Mark Brown
Mark Brown was one of only a few area athletes to start on 3 PIAA state championship finals teams.
Brown, who began playing basketball at the age of 9, was the youngest player (16) from Mercer to play in the state finals his sophomore year. He was a key contributor to Mercer winning three Western Regional Class B crowns, scoring 21 points his senior year to spark the Mustangs to a 68-45 victory over Coraopolis in 1964.
In the 1961-62 season, he scored 323 points. His junior year, he followed up with 353 markers. Then as a senior, he pumped in 483 points. During his career the team posted records of 26-5, 26-2 and 23-4. Unfortunately, the teams lost in the state finals twice to powerhouse Darby-Colwyn and once to Montrose.
He went on to play basketball at John Carroll University and Grove City College before embarking on a 33-year teaching career at Sharpsville.
He coached 7th grade basketball at Sharpsville and Mercer school districts. He served as president or secretary of the Mercer County Historical Society for more than 30 years, where the Mercer County Hall of Fame has a room. He has been instrumental in the community as well and was co-organizer of the Mercer Memorial Day 500.
Brown was inducted into the Mercer High School Hall of Fame as an individual and as a team member.