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Merle Cooney (Softball)

Duration: 03:48

Merle Cooney, as profiled by Frederica Freyberg of Wisconsin Public Television.

Merle Cooney has been competing in Special Olympics in the state of Wisconsin since he was 9. The 27-year-old softball player from Stevens Point has recently qualified for Team Wisconsin. He is one of only 15 athletes who were chosen from the 100 that tried out. Team Wisconsin will be competing for the gold medal at this summer’s 2006 Special Olympics USA National Games in Ames, Iowa. Merle is grill chef at a local restaurant. Every other year, he buys himself a new car, and has even saved enough to buy his own house. And when he’s not playing softball, he’s working out in the gym. Merle has won three medals for weight lifting. Merle says his inspiration for playing baseball came inadvertently from his high school baseball coach. “He said I’d have to sit on the bench ‘cause he liked to win.”

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Post Date: April 4, 2007