Martin Zippel

Category
2005
About This Inductee

Marty played three years of basketball at South Philadelphia High School and is a member of their Hall of Fame. At Lafayette College, he became their first 1,000 point scorer in varsity basketball history and was named All-American Honorable Mention. He was renowned for rebounding, defense, playmaking, and scoring. The Lafayette team became Mid-Atlantic Conference Champions (1947). He was selected as one of Lafayette’s 15 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century and inducted into their Hall of Fame. Also excelling in baseball, Marty was offered a professional baseball contract by the Detroit Tigers, but instead opted to play basketball. He was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets of the old NBA, but instead signed with the Wilkes-Barre Barons of the former American Basketball League. He played for the Barons for 3 ½ years and was named by Luzerne County Hall of Famer Cas Ostrowski as one of the greatest basketball he ever played with. A knee injury ended his basketball career. He is three-time golf club champion at Beaverbrook Country Club. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Easton established an annual Martin Zippel Award for his outstanding leadership, dedication and financial support to the clubs. Marty served as past president, is currently on their advisory board and ahs received their Lifetime Achievement Award. One of the Marty’s proudest accomplishments was developing the strong partnership between the blubs and Lafayette College, which led to as variety of new programs becoming available to area youth, including tutoring. Marty presently resides in Easton, has a son David, daughter Joanne and two grandchildren, Zackary and Erica.