2006 Hollinger Breakfast

Hiram, Ohio -- During Alumni Weekend, Hiram College named its athletic Hall of Fame in honor of Williamm H. Hollinger, who coached and directed the College's athletic program for 33 years.

Mor than 100 former Hiram College student-athletes, past and present, coaches and Hollinger friends and family honored the man who was "Coach" to everyone from 1956 to 1989.

"I know," said Director of Athletics Tom Mulligan, "I can speak for the various directors who have served over the course of the past 16 years, and for the thousands of students, faculty and staff members who have at one time or another called Hiram their home. Bill Hollinger IS the director of the athletics program at Hiram College."

To Hiram students, athletes or not, Bill Hollinger, Class of 1943, was a super-sized presence on campus, despite his quiet, unassuming manner.

"To so many of us," said President Thomas V. Chema, "Bill Hollinger has been bigger than life so we thought we should have a Hollinger Hall of Fame photo that is indeed larger than life."

The five-by-seven foot photo of Hollinger, surrounded by members of one of his basketball teams and with his longtime assistant coach Bill Proverbs by his side, will hang above the entry to the fitness area of the Coleman Sports, Recreation & Fitness Center.

"I'm so honored and grateful," Hollinger told the audience. "Hiram, all of you and so many others have been such a big part of my life and meant so much to me.  Thank you."

Since his retirement in 1989, Hollinger has been a tireless advocate for and advisor to the Hall of Fame that will now bear his name.  The Hollinger Hall of Fame will be located on the second floor of the Coleman Center.

During his career, Hollinger's basketball teams won more than 300 games.  Five times he was named coach of the year by the various conferences in which Hiram cmpeted during his tenure.  Hollinger also coached football, track and field and baseball and was a professor of physical education.

Proverbs and former aide Jan West paid tribute to their boss, sharing stories about "Coach" that only his intimates would know.  Proverbs told the audience tales of harrowing snowy basketball trips during which Hollenger's driving tended to make Proverbs' vehicle the one of choice for the players.

"Coach could sure steer a team, though," Proverbs said. "He was such a wonderful boss, colleague and friend.  Bill Hollinger was really like a second father to me, and I could not have had a better one."

Jim Scher, former football player and the president of the Terrier Club, served as master of ceremonies and stressed Hollinger's influence on the athletic experience on four decades of players.

"Hiram College student-athletes do not go on to careers in professional sports," Scher said.  "They compete for the competition itself, for the ways in which it completes them as students.  When I played football, this approach was at the heart of the way in which Coach Hollinger and our other coaches guided us, and it is among the reasons we are here - to salute the right kind of emphasis that Hiram places on athletics."

In order to continue to give Hiram student-athletes this kind of experience, with the equipment, facilities and coaching necessary to compete in the North Coast Athletic Conference, Hollinger also is lending his name to what was previously the Terrier Fund. It is now the William H. Hollinger Fund for Athletics.

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Below are pictures from the 2006 Hollinger Breakfast.