A Millersville native,
J. William "Bill" Palmer saw perhaps more Millersville home events--from 1917 by his estimation until his passing in February 1998--than any one in the institution's 106-year athletic history. He was a bat boy for the Millersville baseball team at age 8; and at age 10, he kept the scoreboard for the Millersville State Normal School basketball team in old Dutcher Hall Gymnasium.
When he was a youngster, Palmer honed his basketball skills on a makeshift court he created in the bell tower of Old Main.
A fine all-around athlete who earned nine varsity letters as a collegian (4 in basketball, 3 in baseball and 2 in football), Palmer was an integral member of back-to-back State Teacher's College basketball squads at Millersville in 1933-34 (10-3 record) and 1934-35 (11-1 mark). He was elected co-captain of the 'Ville cagers in his senior year.
Palmer was a charter member of Phi Sigma Pi honorary fraternity and president of the Millersville Varsity Club. After graduating with a bachelor's of science in education degree in industrial arts, he served as assistant baseball coach at Millersville from 1936 to 1939. He also earned a master's degree in education from Penn State in 1941.
In baseball, Bill once played for the Durham Bulls minor league club in the Cincinnati Reds' farm system. He was a teammate of Johnny VanderMeer, who earned fame as the only pitcher in major league history to hurl back-to-back no-hitters.
For seven years (1935-42), Palmer was a teacher (industrial arts, algebra, and civics) and coach (basketball, track and soccer) at Lancaster Township Junior High School.
From 1942 until his retirement in 1977, Palmer was employed by RCA in Lancaster as a manufacturing superintendent and as a facilities administrator.
Active in local youth athletic associations, Bill coached the East End Panther 16-year-old baseball team that won the Lancaster New Era Tournament and the Pennsylvania state title, he also coached numerous Little League and Babe Ruth League teams in Lancaster.
Palmer served as president of the following organizations: Lancaster Township PTA, Greater Lancaster Junior Midget Baseball League (10 years), Lancaster Township Baseball Association (3 years), the Lancaster Officials Club, and the Lancaster Township Civic Association. He was a board member of the Lancaster American Legion Baseball League and served as its scheduling director. He also was a six-year member of the Millersville Lions Club.
The Palmer maintenance building on campus was named in honor of Bill's father, Aaron.
