Bill Present

Bill Present
Bill Present
1923–2002

Category
Basketball
Year Inducted
2006
Sports were definitely a major part of the life of Bill Present whether it was as a player or a supporter. For parts of eight decades, Present was a fixture in the area scene at Jamestown High School and Chautauqua County athletic events.Present was born in Jamestown on April 20, 1923, and was a 1941 JHS graduate where he played his favorite sport, basketball. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Present played on several excellent teams for the Red Raiders and one compiled an impressive 13-5 Bi-County League record under late coach Rolland Taft in his senior year.

Present was known as Jamestown's fast-break star while Rhoe Benson was the top scorer. He kept in touch with his former teammates with reunions many times over the years and the last time it was held in Bemus Point where they had a shoot-a-round.

After graduation from high school, Present went to Allegheny College where he again excelled in basketball and in the classroom. Present held an Allegheny record for several years of making the most consecutive free throws. That record was only broken within the last 25 years. He was a key member of the 1942-1943 Allegheny team that went 10-3 and on the night before he was to leave for the Army and World War II, he hit the winning shot at the buzzer to defeat Carnegie Tech, 49-47.

more about Bill Present


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