Stan Mertzman was an outstanding defensive tackle on an unusually weak Stivers football team. He was a starter on both offense and defense for two years. During his Junior season, Stan was a starter at defensive left end but was moved to the tackle position by coach Horace English to sure up the middle of the line, which he did with acclaim.
Stan was a near unanimous pick for 1st Team All-City and finished 3rd in the vote for the city league Most Valuable Player award. Had the team been better than it’s 1-6-1 record and competing for the city championship, he would likely have been named the city MVP.
Stan was handsome, very popular, and voted Prom King his Senior year. After high school, Stan enlisted in the U. S. Army and served in combat during WW11. He was promoted to the rank of S/ Sargent and earned a Bronze Star in the European theater.
After completion of his enlistment, Stan came back to Dayton and worked for local dealerships selling cars and trucks. He worked for White Allen Chevrolet for 35 years as a salesman and truck manager. He also wrote a weekly sports themed article / ad for White Allen in the Dayton Daily News. It was called “ I Bet You Didn’t Know”.
Stan was born Feb. 5 1924 to Rose and Norbert Mertzman. He had a brother, Paul, and a sister Ruth. He and his wife Sarah had 3 sons and a daughter. Mertzman and his wife retired to Tarpon Springs, Florida, where he passed on Feb. 15, 2006, at the age of 83. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Dayton.
