Marion Lampkins
Marion Lampkins is the posthumous inductee to the Mercer County Hall of Fame for 2006.
He was a star player for coach Edward J. McCluskey at Farrell High from 1948-1951. He became a starter midway through his sophomore year and the team finished the season strong for fourth place in the WPIAL section race.
As a junior he helped lead the team to a 23-2 record. The team suffered a loss to Homestead for the District 7 (WPIAL) championship. In the semifinals the team pulled off a stunning win over previously unbeaten Monessen as Marion hit for 21 points and Julius McCoy 18 in the 54-38 rout. During the off-season he played for the Giants in the Farrell Playgrounds league, leading the team to the senior championship.
In his senior year, he continued his outstanding play as the Steelers finished with a record of 28 wins and 3 losses. He played for Farrell Palumbo Electrics in the Sharon amateur basketball tournament, defeating Akron Road Furniture for the title. He was named to the all-tourney first team along with McCoy.
Marion received a basketball scholarship at St. Francis College, where he stood out immediately. In the opening game to start his freshman season, he came off the bench with St. Francis trailing talented Georgetown, 73-70. He quickly took charge on the boards and scored two quick buckets, vaulting his team to a 74-73 lead that they never again relinquished in an 83-79 triumph.
In 1953, he was drafted into the Air Force, where he took up boxing and was an outstanding heavyweight.
In 1955 he was stationed at Fort Rich, where he played basketball and football on championship teams. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders, but had to forgo the opportunity due to knee injuries.
He had a great career with the famed Twin City Elks basketball teams, an independent club of some of the top former high school stars of the Shenango Valley. In 1961, Marion and Charlie Mitchell led the Elks to a win in Bill Hoyle's Open Basketball Tournament, defeating Sharon Laskey's, 73-66 in the final.
He coached Little League baseball and received several local and state service awards for helping the less fortunate.
Marion died Sept. 25, 1999.