Dave Martin ’66 Elected to Camden County Sports Hall of Fame

Dave Martin '66, left, with GC classmate Mr. Robert Nark when coach Martin visited the school in 2013.

Dave Martin ’66, left, with GC classmate Mr. Robert Nark when coach Martin visited the school in 2013.

Former GCHS standout athlete Dave Martin, a long-time great South Jersey baseball coach at Cherry Hill East, has been elected to the Camden County Sports Hall of Fame.

Coach Martin will be honored by the Hall of Fame on October 29 at the Crowne Point Plaza in Cherry Hill along with 10 other indctees.

The 1966 Gloucester Catholic graduate excelled as one of the top pitchers in South Jersey in the 1960s, and followed a remarkable playing career with an equally impressive coaching career.

At GC Martin batted .334 and was a top-flight pitcher all four years. A highlight of his Gloucester Catholic career came against Camden Catholic when he struck out 19 batters and shut out the Irish 2-0 in a 1966 contest.

At Southern Illinois, he pitched in the 1970 College World Series, where his team finished as national runnerup to Southern California. Martin then signed as a free agent with the San Francisco Giants and spent a season at Decatur in Class “A” ball.

His success led to a teaching and coaching position at a then-new Cherry Hill East School — and the rest, as anyone will point out, is South Jersey history. Over the years, Martin’s teams won more than 500 career games, two South Jersey Group 4 championships (1988 and 1998), five Olympic Conference American Division titles and four titles in the old South Jersey North Conference. His Cougars also won the Diamond Classic in 1986 and 1992.

Tickets are available now for the Hall of Fame induction dinner. To purchase tickets, call (856) 401-2451 or email halloffame@camdencounty.com.