Ron Marks biography interesting

It didn’t take author Bill Sawtelle long to reveal the origin behind the title of his newest sports biography: “The Albion Antelope: The Ron Marks Story.”

On page 10, the reader learns of Marks’ career as a baseball player at the University of Maine where the Albion native earned a spot on the baseball team as a backup infielder.

“That season Ron didn’t get to make many appearances at the plate,” Sawtelle wrote. “Yet he played in more than half the games, mostly as a pinch runner, stealing many bases without ever being thrown out and earning from his teammates, the nickname, ‘The Albion Antelope.'”

Oh, and the infielder Marks played behind? Ken Perrone, who went on to become a standout high school football coach.

That tidbit on Perrone and origin behind Marks’ nickname are just two samples of the strengths of Sawtelle’s book on one of Maine’s most successful high school coaches, who spent most of his career at Schenck High School in East Millinocket. The book by the 56-year-old Brownville native caters to those who love Maine sports history, and gives the reader an interesting sports fact with every turn of the page.

As one who grew up admiring and respecting the exploits of Ron Marks, there was an expectation that the information in the book would be a mere retread of Marks’ past accomplishments. However, it’s evident Sawtelle put a lot of hard work into his book as he details Marks’ early years on the family farm in Albion, his years at Besse High School, then on to the University of Maine, followed by an extensive high school coaching and administrative career.

For this reader, the early years were especially interesting and provided an inside look of a young athlete in Maine during the 1940s and ’50s.

Some interesting gems:

. Marks’ high school team played at the Odd Fellows Hall, but had to change in the locker rooms at the high school and then run next door to the hall. Despite that, Marks said the hall was one of the better gyms in the area. “Almost all [the gyms] had regular stoves in the corner of the floor with players sometimes running into them,” Marks recalled in the book. “One gym was in a church with baskets off-center. One was an old movie theater with a balcony so players couldn’t shoot from the corners.”

. Marks’ first state title as a coach came in the 1966-67 season at Sherman High School where his team loved to play defense and went through the whole season without a player fouling out. The team beat Patten for the Eastern Maine Class S (now Class D) title. The next year, the schools consolidated to become Katahdin High.

. On May 1, 1970, Marks’ son Jeffrey was born. Marks, who was then the Schenck baseball coach, missed the delivery because his team was playing at Katahdin. The doctor had assured Marks that the baby would not come until after the game. “My wife still doesn’t let me live that one down!” Marks said in the book.

Besides the abundance of sports information, the book also reveals Marks’ personal side as his four children and his wife contributed detailed passages on a coach’s family life. The book also does not ignore controversy as it makes clear that Marks was a fiery, old-school coach.

Those who would like to get Sawtelle’s well-chronicled look at Marks can purchase the book at Borders in Bangor as well as several stores in Millinocket, East Millinocket and Sherman.

Sports editor Joe McLaughlin can be reached at 1-800-310-8600, 990-8229 or e-mail jmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net