Inducted on November 10, 1994
Bill was born in Virginia on May 30, 1923. He moved to New Jersey at a young age and started boxing in 1943. As an Amateur he won the New Jersey Golden Glove Title.
During the next 12 years he fought and beat some of the top contenders of his day including Red Applegate, Bob Baker, Jimmy Walker and the Great Cuban Heavyweight Nino Valdes who was the Number 1 contender for the heavyweight championship of the world which was held by Rocky Marciano.
Bill also fought and held his own against future world title holder Harold Johnson and the former heavyweight Champion of the World Ezzard Charles.
Bill was married to the former Mildred Mosley on January 26, 1947 and they had one child, a girl named Lynn who passed away on January 27, 1980. Lynn had two children, Nicole Hancock (who also passed away on May 2, 1994) and Jayson Royster who resides in Paterson.
Boxing Record: Billy Gilliam