Heidelberg Athletics Hall of Fame
Born April 13, 1924, in Cleveland, Ohio, Edward D. Holtcamp graduated from Shore High School in 1942. At that time, the Senior Class and Student Council President decided to bypass college to accept a contract offer from the National League's Philadelphia Phillies. After signing with the Phils, Holtcamp was assigned to their farm club at Wilmington, Delaware, where the right-handed fastballer was expected to get some seasoning.
After three years, Ed decided to forego pro baseball, and in 1945, became a freshman at Heidelberg College. Instead of waiting until baseball season to become active, Holtcamp set out to aid the Student Prince basketball team in the fall of his freshman year. And aid he did.
In that first campaign it was easy to see that Ed was more than just an excellent baseball player, he was also a superb athlete.
As a freshman, Holtcamp set the Heidelberg single game scoring record when he cashed in 29 markers in a 68-43 win over Ohio Northern. Over the course of the 17 -game season, Holtcamp averaged 16.9 points per game, eventually ending the campaign with 288 points, the single season scoring record. Ed was also named Most Valuable player for his performance.
Midway through his sophomore year, Holtcamp suffered a knee injury that kept him out of the lineup until the halfway point of his Junior year, and even though he was still hurting, Holtcamp performed quite admirably.
By his senior year he was healthy again, and prospects were good for the Heidelberg cagers. The tricolor finished 9-9 in Ed's senior season. Even with the injury that both sidelined and slowed him, Ed Holtcamp held the school record for points in a game and seasonal scoring average for quite some years.
On the baseball diamond, it was no secret that Ed Holtcamp was a good one, an impact player. Holtcamp was the squad's top pitcher as a freshman, and after being sidelined his sophomore year due to injury, returned in that capacity as a junior. As a senior, the Student Princes won three of their last four games to finish at 3-6 and Holtcamp was the pitcher of record in all three wins.
Holtcamp gave his all on the field and court for the betterment of Heidelberg College, off the field he was involved in the growth and betterment of himself as a person. Ed was involved with the Excelsior Men's Society, serving as President his senior year, Student Council, the History Club, Intersociety Council, and was the Sophomore Class President.
After graduating in 1949, Ed Holtcarnp became involved in many endeavors. Ed served in the Medical Corp. during World War II, and when he returned he did such volunteer work as coaching church boys basketball, coaching amateur baseball, ran the Euclid Recreational Tennis Program and conducted Adult Educational Tennis programs.
Holtcamp, who is presently retired after 30 years with the Lerex Division of G.M.C., resides in Richmond Heights, with his wife, the former Elfrieda Auer, a 1950 Heidelberg graduate.
(This profile appeared in the 1989 Hall of Fame Banquet program. Â Mr. Holtcamp passed away in 2008.)
