Former Georgia 2-sport star Zippy Morocco dead at 86

Posted April 25, 2016 7:00 am

The Associated Press

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - Anthony "Zippy" Morocco, the University of Georgia's first basketball All-American and one of the school's most accomplished return specialists in football, has died. He was 86.

Morocco's son, former Clemson quarterback Chris Morocco, says his father committed suicide on Sunday following a battle with depression and cancer. Chris Morocco said on his Facebook account the family will donate Morocco's brain for CTE research. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a progressive degenerative brain disease.

Morocco, from Youngstown, Ohio, was Georgia's first basketball All-American in 1953. In football, he returned two punts for touchdowns in 1950. His career average of 14.2 yards per return ranks third in Georgia history. He was inducted into Georgia's Circle of Honor in 2002.

After serving in the Army, Morocco established a successful real estate business in Athens.

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.