The Front Row with MARK NELKE Nov. 24, 2011

If you grew up in St. Maries, chances are you were part of "Marz's Mob."

For years and years on Saturday mornings in St. Maries, Robert Charles "Marz" Marzulli would open up the gymnasium and allow hundreds of little kids to run around and play basketball.

Mike Bayley was part of that "mob."

"He was a lovable, grumpy old guy to me," Bayley recalled the other day, "that cared about St. Maries through and through, kids through and through, and St. Maries kids, top of the heap."

A lifetime resident of St. Maries, "Marz" died Nov. 16 at age 77 following a brief illness. His funeral was Tuesday.

"He was an institution there, that's for sure," said Randy Mueller, a 1979 St. Maries High grad who now lives in Seattle as a national scout for the San Diego Chargers. "I don't think there's ever been anyone in St. Maries that has had more of an influence on kids and athletics, I know in my lifetime, and maybe ever. He affected every kid that ever grew up there."

'MARZ' PLAYED football and basketball at St. Maries, graduating in 1952. After college, he returned to St. Maries and worked in the lumber mills and worked for the railroad, before becoming a teacher in 1970. He retired from teaching in 1990, but continued to coach junior high sports. He also started the local Little League program, and coached in that for 15 years. He helped begin the local Elks Hoop Shoot and the Punt, Pass and Kick competitions.

"Marz" pretty much started all the youth programs in St. Maries, some 50 years ago, friends said.

"He was my first coach in football, basketball, T-ball, the whole bit," Mueller recalled. "He's coached our kids' kids - that's how long he's been around."

"Today, you look around and everybody's got a park and rec department," Bayley said.

“Well, there was no park and rec department in St. Maries — it was ‘Marz,’” Bayley added. “He basically started St. Maries park and rec without calling it that, and without any funding. Who knows how much of his own dollars he used.”

George Pfeifer recalled moving to St. Maries in the eighth grade, not knowing anybody — and “Marz” was there for him, as a coach and friend. He opened up a room for the kids to lift weights — back when lifting was something new.

“He donated so much of himself to everybody else,” recalled Pfeifer, a 1974 St. Maries grad who went on to coach basketball at Lewis-Clark State, Idaho and Montana State-Billings, and now is an assistant at Montana State. “He did it because it was the right thing to do, and he did it because that community needed it.

“He was the ultimate Lumberjack.”

Pfeifer said “Marz” was not one to lavish praise, but when he did say something, it meant a lot.

“He’s the guy that taught us all to compete,” Mueller said. “‘Marz’ was a gruff, gruff guy. There were no participation trophies in Marz’s programs — you didn’t get trophies and plaques just for showing up.”

WHILE TEACHING at St. Maries, “Marz” coached the Lumberjacks to a state high school boys golf title in 1980. Bayley was on that team.

“And to this day, probably one of the highlights of his life was winning that state title,” said Bayley, a 1981 St. Maries High grad. “I remember him hugging that trophy all the way home from Boise, like it was a brand new child.”

Mueller caught up with “Marz” a few years ago, when he was living in Spokane, and St. Maries was playing a game at Potlatch.

“I introduced my daughter to him, and she’s 19 and never lived a day in St. Maries in her life, and she knew who he was,” Mueller said.

Bayley, who has been an assistant football coach at Lakeland High for years, recalled a trip to St. Maries last year to watch his daughter play basketball.

“Marz” was sitting in his spot — in the corner of the gym — and he called Bayley over and raved about how well his daughter was playing.

“There will never be anybody in St. Maries that will put in as much time, effort, energy, to the town as he did,” Bayley said.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at CdAPressSports.