Bob Zipadelli is being inducted into the Berlin High Athletic Hall of Fame as a contributor for the work he has done in the fund raising area for Berlin athletics. He started his work for Berlin athletics as far back as the 1960’s when he organized “The Spirit Fund” to raise funds to purchase a video tape recorder for the high school. His work continued throughout the years when in 1999 he became involved in helping to raise funds for the Berlin wrestling team traveling to Italy for a cultural exchange. In 1998 and 1999 he organized a fund raising dance called the “Boys of Gaber Farms” named after an old ice cream and sandwich shop with a large back room with booths and a juke box ala Happy Days. These two events raised funds for a needy family in 1998 and for the Berlin Little League in 1999. He was also instrumental in raising funds to send the Berlin American Legion team to the National World Series in 2009. Bob was involved in the Berlin Little League and soccer program as an assistant coach for four years.

Perhaps one of his biggest endeavors was his involvement in putting together the discount cards for the Berlin Boosters at no expense to them having donated over 10,000 cards saving them the cost of over $10,000. His work since the inception of the Berlin Athletic Hall of Fame began with countless hours of work in raising the initial funding from our Charter Donors to get the organization up and running. Each year from our start he has put together the program book with business and inductee family sponsors that has provided the Hall of Fame with the necessary funds to continue providing the community of Berlin with a first class event for the past five years.

Beside his involvement with fund raising for Berlin athletics, Bob has always been actively involved in other community areas.

The baseball field at Sage Park, Sgt. Zipadelli Field, was named in his father’s honor through his work with the Park and Rec department and his presentation to the Town Council. He was instrumental in the naming of the Town Hall Complex in honor of Arthur B. Powers, is the reunion chairman of his graduation class of 1956, an involved member of the Berlin Italian Club (I.P.I.C.) being instrumental in putting together the 168 page commemorative program book in honor of their 100th anniversary, and also has been involved in many other fund raising events for non athletic endeavors. He continues to be a strong advocate of veteran high school athletes in Berlin in their recognition in the Hall of Fame.

Bob is a lifelong Berlin resident is married to Lori and has two children Jon and Candace.

See Bob’s induction speech below…