Four inducted into Penske Hall of Fame

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Four former Lehigh greats have been elected to the Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame. Formal induction took place on Lehigh’s Packer Campus on Saturday, May 6, 2006. Three-sport star Al Cox ’40, basketball standout Bill Griffin ’79, tennis star Lowell Latshaw ’60, along with wrestling national champion Tom Sculley ‘74 comprise the Class of 2006.

A three-sport standout at Lehigh in the late 1930s, Alfred T. “Al” Cox made his mark on the baseball diamond, on the gridiron, as well as on the basketball court.

Cox came to Lehigh in his mid-20’s, following a stint in the United States Army, where he worked on decoding foreign messages. He immediately made an impact on the baseball team, where he was a four-year starter and later a team captain in his final season. Cox was Lehigh’s every day center fielder.

Dick Mascuch was Cox’s fraternity brother in Delta Sigma Phi. “Al had a terrific arm,” Mascuch recalled. “He could throw a guy out at home plate from center field on the fly.”

His work was no less impressive on the football field. Cox was a four-year letter winner for the Brown and White, playing multiple positions. Despite his relatively small size, Cox was the team’s left halfback at 148 lbs. As a senior, Cox led Lehigh in both passing and total offense. He ranked sixth in the country in passing that year, and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1939 Lehigh-Lafayette game – a game that Lehigh lost 29-13. For his efforts, Cox earned All-East and All-Pennsylvania recognition for football.

Cox stayed busy in the winter time as well, serving as a forward on the Lehigh basketball team. Though the team won fewer than 50% of its games in the four-year span in which he was a team member, Cox did his part, earning four varsity letters. Lehigh did beat Lafayette three times in those four seasons.

Not only did Cox stay busy competing in varsity athletics at Lehigh, he was an active member of the campus community, and was named the Big Man on Campus for his involvement in so many activities. Cox served as the president of the Newtonian Society, and was president of the Phi Eta Sigma honors society. Cox also demonstrated his leadership abilities by serving as the president of the Class of 1940 for two straight years.

A native of New York City, Al Cox excelled in the classroom during his time at Lehigh. He posted a 3.71 cumulative grade point average during his time in Bethlehem, and he earned his degree in civil engineering from Lehigh in 1940.

Following his time at Lehigh, Cox returned to the Army, working in intelligence operations during World War II. He then spent time as an airline executive.

Al Cox passed away in 1973.

A memorable play-maker on the floor, William P. “Bill” Griffin was a four-year starting guard on the basketball team and the program’s all-time leading scorer upon graduation. Griffin started all 103 games in his time at Lehigh, and scored 1,316 points – prior to the advent of the three-point shot.

“I am overwhelmed by this tremendous honor and humbled to be included with so many phenomenal student-athletes and coaches in Lehigh’s Hall of Fame,” Griffin said. “I am incredibly grateful to my parents, my coaches, my teammates, and everyone else who supported me while I was here at Lehigh. I have such wonderful memories of my athletic experience and, when I look back, the encouragement and support I received was beyond belief.”

Griffin came to Lehigh and made an immediate impact on the court as a freshman. In the 1975-76 season, Griffin was the team’s starting point guard, scoring 258 points and dishing out 88 assists. At year’s end, Griffin was the recipient of the J. Daniel Nolan ’58 Award, given to the top freshman male athlete in the Lehigh Athletics department.

A year later, Griffin scored 256 points and registered 85 assists as the team improved its win total by three games. As a junior, Griffin averaged 14 points per game, scoring 365 for the season. He connected on 88.5% of his free throw opportunities, good for 13th nationally. That year, Griffin was the recipient of the Walter J. Messner award, given to the top junior on the squad.

As a senior, Griffin was moved to the shooting guard position and asked to score more points. He didn’t disappoint. Griffin led Lehigh with 437 points – an average of nearly 17 per game. Lehigh was a member of the East Coast Conference, which included schools such as La Salle, St. Joseph’s, and Temple, and Griffin led the ECC in free throw shooting and finished fifth in scoring that year. For his efforts, he was named an All-ECC second team selection. A team captain in 1978-79, Griffin was named the team’s Most Valuable Player.

Earning Dean’s List honors in 1979, Griffin received his bachelor’s degree in psychology. He was a recipient of the East Coast Conference Scholar-Athlete Award that year.

“Bill is a winner in life, someone who brings integrity and personal enthusiasm to any process that he associates himself with, and gets real results," said fellow trustee Finn Wentworth ’80.

“You only have one kid like this in your lifetime,” said Pete Tierney, Griffin’s high school coach. “Everyone loved him, he led the way for us on a great team, and never said a word. He worked himself to such a degree and had such an edge mentally over other kids. He had the ability, but also had a tremendous work ethic and knew that so much in life is based on preparation, and I still see that in him today."

