Central Pennsylvania. To some, it may seem like the middle of nowhere. Not Pittsburgh, not Philadelphia – just somewhere in the middle, a place where the Amish ride around in their buggies and tourists come to eat chocolate at Hersheypark. Well it might surprise you to know that not only is central Pennsylvania a locale bursting with interesting activities, a storied history and great people, but it’s also the birthplace of some of our biggest luminaries. You know about Milton Hershey of Hershey’s Chocolate, of course, but here are some other famous folks you may not have realized hail from central Pennsylvania.
LeSean McCoy
LeSean McCoy is an NFL running back who currently plays for the Kansas City Chiefs, and he was born and raised right here in Harrisburg, PA. McCoy attended Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg before going to play college football at Pittsburgh. After a promising college career, McCoy was drafted in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. McCoy spent the majority of his career with the Eagles (2009-2014), and in his final season with the team, he became the franchises all-time leading rusher. In the 2015 offseason McCoy was traded to the Buffalo Bills, where he spent 4 seasons before signing with the Chiefs in 2019.
Ricky Watters
LeSean McCoy wasn’t the first NFL running back to come from Harrisburg, and he wasn’t even the first to come from Bishop McDevitt High School. Ricky Watters attended Bishop McDevitt, though unlike McCoy, Watters played quarterback throughout his high school career. In 1987 Watters began his college career at Notre Dame where he played quarterback and wide receiver positions, until his final season when he switched to running back. Watters was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1991 NFL draft. He spent 3 seasons with the team and helped them reach the NFC championship in 1992 and 1993, and win the super bowl in the 1994 season. Watters then spent 3 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and 4 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks before his retirement in 2001.
Eddie Plank
People don’t talk much about Eddie Plank now, but Gettysburg Eddie from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, has a vital place in Major League Baseball history. Plank was a pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics, the short-lived St. Louis Terriers and the St. Louis Browns from 1901-1917, and was the first left-handed pitcher to win 300 games. He had a 1.32 ERA over four World Series appearances. He is still third all-time in wins among Southpaws and first among all lefthanders in career shutouts today.
David Jacob Eisenhower
David Jacob Eisenhower was mostly famous for his famous son. The Pennsylvania Dutch Eisenhower from Lancaster sired Dwight David Eisenhower, who would go on to become one of America’s greatest generals and the 34th president of the United States.
John Studebaker
Studebaker, born in Gettysburg and also of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry, would go on to become one of America’s foremost early car manufacturers and one of the largest until merging with Packard in 1954. A Studebaker is still considered a classic car today.
Newt Gingrich
Love him or hate him, Newt Gingrich has been an unmistakable, if polarizing, figure in American politics over the last 40 years. Born in Harrisburg in 1943, he was speaker of the house from 1995-1999 and his name was floated as a possible vice presidential candidate as recently as 2016.
Marques Colston
Fans of the National Football League’s New Orleans Saints will instantly recognize the name Marques Colston, as he is currently the all-time leader for the Saints in receiving touchdowns, receiving yards, yards from scrimmage, total receptions and total touchdowns. The Harrisburg native attended Susquehanna Township High School and was a key player in the Saints’ Super Bowl XLIV victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Other NFL stars hailing from central Pennsylvania include running backs LeSean McCoy and Ricky Watters, cornerback Robert Tate and linebacker Kevin Mitchell.
Chris Bowman
Bowman, born in Harrisburg, is an actor notable for performances in such films as “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” and television shows such as “North Shore,” “Lost” and “Prison Break.”
John Purdue
Born in 1802 in Huntingdon County, Purdue went on to become a wealthy industrialist in Lafayette, Indiana, eventually becoming the primary founder of the famous Purdue University.
You likely had no idea central Pennsylvania was such a breeding ground for fame. Who knows who the next big star will be to come out of this unassuming little part of Pennsylvania?
-Updated 11/27/2019