Bill Roetzheim obit

William 'Bill' Roetzheim passed away 

 He was not on the list.

With great sadness the American and international GYMfamily shared the passing of the two times Olympian William "Bill" ROETZHEIM (85), of Plant City, on Wednesday, February 26, 2014. Bill Roetzheim was born in Chicago, IL, and was a U.S. Army Veteran, serving the U.S. during the Korean War.  He was a highly successful gymnast, winning 9 National Championships in AAU and NCAA competition. He was a member of two USA Olympic Gymnastics Teams (1948, 1952).

Bill Roetzheim was the first American to bring home gold in the Pan American Games in 1951. He served as a superior judge at the Olympic Games in 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996. In 1951 while a sophomore at FSU, William Roetzheim single handedly outscored all gymnastics teams in the National Collegiate Gymnastic Championships, winning FSU the first national athletic team championship in any sport.

Roetzheim was inducted into the Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1975 followed by his induction into the inaugural FSU Hall of Fame class of 1977. Roetzheim coached high school gymnastics for 14 years (1955-1968) winning three state championships. He served as Gymnastics coach and later Athletic Director at the University of Illinois at Chicago from 1968 until his retirement in 1985.

Bill ROETZHEIM was an extremely accomplished and innovative gymnast, sportsman and personality!

This is the long list of successes and activities in his very strong carreer:

1947 - U. S. Team against Czechoslovakia

1948 - U. S. O1ympic Team (London) 1949 National A.A.U. All Around (Chicago)

1950 - Florida A.A.U. High Bar, Side Horse, Rings. Parallels, Tumbling, AA;

        - Southeastern A.A.U. High Bar. Rings, Parallels, All Around

        - Mid-West Open Intercollegiate High Bar. Side Horse, Parallels, Rings, AA.

        - National A.A.U. All Around, High Bar (Los Angeles)

        - U.S. Team against Japan, Pommel Horse;

        - All-American Team All Around, High Bar;

1951 - Florida A.A.U. High Bar, Pommel, Rings, Parallels, Calisthenics, AA;

        - Represented U. S. in Pan-Am.Olympic Games at Buenos Aires. High Bar, AA;

        - N.C.A.A. All Around, High Bar (Ann Arbor)

        - N.A,A.U, All Around, High Bar, Pommel (Detroit)

        - All-American All Around, High Bar, Pommel

1952 - FlorIda A.A.U. All Around, Calisthenics High Bar;

        - Georgia A.A.U., Pommel, High Bar 1952 U. S. Olympic Team (Helsinki);

1953 - Alabama Open Invit.Champion. Calisthenics, High Bar, Pommel, AAA;

        - Florida A.A.U. All Around, High Bar, Calisthenics;

        - Georgia A.A.U. ; AA, , High Bar 1953 National A.A.U. Pommel.

Bill Roetzheim has the distinction of being the first North American to be elected to the World Gymnastics Federation (F.I.G.).

He was Head Gymnastics Coach at the University ofIllinois at Chicago Circle from 1968 to 1973 and during this time started the Windy City Gymnastics Invitational.

Bill became the Athletic Director at U.I.C.C in 1974. A USAG Hall of Fame Member, he is also credited with helping to organize the Illinois High School Boys Gymnastics Program. Bill was an athlete, a founding father of modern day gymnastics and an International FIG Judge.

Bill Roetzheim will be missed from all members of the big gymnastics family.

His legacy can be felt throughout the gymnastics community where all stand in both thanks and awe at his life.