Hall of Fame
Christopher J. Zimmerman ’89 – Class of 2000
Knowing how to win…
Everyone remembers THE game.
It is upstart Le Moyne’s first appearance in the NCAA Division I playoffs. A shocking upset of Arkansas is history. Harsh reality and the inevitable conclusion that the earlier victory was a fluke looms after a loss to Illinois and a loser bracket game suspended with the Dolphins trailing Penn 13-0; just six outs from elimination.
The Green and Gold would not win the Regional Tournament. But they would prove they belonged. In one of the most amazing rallies in baseball history, they tie the game in the ninth. Then, in the 12th inning, Le Moyne’s right fielder goes deep with a three-run shot to seal credibility for a program in just its second year of major college competition. Final score: Le Moyne College 18. The University of Pennsylvania 16.
From the New York Times to Sports Illustrated, the Sports World took notice. So did Arizona State, who fell to the Dolphins later that same day. Only a heartbreaking one-run loss in a rematch with Arkansas kept the Dolphins from the World Series.
The Program achieved big time status on the bat of a young man who knew how to win. Ten years earlier, his home run had sealed a little league championship. He starred on fine squads at Bishop Grimes High School. And the Dolphins reached the post-season throughout his four-year career as a starter.
He compiled a career .362 average with 113 runs batted in, and stole 29 bases in 33 attempts, earning the Rev. John J. O’Brien Award as Le Moyne’s Male Athlete of the Year.
The achievements and statistics were an intuitive sense of the game. Quickness, agility and a small frame honed to solidly drive a baseball were developed through countless hours of work in the weight room. He understood that winning was the product of hard work.
That work ethic manifested itself in his studies as well, resulting in a Bachelor of Science cum laude in Chemistry from Le Moyne and a Doctorate in Dental Surgery from the same University of Pennsylvania he defeated on the diamond.
His discipline and confidence was not lost on his teammates, and his example served to steady a team that believed hard work had earned the right compete with any program in the country; a belief was confirmed as fact in that memorable 1989 NCAA Regional.
His four years of solid, consistent play punctuated by key hits culminated in a remarkable team performance that signified Le Moyne’s coming of age as a Division I baseball program. He helped his team learn how to win and has demonstrated an ability to extend that leadership to a variety of endeavors. Therefore,
Christopher J. Zimmerman ’89 is a member of the
Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame
February 5, 2000
