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From Left: Principal Robert Vlasaty, Richard "Dick" Nissen, and Athletic Director Bryan Geist.
Photography compliments of Joe Seremula
Richard "Dick" Nissen
Class of 1954
Richard was a member of the graduating class of 1954. He was a member of the football team in grades 9-12 where he earned 3 Varsity Letters. He was a member of the basketball team where he earned 2 varsity letters. He also played baseball for four years where he earned 3 Varsity letters and was a member of the Lehigh Valley Hall of Fame for Baseball. While playing baseball, Richard had a pitching record of 29 and 5 and pitched every game in his junior and senior year and averaged 15 strikeouts per game. As a senior his batting average was .402. During his senior year the baseball team won the league and District XI Championships and was the only time Northern Lehigh or Slatington won a District championship in baseball. At that time there were no state championships so that was as far as a team could go. After the District XI game he signed with the Phillies and two years later went to play with the Baltimore Orioles. He was perhaps one of two athletes to sign to a professional sports team right out of high school.
