Lycoming College

When Dick Zimmerman '58 passed away in 2010, he left behind a long history of memories that he was a part of as the Voice of the football and basketball programs for parts of four decades.
 
Zimmerman had served as the Warriors' football PA announcer for the past 37 years, joining legendary coach Frank Girardi in his first year on the corner of Packer and Mulberry streets in 1972. As both taught at Williamsport Area High School, it was a natural move for Zimmerman, who was already doing public address work for the Millionaires, to make the move to then-College Field when Girardi took over as the head coach.
 
Zimmerman was at the mic for many of the football program's greatest moments – including when the Warriors beat Upsala, 12-10, on Oct. 28, 1978, to win their first Middle Atlantic Conference title and saw the Warriors win 15 more league titles. He was also at the mic during Lycoming's 28-20 upset of Rowan in the national semifinals in 1997 and he was the voice of the Warriors during two runs to the national championship game and 10 NCAA Tournament wins at David Person Field.
 
"Dick Zimmerman was another reason why Lycoming football is special and unique," Director of Athletics Mike Clark '93 said at the time of his passing. "He had a great voice. I got to hear it at three different levels, as a player (from 1989-92), as an assistant coach (from 1998-99) and as a head coach (beginning in 2008) and it gave me a chance to see just how good he was."
 
Zimmerman took on the role of public address announcer at Lycoming basketball games in the mid '90s. He was the voice for the Lady Warriors during its run to the Division III Tournament in 1997 and he called the men's team on to the first two conference titles in program history in 2002 and 2004.
 
He graduated from Williamsport Area in 1954 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Lycoming College in 1958. He earned a master's degree in counseling from Bucknell University and went to work as a guidance counselor at Williamsport Area High School, retiring in 1993. He also served in the Air National Guard. His son, Rick Zimmerman '96, is also an alumnus of the College.
 
A lifelong sports fan, he closely followed the Washington Redskins and the Chicago Cubs. He enjoyed visiting his beach house in Toms River, N.J., loved his dogs, Muffin and Zoey, and collecting coins. Besides Rick, he was survived by wife, Sally LaRue, and Rick's wife, Tina, and granddaughter, Sofia.

Nominated by: Joe Guistina, Associate A.D./Communications.