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Tom Ackerman was regarded as one of the state's most outstanding athletes throughout the early 1950s. He starred in basketball, golf and baseball during an amazing Hilltopper career, which was split into two sections due to military service.
Ackerman was a 3-time All-WVIAC selection in basketball (1952, 1955, 1956), making the WVIAC All-Tournament Team in 1952 and 1956. He was drafted by the Minneapolis (now Los Angeles) Lakers following his sophomore season in 1952 but chose to enter the Army instead due to the Korean Conflict.
The cat-quick guard returned to West Liberty following his two-year stint in the military and picked up right where he left off, athletically and academically, earning back-to-back first-team All-WVIAC berths in basketball while also earning multiple All-WVIAC honors in baseball and golf.
Ackerman has the distinction of being the only WVIAC athlete ever to be selected to the WVIAC's All-Time Teams in three sports – basketball, baseball and golf. He enjoyed a lengthy coaching career following his playing days but kept the competitive fires burning. He teamed with his son, Danny, to win the 1984 National Father-Son Golf Championships in Pinehurst, N.C.
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