Hall of Athletes
Connie Newman (Philadelphia, Pa./West Catholic) was one of the finest athletes to have played baseball for La Salle during his era. A member of the Explorers program from 1958-60, Newman used his speed and quickness to rank among the nation's leaders in steals in 1959. He swiped 12 bags over 17 contests while hitting .288 and scoring 16 runs as a junior. The following year, he was a standout both at the plate and on the mound while helping La Salle to its best record (13-4) in eight years. The lefthander went 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA, compiling 31 strikeouts in his 40 innings pitched in 1960. He was equally as impressive as a hitter, boasting a .311 batting average. Following graduation, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and spent three seasons in the minor leagues. After his playing career, he served as the long-time batting practice pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies.
