Thomas D. Weldon

• Post by: mcalibrary
• January 11, 2024
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INDUCTEE

Bolick, Eshmont, Ficca, Filopowicz, Hynoski – these are the professional athletes who make up the marquee names of the Romance Chapter Hall of Fame. Coaches like Breslin, Diminick, and Terry are mentioned when you talk about all time records. Athletes like Diminick, Fantanarosa, Sheptock, Glowtaski, and Varano have all distinguished themselves on the collegiate level. But the heart, and the soul, of the local chapter is made up of athletes who were told that they were too small, too slow, or not strong enough. They all reached down to prove every one wrong, and went on to have very successful careers in their chosen sport and helped their teams to reach the highest possible level of success. I guess you can call it good, old fashioned, “coal region” work ethic. Tom Weldon was one of those athletes.

Tom played for coach Jazz Diminick’s Red Tornadoes from 1977 to 1979 and would help them to a 28-7 record, with 5 of those losses coming at the hands of Berwick and Pottsville. Tom would become the starting strong safety as a junior and led the team in tackles with 97, the 6th best season ever at the time. He would post five 10-tackles games that year, including a 13 tackle effort against Berwick and adding 16 more in the clash with Pottsville. As a senior, Tom would add 87 tackles to place his career total at 186, good enough for the 7th best total in Tornado history at the time. He posted five more 10-tackles games in his senior season, including another 13 against Berwick.

Weldon showed his versatility on offense where he contributed as a running back, receiver, punt and kick off returner. In addition, he punted and kicked off . His highlight game on offense came during a 22-14 victory over a powerful State College, where he had 4 receptions for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns of 23 and 49 yards. Tom would be given the Len Eshmont Award following the ’79 season and earned Reading Eagle honorable mention.

Tom’s leadership qualities were recognized when he was chosen to captain the football, wrestling and track teams during his senior year. He would win Schuylkill League Gold Medals in the long jump, 200 meter and 400 meter relay in 1980. Tom was also a two-time PIAA State Meet participant in track after winning District IV gold in 1978 and 1980 as part of the 4 x 400 meter relay team.

Following graduation, Tom went to Bucknell University where he earned a BSBA in 1984. He also received degrees from the Central Atlantic School of Trust at Bucknell University in 1989 and the National Graduate Trust School at Northwestern University in 1991. Tom and his wife Stacey have a son, Sawyer (8) and daughter, Piper (18 months) and reside in State College. Weldon is the Vice President/Trust Officer at the Northwest Savings Bank in State College

Today, Tom joins teammates Bob Zavarick, Jed Karpinski,Ed Diminick, Paul Szymanski, Dan Glowatski, Tom Cole, Frank Sheptock, and John Diminick as members of the Ed Romance Lower Anthracite Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.