Lifelong Harvard Sports Fan Dies at 93

Harvard's athletic programs have lost a lifetime fan.

Henry I. Zimmerman '25, who for the past 30 years never missed a home men's basketball or football game, died of natural causes last Tuesday in Brookline. He was 93.

"Henry was a diligent season-ticket holder who used whatever means necessary to get to the games," said head men's basketball coach Frank J. Sullivan. "He held viewing athletic competitions close to his heart."

Zimmerman did more than attend games. Two years ago, when he felt the basketball team's free-throw shooting skills were declining, he endowed a small award to motivate the players.

The team now presents the Zimmerman Award--a plaque and Harvard tie symbolic of the sports coat and tie he wore to each game--at its annual dinner to the team's best free-throw shooter.

"He wasn't a man with an awful lot of money, but this was his way to contribute to the program," said Kyle F. Snowden '97, the award's two-time recipient. "He was there to present the award, and while it was a small award in terms of the gift itself, it was the action that counted."

Zimmerman never played a sport while an undergraduate, choosing instead to sing with the Harvard Glee Club and study German. But Zimmerman's grandson, Gary E. Zimmerman '99, said his grandfather was still an avid fan.

"I used to attend games with him, and he would hold the program tightly and completely concentrate," said Gary Zimmerman, a Crimson editor. "He knew all the players by name."

The elder Zimmerman even attended preseason practices just to introduce himself to the team members.

"He took being a fan to the next level," Sullivan said. "He made a point of getting to know the [first years] and really tried to follow the kids throughout their maturation."

"He was proud of the fact that he was admitted at a time when he felt that the opportunity to come to Harvard was extremely special," the coach added.

"For the rest of his life, he felt an indebtedness to Harvard for admitting him, and he maintained that connection by being a dedicated fan," he said.

Zimmerman's widow, Bona B. Zimmerman, said her husband's devotion to the players helped her understand his enthusiasm for Harvard athletics.

"I went to the Harvard-Yale football game the first time we met and used the time to read the New York Times cover-to-cover," she said. "I wasn't that enthusiastic, but I felt the love he felt for the boys."

"When they were discouraged, he was their friend. They looked to him for advice," she added. "I can't even remember when he didn't attend a game. He was just permanently available."

Zimmerman's family and friends remember him as a man who truly devoted himself to the things he loved.

"He was a vigorous man who loved life. Up until a few years ago, he walked a few miles each day, and I remember playing catch with him when I was younger," his grandson said. "He was a great influence on my life, including my decision to come to Harvard."

In addition to his wife, Zimmerman is survived by two children and four grandchildren.