Congers High School Class of 1952

Ron Morgan’s athletic career spanned more than 50 years in Rockland County, first at Congers High School, then on the semipro baseball fields in the county, and finishing up on the recreational bowling lanes and golf links. He was a truly active and involved athlete in all aspects of his life.

Ron started out as a multi-sport athlete at Congers High School. During his time at Congers High, 1949-1952, he earned an amazing 15 varsity letters. In the fall he won four varsity letters on the soccer team. In 1949, his freshman year, he was selected honorable mention All-Rockland County and the next three years was voted to the first-team All-Rockland County squad.

During the winter Ron played basketball, earning three varsity letters, and was elected the team captain. Springtime was very busy for this Congers Lakesiders standout. At the time you were allowed to participate in two sports at the same time and Ron took advantage of that rule. He competed on both the baseball and track teams, earning three varsity letters in each sport. On the baseball diamond he pitched and played short- stop and had a career batting average well above .300. He was elected the team captain in 1951. In track Ron competed in the 100-yard dash, shot put, discus and long jump, usually placing in most of those events at the track meets. In 1951 Ron won the bronze medal in the shot put in the Rockland County championship meet. He also found time to compete on Congers High School’s bowling team in 1949 and 1950, and in 1949 won the Section 9 championship shield. Because of his athletic accomplishments at Congers High, Ron was inducted in 1996 into the Clarkstown North Sports Hall of Fame, which includes students who attended Congers, Clarkstown and Clarkstown North high schools.

After high school Ron joined the U.S. Air Force and played baseball for Pepperrell Air Force Base in Newfoundland, Canada. During that time he was selected the most valuable player as a pitcher for the combined Air Force/Navy All-Star team in a game against the St. John’s Capitals City team. Returning home after his tenure in the Air Force, Ron contin- ued to play baseball and manage in the New York/New Jersey Hudson Valley semipro league. He played and managed the County Welders to a championship in 1958, then went on to play and manage for the Haverstraw Lumbermen in the same league. Many Rockland County Hall of Famers, including such stars as Howie Pierson, Joe “Biscuit” Picarello, Joe D’Auria and John Mercurio, played with Ron on those teams. Eventually most baseball players find their way to the softball diamond and Ron was no exception. He played with Seidel’s softball team in both the county and Suffern night softball leagues, and on two occasions was selected to an All-Star team chosen to play against Eddie Feigner’s famed “King and His Court.”

While working for Lederle Laboratories, Ron bowled in the company’s three-man league in Montvale, NJ. His team won the championship in 1978 and 1979. In the American Bowling Congress-sanctioned competition, Ron bowled a high game of 289 and a 717 series. In 1978 he averaged 196 and in 1979 he averaged 195 in the league. Never one to concentrate on one sport, Ron also golfed, and while playing in the Orange & Rockland league at Blue Hill Golf Course, Ron and his partner, Roy Weyant won the league championship in 2004 and 2005. He also managed to be an active working member in the Rock- land County Umpires Association, serving with distinction from 1979 to 2000, and in the Valley Cottage Sportsman Club.

After serving in the Air Force from 1952-1956, Ron worked in sales for Orange and Rockland Utilities from 1956 to 1970. He then opened his own business, Orange and Rockland Appli- ance Sales, and went to work as a supervisor for Lederle Labs, retiring in 1994. Later on he became a consultant for Solgar Vitamin and Herb Company in Leonia, NJ, from 1999 to 2001.

Ron, who resided in Stony Point for many years, died in 2015 at age 81. He was married for more than 50 years to his wife, Mary, and had two children, Glen and Robin, and four grand- children.