Bud Zipfel

Marion Sylvester Zipfel was born on 18 November 1938 in Belleville, Illinois, to Agnellus H. Zipfel and Tolethia R. Zipfel, née Honer. He had a twin sister, Marilyn, and three brothers. A gifted athlete at Belleville High School, he graduated in 1956 and at 17 signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees.

Zipfel progressed through the Yankees' minor league system as a powerful left handed hitting first baseman, topping 20 home runs in 1958 and 1960. Chosen by the Los Angeles Angels in the 1960 expansion draft, he was traded at once to the expansion Washington Senators for Ken Hamlin.

After impressing in spring training and batting .312 with 18 home runs for Syracuse in 1961, he made his major league debut on 26 July 1961 and stayed with Washington for the rest of the season, hitting .200 with four home runs in 50 games. Drafted into the Marine Corps after the season, he returned for 1962, was recalled on 26 June and hit .239 with six home runs in 68 games while playing first base and left field. His final major league home run, in the 16th inning on 12 September 1962, won the game in which Tom Cheney struck out 21 batters.

Career MLB totals across 118 games were a .220 batting average, 10 home runs and 31 RBI. Sold to Cincinnati after 1962, he played four more minor league seasons with Reds, Tigers, Phillies and Cardinals affiliates and retired after 1966. His surname closed the title of Aaron to Zipfel (1985), Rich Marazzi and Len Fiorito's survey of every major leaguer who debuted in the 1960s.

After baseball Zipfel returned to Belleville and for more than 50 years owned and operated an insurance and real estate business. He shared his personal and professional life with Jackie Elmore for 46 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and a son-in-law. He is survived by Elmore; children Jillana, Todd, Jennifer and Heather; five grandchildren; and his twin sister Marilyn Boehne. Memorials were suggested to the Association of Professional Ballplayers of America.

Zipfel died peacefully on 10 October 2026 at Highland Health Care Center in Highland, Illinois, aged 87. An obituary published through George Renner and Sons Funeral Home and RiverBender.com announced visitation and a funeral service for 17 October 2026 in Belleville, with burial at Mount Carmel Cemetery. Wikipedia and baseball reference sources record the same death date.

Zipfel is remembered among Washington Senators expansion era players and as a lifelong Belleville figure whose business career lasted far longer than his two major league seasons. The 1985 book Aaron to Zipfel fixed his place in the reference literature of 1960s debut players, and local obituaries stressed the relationships and community life that followed his playing days.