Member Biography

Skip Minisi attended Newark Academy in his hometown before enrolling at Pennsylvania, where he was a star running back for George Munger's Quakers. The 5-11, 190-pounder also played one season at the U.S. Naval Academy, in 1945, before returning to Penn to win All-America acclaim. While only a freshman, Minisi was a standout in every department. In his first game against Duke in 1944, he helped give the Red & Blue an unexpected victory. That same year he intercepted a Dartmouth pass and returned the ball 69 yards for a touchdown, ran for a 63-yard scoring burst against Michigan, and sped 67 yards for a touchdown in the Cornell game. During his season at Navy, Minisi snagged a last minute pass that gave Tom Hamilton's Middies a 14-7 victory over Penn. He also saved Navy from defeat in the Notre Dame game with a spectacular tackle in the closing seconds of play. A southpaw passer and shifty runner, Minisi helped the Red and Blue defeat Navy again after re-entering Penn in 1946, and was the New York Giants' number one college draft choice the following year. Minisi went on to be a senior partner in a Philadelphia law firm and president of the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Football Officials. In 30 years, Minisi officiated in over 100 major college games.