By Dennis Berger

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Bill was born in Madera, California.  He began playing handball in grammar school when he was ten years old.  He started playing four wall handball on the Golden Gate Park Courts while attending Polytechnic High School in San Francisco.  In 1938 he joined The Olympic Club as a member of the handball team.  As a commissioned officer during World War II, he served as a B-17 navigator with the Eighth Air Force in England.  He was shot down, captured and interned in Germany for nearly two years.

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At The Olympic Club, Bill was one of the top handball players of all time, winning many championships including six national doubles.  Bill was big, aggressive and intimating.  He had the classic Irish swing.  He retired as Deputy Chief of the San Francisco Police Department.