In Memory

Bill Frantz

Coach Frantz grew up in Trenton, NJ, and was the starting tackle on offense and defense from the time he stepped on the field as a freshman at the University of Miami. He was the captain of the team in 1947 that won the Orange Bowl and was selected as one of Miami's first All Americans. He received his MA from Columbia University. Bill was the line coach for the football team and worked with lifelong friends Russ Spicer, Al Gant, and Leo Castle throughout his career where they spent many years producing winning teams. But more importantly, they taught values and helped build character in the many athletes they coached.  

 

Coach Frantz was also the head wrestling coach at HMHS with a record of 135-41-1 and three state championships (Gene Kain, Chick Sherwood, and Ronnie Biglan). He won 13 straight conference championships and was helped by his great friend Joe Foulk. He was inducted into the South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame. He and his daughter, Joan, are the only father/daughter combination in the Haddonfield High School Athletic Hall of Fame. 

 

Many of us remember Coach Frantz as the Recreation Director and Driver's Education teacher. We lost him at age 87, in 2009, at his home in Miramar, Florida.



 
  Post Comment

05/07/16 11:41 PM #1    

Josh Gitomer

I had Mr. Frantz for Driver's Ed as many of us did, and spent the first few months of my senior year slightly terrified of him and dreading the class. If, god forbid, I hit 26 MPH, he would stomp on the secondary brake pedal and yell “Hold your horses there, speed demon!”  

 

But far more important, he was in my foursome the day I shot a hole-in-one at golf team practice. Admittedly, it was a blind shot directly into the sun, and all I did was hit it and hope for the best. But Mr. Frantz started jumping up and down yelling, “It’s in the cup! It’s in the cup!” None of us believed him, but sure enough, he was right. Then later, when Mr. Beer (the team coach) started to belittle the achievement due to the considerable luck factor, Mr. Frantz, to my eternal gratitude, jumped to my defense. After that, driver’s ed was my favorite course!


  Post Comment