Ed Snitger

Ed Snitger was born and raised in Beaver.  He participated in 3 sports at Beaver Area HS - football, basketball and baseball.  He was captain and starting end for Beaver when they played for the 1960 WPIAL Championship.  He was also a defensive back and extra point kicker and named All-Conference as both an end and punter. 

Ed played basketball his senior year on the 60-61 team that made it to the WPIAL playoffs.  Beaver posted a 20-2 record that year.

He joined the baseball team as a freshman and was a pitcher and third baseman.  Ed was captain of the 1961 team that went to the playoffs.  He pitched a no hitter against New Brighton his senior year and was invited to try out with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as a pitcher.

After graduation, Ed went to Purdue University on a football scholarship.  He started his senior year as a tight end and caught passes from Football Hall of Famer, Bob Griese.

After college he came back to Beaver and was hired as a teacher and coach in 1965.  He joined Pat Tarquinio’s staff and coached with him for 35 years, becoming the Defensive Coordinator.  He received PA’s Football Coaches Award for Asst. Coaches and was inducted into the Beaver Co. Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.  He was honored with the Beaver Area HS #1 Jersey in 2013.

Ed was the assistant baseball coach for 6 years, then became head coach for 28 years.  During that time, the team won over 300 games, 5 section titles and 1 WPIAL championship.  In 1983 Beaver was the first Beaver County team to have reached the PIAA state playoffs.  The team was a runner-up in the championship game.  Two major leaguers were on that team - John Burkett and Doug Piatt.  Ed was twice named Coach of the Year in baseball. 

Ed was also involved in the Beaver Co. Baseball League, where he organized, managed and played with the Beaver Grays for 8 years, making the playoffs and winning the title each year.  He began playing for the Beaver Bobcats in 1957, and aside from a 4-year hiatus to Purdue, Ed stayed with Beaver until his retirement in 1999.