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Merlin Nice Obituary, Fort Wayne, Former Wabash College Basketball Player

Merlin W. Nice, a Southwood High School football and basketball player, and a Wabash College basketball player, died.

Merlin arrived from his homeland of Wabash, Indiana, during THE GOLDEN AGE OF WABASH COLLEGE BASKETBALL.

Coach Mac Petty recruited him as a multi-talented football, basketball, and baseball player from Southwood High School.

During the great seasons of the early 1980s, Merlin demonstrated to the nation just how excellent he was when paired with fellow Hall of Famers Pete Metzelaars, Kerry Seward, and Mike Holcomb.

On the court, Merlin was a four-year letterwinner for Wabash, a two-time Most Valuable Player, a Co-Captain, and a Pete Vaughan Award winner. In 1983 and 1984, he led the team in scoring, averaging 18.4 and 17.1 points per game, respectively. In 1984, Merlin was also the team’s rebounding leader. Despite this, Merlin will be remembered as an unstoppable force, a sharpshooting powerhouse during the 1982 National Championship season, when Wabash went 24-4 and became the darling of ESPN’s new network.

The Fifth Wonder Five were so good that each of the starters earned a single moniker in Wabash College athletics history: Pete, Merlin, Kerry, Mike, and Teddy. Perhaps no better balanced, more complimentary team has ever been assembled; selflessness and teamwork were watchwords during the championship run. Merlin went busy and worked hard while Pete was making headlines. He even made all 24 free throw attempts during the tournament, earning you a berth on the All-Tournament Team.

Merlin is now a high school and college official, occasionally seen on Chadwick Court dressed in black and white stripes. Merlin W. Nice has been inducted into the Wabash College Athletic Hall of Fame by the National Association of Wabash Men for his various exploits as a role player and go-to man on the basketball court. Merlin had a great attitude and was one of the most genuine people I’d ever met! He’ll be sorely missed.

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Lorie Orum

Update: 2024-05-20