William
(Willie) Tipper was voted by his Aliquippa High School classmates as
the Most Likely to Succeed. Already a phenomenal athlete in his
underclassman years, Willie lived up to the title. The son of
Reverend and Mrs Oliver Tipper, stalwart members of the Bethel
Baptist Church, Willie was continuously encouraged to recognize that
‘every good and perfect gift comes from God.’ A halfback on the
gridiron, Willie was named high School All American in 1949 and All
Beaver County in 1949 and 1950, co-captaining both the football and
track teams. Standing 5’-11” and weighing 155 pounds, Willie was a
speedster, winning the WPIAL broad jump title and placing second in
the 880 yard run at the PIAA state meet. Willie set Beaver County
records in both the broad jump and 880 yard runs and lettered twice
in Quips basketball. Graduating in January 1951, Willie passed up
offers from Penn State and Michigan State to attend Lincoln
University, a small predominately black NCAA Division II school in
Jefferson City, Missouri; among his classmates was
James Frank.
Willie excelled at two sports at Lincoln: in football he was All
Conference as a running back for two years, and in track was a
medalist in the conference championship three different years in
both the 880 yard run and the broad jump. He was team captain in
both sports and was president of the Varsity L Club. Willie
graduated with a degree in secondary education (a major in health
and physical education and a minor in social studies), then later
earned a master’s degree in community education from Eastern
Michigan University. In 1955 Willie moved to Flint, Michigan, to
work with the City Recreation Department and the Community Schools
as a teacher, director, and administrator for 32 years before his
retirement in 1992. Willie was inducted into the Aliquippa Sports
Hall of Fame in 1984.
William
(Willie) Tipper was voted by his Aliquippa High School classmates as
the Most Likely to Succeed. Already a phenomenal athlete in his
underclassman years, Willie lived up to the title. The son of
Reverend and Mrs Oliver Tipper, stalwart members of the Bethel
Baptist Church, Willie was continuously encouraged to recognize that
‘every good and perfect gift comes from God.’ A halfback on the
gridiron, Willie was named high School All American in 1949 and All
Beaver County in 1949 and 1950, co-captaining both the football and
track teams. Standing 5’-11” and weighing 155 pounds, Willie was a
speedster, winning the WPIAL broad jump title and placing second in
the 880 yard run at the PIAA state meet. Willie set Beaver County
records in both the broad jump and 880 yard runs and lettered twice
in Quips basketball. Graduating in January 1951, Willie passed up
offers from Penn State and Michigan State to attend Lincoln
University, a small predominately black NCAA Division II school in
Jefferson City, Missouri; among his classmates was