William H. (Billy) Bancroft, 1904-1993, was born in Livingston, Alabama, the son of Josiah Dozier Bancroft and Isla E. Brown. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Birmingham, Alabama.
He had two siblings; Billy’s sister Rosa was born in 1899. His brother, Josiah Jr. , was born in 1903.
Billy graduated from Woodlawn High School in 1922. He attended Howard University in Birmingham, playing football while earning his degree.
He stayed on as a coach at Howard and became the head coach 1934-39. In 1935 Howard tied Alabama 7-7.
In the off-season he played minor league baseball.
Billy played for six minor league baseball teams; the 1928 Montgomery Lions, the 1929 Spartanburg Spartans, the 1930-1933 Birmingham Barons, the 1934-1935 Oklahoma City Indians, the 1939 Selma Cloverleafs and the 1940 Gadsden Pilots.
IN 1931, BILLY GOT THE GAME WINNING HIT OFF DIZZY DEAN IN THE DIXIE SERIES PLAYED AT RICKWOOD FIELD. THIS WAS, AND STILL IS, THE MOST FAMOUS BASEBALL GAME PLAYED IN ALABAMA, AND IS STILL TALKED ABOUT AND CELEBRATED TODAY.
Billy is one of the few, if not the only minor league player to have a signature glove manufactured by the the Rawlings company. The G900 Billy Bancroft professional model.
He played second and third base with a lifetime 275 batting average and 960 fielding %.
He managed Selma in 1940 and Gadsden in 1941. After serving his war duty, he coached at Anniston High School from 1946-58.
From 1958-70 Billy was boys' advisor at Woodlawn High School before retiring. As a student, I can attest to the fact that he could swing a paddle as well as he could swing a baseball bat!
Billy was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.
Bio: David (Kerry) Smith – Class of 1965 – Woodlawn High School
He had two siblings; Billy’s sister Rosa was born in 1899. His brother, Josiah Jr. , was born in 1903.
Billy graduated from Woodlawn High School in 1922. He attended Howard University in Birmingham, playing football while earning his degree.
He stayed on as a coach at Howard and became the head coach 1934-39. In 1935 Howard tied Alabama 7-7.
In the off-season he played minor league baseball.
Billy played for six minor league baseball teams; the 1928 Montgomery Lions, the 1929 Spartanburg Spartans, the 1930-1933 Birmingham Barons, the 1934-1935 Oklahoma City Indians, the 1939 Selma Cloverleafs and the 1940 Gadsden Pilots.
IN 1931, BILLY GOT THE GAME WINNING HIT OFF DIZZY DEAN IN THE DIXIE SERIES PLAYED AT RICKWOOD FIELD. THIS WAS, AND STILL IS, THE MOST FAMOUS BASEBALL GAME PLAYED IN ALABAMA, AND IS STILL TALKED ABOUT AND CELEBRATED TODAY.
Billy is one of the few, if not the only minor league player to have a signature glove manufactured by the the Rawlings company. The G900 Billy Bancroft professional model.
He played second and third base with a lifetime 275 batting average and 960 fielding %.
He managed Selma in 1940 and Gadsden in 1941. After serving his war duty, he coached at Anniston High School from 1946-58.
From 1958-70 Billy was boys' advisor at Woodlawn High School before retiring. As a student, I can attest to the fact that he could swing a paddle as well as he could swing a baseball bat!
Billy was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.
Bio: David (Kerry) Smith – Class of 1965 – Woodlawn High School
William H. (Billy) Bancroft, 1904-1993, was born in Livingston, Alabama, the son of Josiah Dozier Bancroft and Isla E. Brown. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Birmingham, Alabama.
He had two siblings; Billy’s sister Rosa was born in 1899. His brother, Josiah Jr. , was born in 1903.
Billy graduated from Woodlawn High School in 1922. He attended Howard University in Birmingham, playing football while earning his degree.
He stayed on as a coach at Howard and became the head coach 1934-39. In 1935 Howard tied Alabama 7-7.
In the off-season he played minor league baseball.
Billy played for six minor league baseball teams; the 1928 Montgomery Lions, the 1929 Spartanburg Spartans, the 1930-1933 Birmingham Barons, the 1934-1935 Oklahoma City Indians, the 1939 Selma Cloverleafs and the 1940 Gadsden Pilots.
IN 1931, BILLY GOT THE GAME WINNING HIT OFF DIZZY DEAN IN THE DIXIE SERIES PLAYED AT RICKWOOD FIELD. THIS WAS, AND STILL IS, THE MOST FAMOUS BASEBALL GAME PLAYED IN ALABAMA, AND IS STILL TALKED ABOUT AND CELEBRATED TODAY.
Billy is one of the few, if not the only minor league player to have a signature glove manufactured by the the Rawlings company. The G900 Billy Bancroft professional model.
He played second and third base with a lifetime 275 batting average and 960 fielding %.
He managed Selma in 1940 and Gadsden in 1941. After serving his war duty, he coached at Anniston High School from 1946-58.
From 1958-70 Billy was boys' advisor at Woodlawn High School before retiring. As a student, I can attest to the fact that he could swing a paddle as well as he could swing a baseball bat!
Billy was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.
Bio: David (Kerry) Smith – Class of 1965 – Woodlawn High School
He had two siblings; Billy’s sister Rosa was born in 1899. His brother, Josiah Jr. , was born in 1903.
Billy graduated from Woodlawn High School in 1922. He attended Howard University in Birmingham, playing football while earning his degree.
He stayed on as a coach at Howard and became the head coach 1934-39. In 1935 Howard tied Alabama 7-7.
In the off-season he played minor league baseball.
Billy played for six minor league baseball teams; the 1928 Montgomery Lions, the 1929 Spartanburg Spartans, the 1930-1933 Birmingham Barons, the 1934-1935 Oklahoma City Indians, the 1939 Selma Cloverleafs and the 1940 Gadsden Pilots.
IN 1931, BILLY GOT THE GAME WINNING HIT OFF DIZZY DEAN IN THE DIXIE SERIES PLAYED AT RICKWOOD FIELD. THIS WAS, AND STILL IS, THE MOST FAMOUS BASEBALL GAME PLAYED IN ALABAMA, AND IS STILL TALKED ABOUT AND CELEBRATED TODAY.
Billy is one of the few, if not the only minor league player to have a signature glove manufactured by the the Rawlings company. The G900 Billy Bancroft professional model.
He played second and third base with a lifetime 275 batting average and 960 fielding %.
He managed Selma in 1940 and Gadsden in 1941. After serving his war duty, he coached at Anniston High School from 1946-58.
From 1958-70 Billy was boys' advisor at Woodlawn High School before retiring. As a student, I can attest to the fact that he could swing a paddle as well as he could swing a baseball bat!
Billy was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.
Bio: David (Kerry) Smith – Class of 1965 – Woodlawn High School
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