BY JACOB GUNNER
“It’s satisfying and empowering,” says Junior M.J. Griesmer as he describes ringing the deep brassy bell after a victory at Kusel Stadium.
Many athletes at Mariemont love to ring the bell, but few know the history behind it.
The words “In Memory of James William Miller” are engraved across the bell.
The name belongs to a man more commonly known as Jim Miller.
Miller graduated Mariemont where he ran cross country and track and was later inducted into the Doc Kusel Hall of fame. He was a beloved husband, father, youth soccer coach, and member of the community.
Miller unexpectedly took his own life in July of 2008.
In Krista Ramsey’s 2014 Cincinnati Enquirer article , Nancy Miller (Jim’s wife), says “I told my daughters, ‘Dad was an awesome guy and you need to believe that about all of his life. His death does not change that. It does not define him’.”
Miller’s friends and wife wanted to do something to honor and remember him by. To celebrate his passion for running they all got together and ran the “Miller Miracle Mile,” which continued and developed into what is now widely known as the Warrior Run, which raises money for mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
In addition to the run, his friends and family began collecting money to create a tribute or memorial for him. “Miller was a track and cross country guy, so idea emerged to make a victory bell for him by the track,” says athletic director Tom Nerl.
The Verdin Bell company worked with Miller’s friends and family along with the Mariemont faculty to create the bell and structure behind the right side end zone, opposite of the score board.
Soon the bell began being used for not only track, but all high school sports. It has become a staple in Mariemont tradition.
“It’s important for high schools to have traditions,” says head football coach Kurry Commins. “The bell is a rallying point for all the teams in the high school to get behind,” he says.