Following graduation, Griffin played on an American touring team in Europe, before returning to Bethlehem as a graduate assistant coach with the men’s basketball program at Lehigh. Currently a senior account executive at Epitome Systems, Inc. located in Wayne, Pa., Griffin has remained active in coaching youth basketball and in the Lehigh University community.

Griffin is currently a member of the Board of Trustees and has served Lehigh athletics as chairman of the Lehigh Athletics Partnership, the Golf and Tennis Classic and has been involved in the Lehigh Fund. He is a member of the Asa Packer Society, and has served as the President of the Lehigh Alumni Association. He currently serves as an Alumni Trustee on the Board of Trustees.

Bill and his wife Mimi ‘80G currently reside in Allentown, Pa. They have two children: a son, Kyle, and a daughter, Casey.

The Lehigh tennis team dominated the MAC conference in the late 1950s in large part due to the play of Lowell Latshaw.

A Bethlehem native, Latshaw came to Lehigh as a highly-touted prospect, and did not disappoint early on. He led the freshman tennis squad to wins in three of its four matches in the 1956-57school year.

Latshaw did not fall victim to a “sophomore slump,” going undefeated that year. He won the Eastern Intercollegiate singles and doubles crowns , teamed with Bill Scarlett in the doubles, to lead the Engineers to a Lehigh Easterns team victory.

As if his first two years were not noteworthy enough, his junior year was a break-out one, as Latshaw helped the Engineers dominate the MAC conference. He went undefeated in dual meet singles play, eventually going on to win the MAC championship. Latshaw, a team captain, teamed with Tom Earl and won a doubles title as well.

Meanwhile, Latshaw worked hard in the classroom earning his degree in electrical engineering.

In his final year of eligibility at Lehigh, Latshaw continued to dominate on the court. Under Latshaw’s leadership, Lehigh captured a MAC Northern Division championship, and he wrapped up his stellar career with a 31-match winning streak in singles play.

“It is a great honor to be included with the many great athletes who are already in the Hall of Fame,” Latshaw said. “I grew up in Bethlehem watching many of the greats, both on the football field and on the wrestling mat, so to now be a member along with them is just a great honor."

Latshaw completed his master’s degree in electrical engineering in 1961. Along the way, he became the first tennis player ever to win the prestigious Marion Brown Grace trophy, given to the top athlete in Bethlehem.

Upon graduation from Lehigh, Latshaw worked for the IBM Corporation for 30 years and retired as a senior engineer. He currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pa. with his wife Diana. They have two children: Catherine and Caroline.

Often credited with playing a major role in revitalizing a legendary program, Thomas B. “Tom” Sculley was an NCAA national champion at 134 pounds as a senior in 1974. Sculley saved his best campaign for last, as his senior season still ranks among the best individual efforts in the storied history of Lehigh wrestling.

Legendary Lehigh coach Thad Turner credits Sculley for nearly single-handedly rejuvenating the Lehigh wrestling program. “Arriving in my first year as coach, Tom was to my program what Ed Eichelberger was to Coach [Gerry] Leeman’s in the 1950s – a leader around whom future success followed,” Turner said.

Sculley qualified for nationals as a junior, but fell one win short of earning All-American status. That shortcoming helped motivate Sculley for his success the following year.

As a senior, Sculley posted a remarkable 26-0-1 season on the mat at 134 pounds. Along the way, Sculley defeated the likes of Navy’s Dan Muthler, who was the defending NCAA champion, at the Lehigh-Navy dual in Annapolis. Sculley’s national title was the first under Coach Turner, and the first by a Lehigh wrestler since 1967.

Although he did not defer a year, Sculley posted a record of 59-11-3 in his Lehigh career. His unbeaten season in 1973-74 is one of just eight produced by the Lehigh program since 1965. Sculley was a two-time team captain for the Brown and White.

Prior to his arrival at Lehigh, Sculley was a standout wrestler at nearby Bethlehem Catholic High School. He posted a 64-2-1 record on the mats in high school, en route to capturing three Pennsylvania state crowns. Sculley was named his school’s athlete of the year in 1970 and the City of Bethlehem’s top athlete in 1974.

For his efforts, Sculley has earned a spot in the PIAA Hall of Fame, the Bethlehem Catholic High School Hall of Fame, and the Pennsylvania state District XI Hall of Fame.

“This honor really means a lot to me, more than I thought it would,” Sculley said. “I’ve had friends from all around calling me and congratulating me. I’m honored to be a part of this. I think I appreciate this more now than I would have ten years ago.”

Sculley earned his degree in business and economics from Lehigh in 1976. Since graduating from Lehigh, Sculley has remained involved in the Lehigh wrestling program. Currently the COO of Brute, Inc. in nearby Sinking Spring, Pa., Sculley and his company have continuously played an important role in the success of the Lehigh varsity wrestling program, the club wrestling program, and the EIWA.

Sculley and his former wife have three children: Thomas III, Megan, and Sara. He is currently engaged to Bonnie Persing.

The annual Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame induction is sponsored by the Lehigh Athletics partnership.

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