Ashland County Sports Hall of Fame
Ashland County Sports
Hall of Fame
 
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Norman Fierbaugh Norman Fierbaugh
Norman “Norm” Fierbaugh was essentially a life-long resident of Ashland, Ohio. He was born September 22, 1927 to Faye and Emmett Fierbaugh. His love of sports began early in life as he was actively involved in all sports, but his two loves in sports were baseball and football.

Norm was a multiple sports varsity letterman at Ashland High School in football, basketball and baseball. After high school, he enrolled in Ashland College for a brief period before enlisting in the US Navy. After serving a two year stint with the Navy, he returned home to Ashland and married Victoria Ann Mehalick in 1951. Vickie and he had three children, a daughter Debbie, and sons Brian and Randy.

While living the majority of their lives in Ashland, the family lived briefly in Mansfield as well. It is there that Norm began employment with Mansfield Tire and Rubber, where he worked for over twenty plus years in various positions. At times, he would take on several part-time positions to help meet financial responsibilities at home, and declined several promotions within the company because they would create conflicts with raising his growing family and their involvement in sports as well. Norm was very active in the Ashland sports scene where you would find him on the softball field playing in various leagues throughout the spring and summer, and also on the basketball courts during the winter months, when time permitted.

When his children were of age to begin their sports involvement, Norm could be found most days on the baseball and softball fields in and around Ashland coaching Randy, Debbie and Brian, and their teammates. Beginning with the Sanitary Dairy Little League minor league team and the Faultless major league team, he spent countless hours teaching the game of baseball. Some of the many traits he passed on to the players he coached was his passion for the game of baseball, and teaching that hard work, dedication and sacrifice was the foundation to excel in life, not only in sports. Norm continued coaching his son Brian in Little League minors and majors, and his daughter Debbie in softball.

As Randy progressed from Ashland High School to Ashland College playing football and baseball, to playing professional baseball for seven years, Norm would attend every game possible.

Norm was invited to join the Ashland County Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors in the late 1980’s to assist in developing the organization’s efforts to recognize the top sports athletes and teams who called Ashland County their home. He took on many different responsibilities within the organization, but the position he enjoyed the most was heading up the fund raising activities. There were many weekends he would spend time at the rest stop on 175 selling coffee to travelers who stopped to take a break in their driving. He enjoyed engaging in conversation with the people he met and telling them how what a great place Ashland is. Norm passed away February 22, 2010.

Nominated by Randy Fierbaugh




 
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