Bill Brooks was a dual-sport athlete at Wesleyan, excelling in football and track. His speed led to records in both pursuits.
Originally Bill was a member of Wesleyan’s Class of 1946. However, his time on campus was interrupted by World War II, in which he served along with his three brothers. (His sister enlisted in the Red Cross.) His late brother Ralph (“Hap”) graduated in 1948.
Back on campus and on the football field, Bill played an integral role in three consecutive Wes undefeated seasons: 1946 (7-0), ’47 (7-0), and ’48 (8-0). A running back for the Cardinals, he holds the program record for longest scoring run from scrimmage, a 94-yard gain against Swarthmore in 1947.
Additionally, Bill achieved great success on the track and is Wesleyan’s all-time record holder in both the 100- and 220-yard runs, crossing the finish line in :09.7 and :21.3, respectively. He was New England 100-yard sprint champion in 1947, ’48, and ’49. His time in 1949 was second (to the eventual Olympics champion) in the ICAAAA (or IC4A). The 100-yard and 220-yard distances are no longer run, but in Cardinal statistic-keeping the older times are converted to measure against current runs. By that measure, Bill’s 100-yard record wasn’t broken until 2012, and his 220-yard record still stands.
An English major at Wesleyan, Bill spent his professional career at Morgan Stanley as a financial officer. His son, Bill Jr., followed him as a Wes grad and English major. Bill served for a number of years as class secretary and was chair of the 50th reunion for the Class of 1949. Retired, he now lives in Florida.
