William A. Nelson, 1954 (Soccer/Baseball/Basketball)
A three-sport letterwinner, William A. Nelson graduated in 1954 after a standout athletic career at Syracuse. He excelled in soccer, earning three varsity letters. He earned All-America honors in 1953 and an invitation to participate in the U.S. Olympic trails. In addition, Nelson earned varsity letters in basketball and baseball. Nelson was introduced to SU athletics in 1939, when he met SU’s first-ever football All-American and Olympic medal winner, Bill Horr. While at Syracuse, Nelson was a member of Phi Epsilon Kappa, a men’s physical education national honorary.
Following graduation he began his professional career as a physical education teacher and coach at the Seneca Fall Central School. After six years there, he spent nine years as the Director of Physical Education and coached various teams from 1960 through 1969. Nelson then moved on to become the first-ever Director of Physical Education and Recreation at Harrisburg Community College, where he stayed for 23 years. One of his many accomplishments was the establishment in 1972 of the Pennsylvania Hardcourt Tennis Championship Tournament, which drew players who were ranked nationally and internationally. From 1971 through 1979 Nelson was a golf consultant for the National Golf Foundation and from 1980 through 1982 he was the Director of Golf for the Chase Golf and Tennis Camp in Bethlehem, N.H. Since 1990 he has worked as an international golf photographer.
In 1973 Nelson assisted in the formation of the Hampden Township Youth Soccer program, which now has 2,200 boys and girls participating. The Hampden Township Girls National Championship Tournament evolved out of the soccer program, and in 1986, the tournament was dedicated to Nelson. In addition to his involvement with youth soccer, Nelson refereed the game for 28 years, including 66 NCAA Championship games. In 1986 Nelson worked with the Harrisburg Area Community College Alumni Association to begin the school’s annual Golf Classic, a fundraising effort to support scholarships for students at the college. Nelson was recognized with the 1992 Mayor’s Award for Distinguished Public Service for the City of Harrisburg and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A Varsity Club member since 1980, Nelson continues to support the club’s events and donates to various funds.
