuzz broke his hip when he fell out of a tree while
installing a swing for his grandson, Marc.
Fuzz had more friends than anyone I ever knew. He was liked
and respected by fellow faculty members, grounds crew, and
dormitory maids. Wherever he went in the world, he usually
found someone he knew.
I respect him greatly for the life he led and his
contributions to Pomona College.
______________________________
|
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book would not have been possible without many
contributions. The aid of the Pomona Alumni Office has been
essential. Ed Malan was most helpful; he was my backup.
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