2006 Inductee William Houle, 1939
“Although I am biased in my opinion, I believe that my dad’s accomplishments while a student at BHS are exceptional. As evidenced by the list of achievements, he was not only a very good athlete and a terrific student, he was also a leader on and off the field of competition.”
So wrote William C. Houle on the Hall of Fame nomination form about his father, William B. Houle, Class of 1939.
Nicknamed “The Blond Comet,” Bill B. was so gifted an athlete, he earned nine varsity letters during his tenure at BHS from 1935-39, and was one of the first male athletes to earn a varsity letter as a freshman when he lettered in basketball at the ripe old age of 14.
But Bill’s biggest accomplishment occurred in both 1938 and 1939 when he was named Honorable Mention, All-Ohio in basketball, a feat almost unheard of back then, especially for an athlete at a small school like Bellevue. Making the feat more impressive was that Bellevue was “Class A” in the 1930s, considered part of the “big school” class alongside names such as Massillon, Canton, and Toledo. 1938 also marked the first time in Ohio history that an All-Ohio team was named in basketball.
After picking up his first varsity letter in basketball as a freshman, Bill earned two letters as a sophomore, in football and once again, basketball.
As a junior, Bill once again lettered in football, captained the basketball squad picking up his third varsity letter in that sport, and also participated in and lettered in track and field. Bill repeated that same cycle a year later as a senior, captaining the football team as well as the basketball team.
“The Blond Comet” spearheaded his basketball defense to a combined record of 61-22 with four straight league titles in his four-year career.
Although he participated in track and field just two seasons, Bill managed to excel in the shot put, 100-yard dash, 220-yard dash, low hurdles, and the 800-yard relay team. As a junior, he competed in two events at the renowned Mansfield Relays.
While at BHS, Bill was also class president, president of the National Athletic Scholarship Society, was a member of Hi-Y and the National Honor Society, and was the only boy to graduate in the Top 10 of his class, graduating fourth overall.
Bill then attended the University of Michigan where he played freshmen basketball in 1939-40, and joined the varsity team a year later before Uncle Sam came calling and drafted Bill into service. Although he never returned to U of M after the war, Bill attended the prestigious Oxford University while stationed in England during the war.
Making all of his accomplishments that much more unbelievable was the fact that, since birth, Bill has been legally blind in one eye.
Bill continues to reside in his hometown of Bellevue