Hall of Fame
Bill Hoover at 167 pounds was an all-Ohio end for three years and captain of the undefeated, once-tied 1947 Miami team that won the program's first postseason football bowl venture over Texas Tech January 1, 1948. A product of Louisville, Ohio, Hoover was one of those freshmen with whom Coach Stu Holcomb in 1942 began rebuilding Miami football. Hoover returned from World War II Navy service to earn three more letters under Coach Sid Gillman in 1945, 1946 and 1947, becoming one of Miami's first two four-year lettermen of "modern" times.
In those three post war seasons, he helped Miami compile a record of 23-5-1. His teammates included five who already are Hall of Fame members and eminent representatives of the Cradle of Coaches: Paul Dietzel, Mel Olix, Ara Parseghian, Paul Shoults and Richard (Doc) Urich. During student days Hoover was a partner, with Sigma Chi fraternity brother Art Goldner, in the old College restaurant. He was end coach on the staffs of Coaches George Blackburn, Woody Hayes and Ara Parseghian in the football seasons 1948-51.
After college, Hoover became the owner-manager of the Capitol-Varsity Equipment, Inc., based at Oxford. He was inducted into the Miami Hall of Fame in 1979.
