Don Zimmerman

Category
2017
About This Inductee

Don was Sports Editor of the Bloomsburg Morning Press from 1969 – 1973. He began a 20 year career as Sports Editor of the Sunday Independent newspaper in Wilkes-Barre in 1973. Don was given the Keystone Press Award in 1972 and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association Award “District 2 Sportswriter of the Year” in 1981. He also received the Dr. McNichols Award for Outstanding Service to District II and the American Legion Media Award Certificate. Don was given the first ever Continental Basketball Association Writer of the Year award and a District II PIAA Gold Pass for Lifetime Contributions to athletics. Don was the only representative in the Commonwealth’s Northeast region to serve on the Heisman Trophy selection panel. He was also a member of the Big 33 panel which resulted in many local athletes being named to state teams. He was a member of the AP Sports Editors Association. Don was frequently called by college scouts for his personal input on local athletes leading to many receiving college scholarships. He covered the World Series, MLB All Star Games, Super Bowl and Penn State in their two National Championship years. Along with Charles McCullough, PIAA district games were scheduled at multiple venues instead of Harrisburg as they had been in the past. Based on a report he sent to USA Today, Berwick was listed in the top 10 and later named National Champions. Don accompanied the team to Washington DC to meet with then President Clinton. The yearly Sunday Independent Sports Banquet he hosted brought in many National celebrities including Joe Paterno, Franco Harris, Bob Griese, Dan Marino, Rocky Bleier, Ken Stabler, Matt Suey. Don was a leadership member of the Plains Hall of Fame, Plains Twp baseball and the CYC Athletic Council. Don passed away in March of 2000.