March 1, 2012

George J. Hossenlopp '65
Position: Catcher
Hometown: Nutley, N.J.
Current Residences: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. and Orient, N.Y.
Occupation: Retired Vice President of Florida Rock Industries (now Vulcan Materials)
Family: Married to Linda Baker Hossenlopp for 46 years; three children and six grandchildren

What attracted you to Lafayette?
First, my brother graduated from Lafayette in '61. Secondly, it was a great school where I could play a very good level of both baseball and football.

What do you miss about Lafayette?
Looking back on college life, I miss the people and the feeling of being on my own for the first time in life.

What collegiate baseball experiences have been invaluable to your successful career?
Charlie Gelbert, our head coach, was a great model of focus and competitiveness, and working with teammates taught me well the value of collective effort in achieving goals.

Looking back, what do those seasons mean to you now?
We had Charlie's first two losing seasons in '63 and '64. That was a burden, particularly to our seniors. Looking back on our success in '65, it's obvious that the whole of the team was better than the sum of its parts. While it is a cliché, that thought served me very well in business and other ventures over these many years.

What was your most memorable moment playing Lafayette Baseball?
My most memorable moment was driving in the tying and winning runs in the Eastern Region Finals to help send us to Omaha for the College World Series.

Is there one teammate you would love to hear from?
I saw most of my teammates at the recent Friends of Baseball event.

What advice do you have for Lafayette student-athletes?
Work as hard as you can both in the classroom and on the field. Enjoy to the fullest your days at Lafayette and the friendships you enjoy and recognize that most of your lives will change more dramatically than you realize upon graduation.