Harding Hall of Fame: Scott McCrery gives self to athletic programs
MARION — Maybe Scott McCrery didn't have the hall of fame talent of teammates and peers Dave Merchant and Harry Fry, but his love and devotion to the Marion City Schools and the Marion Harding athletic department are certainly hall of fame worthy.
McCrery will earn special recognition as part of the 30th class induction ceremony for the Marion Harding High School Athletic Hall of Fame set for Friday, April 14.
"Shocked. It’s amazing because I don’t feel that I deserve it. All I do is help out where they need me," McCrery said of his reaction to his honor.
But that's exactly why he's part of the banquet. The 1969 grad has unselfishly given of his time and talent for nearly 40 years.
"I’ve been involved in something at Marion Harding since 1985, whether it was football, basketball, softball. I did some Marion Night Relays, and I loved every minute of it," he said.
McCrery grew up in Marion and was a member of the great Harding baseball teams in the late 1960s that were coached by the late Greg Swepston. Merchant and Fry, both Harding Hall of Famers, were teammates.
"I didn’t play very much, but those guys treated me just like they did Harry Fry or Dave Merchant and the guys who played," he said. "We had some good teams, just some unfortunate breaks kept us from doing better than what we did. We had some baseball players."
After graduation, McCrery went to college for a couple of years before working at Whirlpool, getting married and starting a family. In the 1970s and early 80s, his outlets were playing fastpitch softball and bowling. Then in the mid-1980s, his former coach who had become the athletic director needed someone to take over the public address announcements at basketball games. McCrery couldn't say no to Swepston or anyone else thereafter.
"He got me involved there. He said he needed somebody on the chain gang and so Jesse (Hines) and I started doing that. I loved every minute of that," McCrery said.
He served as the PA announcer for basketball from 1985 to 2003. He was part of the chain crew for home football games from 1987 to 2009. From 2010 to 2015, he did football stats at games, and since 2016, he's worked as a press box spotter for football.
From 1983 to 2021, he only missed three Harding football games — home or away.
"I knew I was helping them out. That’s why you do it. And it gets you a free ticket into the football games," he said with a laugh.
But that's only part of what McCrery has given to the school. He's helped the softball program as an assistant coach since 2001 and as an assistant bowling coach since 2015, witnessing five straight state tournament appearances on the lanes with a third place and runner-up trophy finish among them.
"Since I graduated, I think I love the school more than I did then. It’s been a part of my life since about 1985. I loved it," he said.
When his son Brett, a longtime teacher and coach at Harding, called him with the news that he was getting the special recognition honor for the hall of fame, it was emotional for McCrery.
"I bawled," he admitted. "I get choked up now even thinking about it. How can I get something like that for something that I loved doing? How? I wasn’t a great athlete, but I loved doing what I was doing. To get this honor, it’s unreal."
That's why he's hall of fame worthy.
"I just enjoy high school sports, always have," he added.
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Marion Harding Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet
The Marion Harding High School Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet where the latest class gets indicted will be Friday, April 14 at 6 p.m. in the high school cafetorium. It is open to the public. Tickets, which include a catered dinner, are $30 apiece. Please call the Marion Harding Athletic Department at 740-223-4634 to reserve spots or for more information.
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Harding Hall of Fame: Scott McCrery gives self to athletic programs
