Hall of Fame
Jerome “Diz” Leamer of McConnellstown, Pa., Class of 1958 was a leader and standout center fielder for four years on the Shippensburg baseball team. Not only did he post some of the best offensive numbers in the programs’ history, he captained the 1958 squad to a Pennsylvania State Athletic Association championship.
Leamer, named after famous St. Louis Cardinals’ pitcher Jerome “Dizzy” Dean, enrolled in Shippensburg State Teachers College in 1954 after a stellar high school career at Juniata Valley High School where he was the captain of the baseball, football, and basketball teams.
Over his four-year career at Shippensburg, Diz never missed a game. As a sophomore he batted .328, and in his junior season, he became a legend.
Leamer was the driving force behind the 1957 squad that posted an 11-5-1 record. He batted .456 with three homeruns, three triples, and 11 doubles. Diz also drove in 18 runs and scored 17. He reached base in all but one game that season.
As a co-captain of the team in ’58, Leamer hit .289 with two doubles, a triple, and a homerun. However, it was over the final four games of the season that he recorded seven hits in 16 at bats, leading Shippensburg to a 10-3 record and a PSAC title.
Leamer’s career batting average was an outstanding .365. He graduated with a degree in business education in 1958.
After receiving his degree, Leamer became a teacher and taught for 32 years before retiring in 1993. He also spent five years as the head baseball coach at Huntingdon Area High School. There, he compiled a career record of 39-15, and his 1967, 1968, and 1969 teams won county titles.
Leamer was one of the founders of the Henry, Estella Stoudt Education Trust that grants scholarships to students in the Juniata Valley and Huntingdon Area school systems. He also served for 17 years as the supervisor for Walker Township. He is also a member of the United Church of Christ and has served as a deacon, elder and treasurer.
