Rodger Williams

• Post by: mcalibrary
• January 11, 2024
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INDUCTEE

Ending up where you started. Most would believe that not to be a good thing. For Rodger Williams, it was a very good thing! When he walked off the field at the Silver Bowl following his last football game at Mount Carmel in 1958 as a player, I’m sure Rodger had no idea that he would culminate 44 years of officiating by walking off the field at the Silver Bowl. Williams finished that game with Mount Carmel and Selinsgrove without being noticed; just the way officials like it.

Williams cam back “home” to Shamokin as a teacher in 1965 following two years of teaching and coaching in New Jersey. Roger has officiated a number of Eastern Conference Championship games, several Eastern Final games, as well as, a number of District and interdistrict playoff games He also officiated the PIAA AAAA State Championship game in 1996. In addition to high school, Roger has officiated at the college level. For 25 years. He has worked games in Division III, Division II and Division I-AA, including the Ivy League, Yankee Conference, and Patriot League. He was chosen to work in two NCAA playoff games. In 1976, Williams was one of 33 finalists from which the NFL hired six officials.

Rodger also spent more than 25 years umpiring baseball, working two PIAA finals at Shippensburg. He worked his last game behind the plate in 1986 in a PIAA playoff game in which Montoursville ace and New York Yankee Mike Mussina defeated Boyertown.

Williams played freshman football at Lafayette College in 1959 and participated in baseball in 1960.Following graduation, Williams worked as an assistant baseball coach at Waldwick High School in New Jersey in 1965, before returning to Shamokin as an assistant in 1966. He served as the head coach for the Indians from 1967 thru 1972.

Rodger’s playing career started at Mount Carmel where he would earn 8 varsity letters in football(3) basketball(1) and baseball (4).

Williams and his wife, Dianne, have operated a real estate appraisal firm for the last 20 years.