Story by Fred Stabbert III
HORTONVILLE – For thirty years outstanding senior student-athletes from the local high school have been winning the Billy Moran Scholarship.
It’s a scholarship which his friends and family wish they never had to start.
Billy was killed 31 years ago, in the prime of his life, while attending spring training for the Union College baseball team in Daytona Beach, Fla.
A standout three-sport athlete, Billy excelled both academically and athletically at the former Delaware Valley Central School in Callicoon before winning an athletic scholarship to Berkshire Prepatory School in Massachussetts.
From there, Billy went on to an outstanding career at Union College, where the 20-year-old was a starting pitcher on the baseball team.
Six-foot-one and 220 pounds of solid muscle, Billy died on April 1, 1981 after being hit by a hit-and-run driver just a day after pitching for his beloved Union Bulldogs against the St. Louis Cardinal farm team on March 27.
A shocked and saddened community mourned the loss of one of their native sons, and a scholarship in his honor was begun the next year to keep his memory alive.
Today, three decades later, his exploits on the gridiron, court and diamond are captured only in our mind’s eye.
The son of William and Kathleen Moran of Hortonville, Billy would take on any challenge in front of him.
He participated in the Annual Tug-of-war at the Upper Delaware Canoe Regatta, Punt, Pass & Kick competitions, played for the junior hockey team coached by Ed Curtis, was a Hortonville Fire Dept. fireman and served as an assistant athletic trainer at Union.
Today’s winners of the scholarship will never know Billy, and that is their loss.
‘But the memories of his laugh, his fastball, his long TD passes and deadly jumpshot will live on forever.
If you want to give…
Billy Moran’s memory lives on because of people’s generous contribution of time and money.
Kathleen Moran, Billy’s mother, said, “We are increasing the scholarship next year from $2,500 to $3,000.
The Billy Moran Memorial Golf Outing will be held this Sunday, July 1 at the Villa Roma Country Club in Callicoon.
Golfers can still sign up or donations can be made by calling 845-887-4734 or 845-887-4174.
The Scholarship is awarded annually to a Sullivan West graduating senior who maintains a 90 average and also plays in at least two sports. Citizenship and leadership are also criteria.
Billy Moran
Scholarship recipients
‘83- Michael Bauer
‘84 - Katrina Roeder
‘85 - Brian Roeder
‘86 - No recipient
‘87 - Jason Kraack
‘88 - Neil King
‘89 - Brian Brustman
‘90 - Pamela Abram
‘91 - Tracy Busch
‘92 - Michael Larsen
‘93 - Kelly Buddenhagen
Christopher Reichmann
‘94 - Stacey Sattler
‘95 - Matthew Buddenhagen
Brian Ranaudo
‘96 - Janel Benson
‘97 - Lauren Sebastiano
‘98 - Stephanie Hubert
‘99 - Kristen Palmer
‘00 - Elisabeth Hubert
‘01 - William Reichman
‘02 - Megan Moran
‘03 - Kelly Mullally
‘04 - Ashley Relyea
‘05 - Joe Winski
‘06 - April Ackermann
‘07 - Kienan Garn
‘08 - Sarah Lander
‘09 - Justin Armstrong
‘10 - Autumn Ackermann
‘11 - Gabrielle Humleker
‘12 - Kristina Sumfleth
