Saint Michael's College

An incredibly gifted athlete, Billy was one of the few major three-sport stars, and the first outstanding black athlete in Saint Michael's history. Despite having never played organized football before entering Saint Michael's, Billy was SMC's starting halfback and leading scorer in 1947 and 1948, and was a 1948 All-State selection. He led the basketball team in scoring in 1947-48 and 1948-49, and was named team MVP, All- State, and All-New England honorable mention in 1947-48. In baseball, Billy played centerfield and was probably the greatest leadoff man in the program's history. He hit .372 in 1948 and .355 in 1949, and was named All-State First Team in 1949. Billy left Saint Michael's after signing a professional baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs in the summer of 1949.