5 Super Athletes With Ties To Marietta

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the Marietta area, these values have shaped some truly remarkable athletes from different eras, whose accomplishments continue to inspire.

Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to spotlight five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting mark on our community. While this list is just a snapshot, there are countless others who have helped shape the rich sports culture in our area.

1. Greg Pryor (Baseball)

Marietta’s Greg Pryor enjoyed a 10-year career in Major League Baseball as a steady infielder for the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals. Drafted in 1971, he first took the field in the majors in 1976. He appeared in 789 MLB games, recording over 450 hits and playing a key role on the Royals’ 1985 World Series championship team.

2. Ashley Bault (Track & Field)

One of Marietta College’s most decorated track and field athletes, Ashley Bault earned All-America honors seven times and was a 14-time NCAA qualifier. In 2012, she became the first Pioneer to medal at the NCAA Championships, finishing as the national runner-up in the indoor pentathlon and taking third in the outdoor heptathlon. A multi-event standout, Bault also collected eight All-Ohio recognitions, twice claimed the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Field Athlete of the Year award and earned 12 All-OAC honors along with four individual OAC titles. Now a sixth-grade math teacher at Brown Middle School in Ravenna, Ohio, Bault continues to share her passion for track and field by coaching at the high school level.

3. Charles Louis (Chief) Zimmer (Baseball)

Born in Marietta in 1860, Charles “Chief” Zimmer carved out a distinguished 19th-century baseball career, catching for legends such as Cy Young. Renowned for his durability — catching a record 125 games behind the plate in 1890 — and polite demeanor, Zimmer was a mainstay with the Cleveland Spiders and later played for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He remained a visionary off the field, inventing “Zimmer’s Base Ball Game,” a cherished 1890s tabletop collectible. A leader among his peers, he also served as president of the Protective Association of Professional Base Ball Players.

4. James Byer (Rowing)

As captain of Marietta College’s varsity heavyweight crew in 1966, James Byer led the Pioneers to an undefeated season and a gold medal at the Dad Vail Regatta, a feat that earned them the title of the "Clean Sweep" crew. Competing alongside a strong cast of teammates, Byer’s crew also secured gold medals in both the junior varsity and novice events. Later, he pursued a career in education, serving as a headmaster for multiple prep schools, including 15 years at the Hun School in New Jersey.

5. Justine Pagenhardt (Basketball)

Graduating in 2008, Dr. Justine Pagenhardt left an indelible mark on Marietta College women’s basketball, amassing 1,454 points to rank fourth all-time in program history. A force on the court, she once scored 39 points in a single outing and led the Pioneers in scoring 51 times. Equally driven off the court, Pagenhardt balanced the demands of pre-med coursework with collegiate athletics, laying the foundation for her current career as an emergency room physician.

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