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After seeing his first Orphan basketball
game in 1954 Bill Taylor was hooked on
Centralia High School basketball.
There isn't anyone who wants to see
Centralia win more than he does.
While he can be very
opinionated about his first love of
Centralia basketball, he is also very
appreciative of opposing teams. He is
always one to congratulate or wish good luck
to opposing coaches, players and
cheerleaders during his most favorite time
of year, the Centralia Holiday Tournament.
Bill has likely seen as many
basketball games in Illinois as anyone in
the state. In 1985 he attended an
amazing 165 games! He has seen every
IHSA boys' state championship games either
in person or on TV since 1957.
After being the first graduate
from Centralia City Schools with perfect
attendance, he became a football and
baseball player in high school. Two of
his baseball teams, 1961
and 1962,have
been inducted into the Centralia Sports Hall
of Fame (1992
and 2002
inductees). His grand slam home run in
the sectional championship game propelled
the Orphans to the school's first IHSA Elite
Eight baseball appearance in 1962.
Taylor also has a special
interest in the CHS Annie's softball
program. He was an assistant coach
from 1986 through 1990. The 1988
Annies made it all the way to the Elite
Eight round of the IHSA state tournament
with a 21-6 record. This team has also
been inducted into the Centralia Sports Hall
of Fame (2007
inductee).
Taylor has served on the
Centralia Sports Hall of Fame committee
since 2000.
In 2012 Bill was inducted into
the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association
Hall of Fame as a friend of basketball,
becoming the 7th Centralian so honored.
Bill has been married to Wanda
for 44 years and she too is an avid Orphan
fan.
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