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The late Paul "Babe" Mayer Jr. was fortunate enough to live a life that motivated and encouraged others he encountered.
It was his modus operandi.
Friends and colleagues of Mayer say he was one of those people who made others excel in whatever they wanted to achieve.
He taught health and physical education at Williamsport Area High School, where he built a personal fitness curriculum, then taught for 25 years at the Pennsylvania College of Technology introducing a new curriculum of Lifetime Fitness.
Recognized for training and conditioning athletes, Mayer also worked in radio and TV sports broadcasting.
Interaction affected future television news producer's career
"Much more than my high school teacher and later my boss and host of a local sports show (ESPN2 Local Sports Break show), he changed the trajectory of my life and career," Susan Durrwachter, a CNN news producer in New York City, told the Sun-Gazette.
"I learned the bare-bones of television production and on-air commentary from Babe," Durrwachter said.
"He believed in me and took a risk on my new role with little experience."
Mayer's influence on her helped guide her toward a career path that took her to NBC News, and CNN, as a news producer.
Durrwachter expressed her remorse at the loss of her friend but added her gratitude for the last exchange she had with him at the home of a Williamsport couple, Peachie and Tom O'Connor.
"I told him how much he influenced and helped me," she said. "In true Babe fashion, he downplayed the compliments."
"I'm profoundly grateful for his mentorship and friendship," Durrwachter said.
"Durrwachter credits Mayer as a mentor -- one who led by example was always steady, knew his audience, was well prepared and was kind to everyone.
One of the finest
"Babe was truly one of a kind and one of the finest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing," said Ron "C.I." Insinger, a teacher and coach who had over 1,000 wins as head basketball coach at Loyalsock Township School District.
Insinger, who called it quits in 2025 after 51 seasons guiding the Lancers and becoming Pennsylvania's all-time coaching wins leader, considered Babe to be special.
"When I first started my career as a physical education teacher, I had met Babe during my student teaching experience at Williamsport High School," he said.
"Babe was also a physical education teacher, and I was immediately impressed by the way he interacted with his students," Insinger said.
"He treated everyone with kindness, respect, and genuine interest," he said.
"He always seemed to have a huge smile on his face and a positive attitude that made everyone around him feel welcome and appreciated," Insinger said. "That made a huge impact on me as a beginning teacher -- I always tried to model my teaching to emulate his," he said.
Always found the positives
"One of the things I will always remember about Babe was his ability to find something positive and encouraging to say to everyone, " Insinger said. "Whether he was working with students, talking with coaches, or broadcasting a game, his kindness and enthusiasm always came through."
"I always felt that Babe had a genuine interest in me as a person, and as I watched him interact with others, I realized that was simply who he was," Insinger said. "He made everyone feel important, and that was a special gift."
"One of the highlights of my basketball coaching career was having Babe and Gary Chrisman do the play-by-play for our games," Insigner said. "It was always a pleasure having them there, and I knew Babe would bring his enthusiasm, professionalism, and positive spirit to every broadcast. His encouraging words and genuine support meant more than he probably ever realized."
Impeccable reputation
"Babe was the best of the best," Insinger said, adding he was also, "a wonderful teacher, a tremendous ambassador for high school athletics, and, most importantly, an even better person.
"His smile, kindness, and genuine interest in others left a lasting impression on so many lives," the coach said. "He was a true legend who will be sorely missed, but the memories and positive impact he left behind will live on for years to come.
"Rest in peace, Babe. It was an honor to know you."
Another teacher's perspective
"Although Babe and I taught in different parts of Williamsport High School -- he in the A section (phys ed) and I in the H section (music) -- we shared a wonderful friendship built on mutual respect, encouragement, and a genuine appreciation for each other's successes," said Walt Straiton.
Mayer had an extraordinary gift for bringing positive energy to everyone around him, he noted.
His influence extended far beyond his own classroom or discipline; he made the entire school a better place simply by being part of it, Straiton said.
"He celebrated the accomplishments of others as enthusiastically as his own, and his infectious spirit reminded all of us what a privilege it was to be educators," he said.
"Babe's legacy will be measured not only by the countless students whose lives he touched, but also by the colleagues he inspired and the friendships he nurtured.
"I feel very fortunate to have been one of them," Straiton said.
"Some people make a difference through what they teach. Babe made a difference through who he was," Straiton said.
A student and lifelong grappler weighs in
"When I was a junior in high school, Babe was on staff as a teacher or student teacher," said Rick Mahonski. "He gave me advice to believe in myself on the mat ... he helped me with gymnastics to improve my wrestling skills," he said.
Throughout my life he's always been there with advice on life and business.
"He was one teacher that made a difference," Mahonski said When
One of a kind
Mayer was the longtime cohort of Chrisman, who was his Cable Sports Productions broadcast partner of 33 years, as Insinger alluded.
Chrisman, who is host of the Chrisman Morning Show on 102.7 KISS-FM (WKSB) and play-by-play voice of the Little League World Series, broadcasting it since 1974, offered a loving tribute on Facebook and reserved more comment for Babe's memorial.
In 1987, Chrisman helped develop Cable Sports Productions' High School Game of the Week.
Influencer
Mayer started his own business, Mayer's Sports Training, training folks of all ages, including many high school athletes who would go on to play in college sports -- many on the Division One level, including Southern Columbia's Henry Hynoski, who would go on to start at as fullback for the New York Giants and win a Super Bowl ring as a rookie.
In a post, Hynoski credited Mayer's training for getting him ready for his days at the University of Pittsburgh (2007-2010), as the Panthers' starting fullback.
Hynoski left after his junior year for the 2011 NFL Draft, went undrafted, and signed with the Giants, where he played 2011-2014, and was on the team that won Super Bowl XLVI.
Mayer's friendly smile and great personality made him stand out over just about everyone else.
"He was like a big brother to me," Chrisman posted on his page following Mayer's passing.
Chrisman described Mayer as "an original," and pronounced that "there won't be another Babe."
Chrisman considered his best friend to be one-of-a-kind.
"He was the nicest guy in town," Chrisman wrote. "Everybody ... and I mean everybody liked Babe Mayer," he said.
Last words and memories
"I first met Babe ... back in the late 60's through friends of mine from Williamsport," said Steve Dewar.
"From the very first time I met him I knew he was a great guy," Dewar observed.
"He smiled all the time and was as friendly as anyone I ever met," he said.
"I would see him at different establishments downtown and he was always friendly and always smiling," he said.
In the early 70's Dewar was dating a girl from Williamsport that was attending then Lock Haven State College and Mayer was a member of Kappa Delta Rho (KDR) at Lock Haven.
"Every weekend he would invite her and me to parties at his fraternity," Dewar said.
"I knew then I wanted to attend The Haven which I did," he said.
Mayer was on a flag football team and his coach Joe Leta asked Wayne Miller and Dewar if they would play for Kelly's Grill, which they did for many years.
Mayer and his wife Dee along with Dewar and his wife Candy would go out to dinner together all the time. "We still were going to dinner together with other friends up until his passing this past week," Dewar said. That's like 55 years of hanging together, he added.
Every Christmas Mayer would have Dewar's family and others join them at their house Christmas Eve for dinner and celebration.
They were and still are fantastic hosts, he said.
"This past Friday, I was talking with Babe on the phone after the Montoursville football game," Dewar said. "As we were ending our call he said to me 'Hey Dew, just remember I love ya.'"
"They were the last words Babe and I shared before he passed the very next morning," Dewar said.
"He was just a wonderful man and will be remembered and missed forever."