GETTYSBURG, Pa. – On a team full of superstars, Bill Brooks '67 stood out as much for his skills on the football field as his ability to bring people closer together in the quest for success and that is why he is headed to the Gettysburg College Hall of Athletic Honor as a posthumous inductee this Friday, Sept. 30.
 
Brooks contributed to four successful football seasons at Gettysburg. He helped the freshmen football team go unbeaten in 1963 with wins over Temple University (5-0), Bucknell University (20-8), Shippensburg University (42-0), and Stevens Trade School (28-6).
 
As a member of the varsity squad, the Woodbury Heights, N.J., native played on both sides of the line as the Bullets marched their way to the Middle Atlantic Conference University Division title in 1964. Undersized as a lineman at 5-9, 190 pounds, he used his skills and intellect to out-play his opponents and help Gettysburg earn a 7-2 overall record and its only MAC title.
 
"By today's standards or even back then, Bill was not a big player," recalled former teammate and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity brother Brian Tierney '67. "But he was extremely skilled and talented. He was also a very heady player. He understood the game and played it better than most."
 
Gettysburg turned in another winning campaign during Brooks' junior year as the lineman again continued his two-way play. He posted 14 tackle against Lafayette College and helped the team average over 170 rushing yards per game.
 
The feather in Brooks' cap came in 1966. After winning five of its final six games the prior year, the Bullets darted off to a 7-2 record and claimed the Lambert Memorial Cup, signifying the program as the top small college team in the East. Brooks was the team's starter at right guard and helped pave the way for a pair of all-conference running backs. He reached the scoring column himself, receiving a lateral from teammate Craig Markel '67 and dashing 45 yards for a touchdown against Albright College.
 
Brooks was much more than just a football player at Gettysburg. In addition to his on-field accomplishments, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and served on both the Dorm Council and the Athletic Advisory Council. Brooks was also elected Senior Class President.
 
Following graduation, Brooks was commissioned into the United States Army where he served 23 months overseas. He was stationed in Okinawa during the Vietnam Conflict and served a pivotal role during the Koza Riots, earning a Soldier's Medal because of his actions. He began a career in coaching football during his time with the Army, a passion he pursued through the 1970s with an assistant coaching role at Syracuse University before being named the head coach at Canisius College.
 
Brooks eventually moved into the sales profession and quickly rose to the top, eventually founding The Brooks Group based in Greensboro, N.C. He authored more than 20 books and has been named to the Staunton Military Academy Hall of Fame, Sales Hall of Fame, and the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame.
 
Brooks passed away in 2007 at the age of 62.
 
"Bill Brooks deserves to be in the Hall of Athletic Honor for several reasons," noted Tierney. "He was a multi-faceted individual. He was a consummate athlete, he was an excellent student, he was a superb leader, and most importantly, the character of Bill was just unsurpassed."