With one gold medalist and another West Virginia University Hall of Famer in his family, former two-sport standout at WVU Ronnie Retton was the first in a long and prestigious line of Retton athletes.
All five of Retton's children were involved in sports. His daughter Mary Lou was on the USA's 1984 gold-medal Olympic gymnastics team. His daughter Sherri was a WVU all-America gymnast and WVU Sports Hall of Fame member. His son Ronnie Jr. is a former baseball player. His sons Donnie and Jerry were all-state in football and baseball in Marion County and played catcher for Fairmont State.
This year, Retton will join his youngest daughter in the WVU Hall of Fame. He will inducted as part of the 20th class along with Eddie Barrett, Marc Bulger, Bobby Carroll, Bill Karr, Ann-Marie (Pfiffner) Johnson and John Radosevich.
"It feels great," Retton said. "I'm proud I'll be able to go in the Hall of Fame and join Sherri."
Retton was a key player on the baseball and basketball teams from 1957-59.
In basketball, Retton shared the court with former great "Hot Rod" Hundley and was on the 1959 team that lost in the NCAA Championship game.
During his basketball career, Retton played in 82 career games and scored 294 points. Retton totaled 105 rebounds and 104 assists while averaging 14 minutes per game. He shot 71.9 percent (100-of-139) from the free-throw line.
While Retton's career numbers in basketball may not be as impressive as most Hall of Fame inductees, his true strength on the court was his defense.
Retton stood a scrappy 5-foot-8-inches and weighed 150 pounds.
He and the late Marvin "Bucky" Boyard excelled as a quick guard duo in the zone-press defense. The pair was a driving force behind the 1959 team's ability to come from behind for 14 of its 29 victories – the most by a WVU team in history.
"Coach (Fred) Schaus would put me and Bucky in to change the tempo of the game," Retton said. "We were there to put some pressure on the offense."
Retton's most memorable moment on the court came in the second round of 1959 NCAA Tournament against St. Joseph. Retton's interception of an in-bounds pass and driving layup in the waning seconds preserved the Mountaineers' 95-92 win over the Hawks.
"It was probably the highlight of my career," he said.
In baseball, Retton found even more success. He was named as a first-team Southern Conference shortstop in 1957 and 1959.
Retton served mostly as a lead-off man, drawing walks with his small strike-zone. Over his three-year college career, he batted between .350 and .360 and was signed by the New York Yankees as a free agent.
"If I could go back, I wouldn't do it," Retton said. "I would have signed with the Mets or something. The Yankees had too many good players like (Roger) Maris on the team."
Retton played six years in the Yankees' minor league system, including stops in Auburn, N.Y., Greensboro, N.C., Augusta, Ga., and Columbus, Ga.
He reached the Double-A level before retiring in 1964 to devote more time to his family.
After his sports career was over, he started a business laying and repairing coal-mining cable.
He was able to retire in 1986 and has been playing golf and helping coach basketball while residing in Fairmont, W.Va.
Sporting a handicap of about 10, Retton isn't quite living up the high standards of his family name.
"It's not bad for an old man," Retton said.
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