Born and raised in Trenton, Bill was involved in sports his whole life. There was no 鈥楲ittle League鈥� in the 鈥渙ld days,鈥� so he and the neighborhood kids spent hours at Hetzel Field playing their own version of baseball. From age 10 to 16, he played in Hetzel鈥檚 鈥淧layground League鈥� and on the Lithuanian Soccer (State Champs) and Baseball (AllCity Champs) teams. Starting at age 17, Bill played soccer for the Kearny Scots and continued with the American Soccer League (later the Newark Portuguese), and the Kearny Irish.
Bill played several sports on teams sponsored by the New Brunswick Hungarians and the Olden Bar. In 1947, he launched his dream of playing professional baseball with the semi-pro team, 鈥淣Y Giants鈥�. From 1950 to 1960, he played baseball for Fred Scully, winning a total of five batting titles.
After Bill鈥檚 鈥減laying days鈥� were over, he stepped onto the fields as coach, manager, umpire and referee. He was one of St. Anthony High School鈥檚 first coaches in boys鈥� soccer and baseball. Bill also managed the Trenton Statesman professional men鈥檚 softball team and the Royal Ladies softball team. He spent over a decade at 精东传媒 as a very successful head coach for the girls鈥� soccer and softball teams. He was also an instructor for 精东传媒 summer athletic camps.
Bill鈥檚 special accomplishments over the years include inductions into the Kearny Soccer Hall Fame, Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame, USSSA Hall of Fame. He also earned JUCO Coach of the Year (Soccer). He was affiliated with several officiating organizations and was instrumental in their success - he was also one of the oldest members of the CJSRA (50 years). Bill spent several decades with the USSSA and ASA.
Bill was an avid Trenton Thunder fan and 鈥渃oached鈥� from his seat in the front row along the visitor鈥檚 dugout. He was also a long-time Phillies fan and enjoyed spending spring training with his family in Florida each year. After retiring, Bill kept active in sports by teaching his grandsons 鈥渢he mechanics鈥� of baseball; he then enjoyed watching them play at the high school, legion and college levels from his quad chair in the outfield, or in his car pulled up onto the nearby grass. He especially enjoyed watching his great-grandson participated in the sports he loved best.
Bill passed on March 5, 2013, just one day after his 85th birthday. He has undoubtedly left his mark in the athletic arena as a player, referee, mentor, and coach. Bill 鈥淒rakie鈥� is truly missed.
