November 13, 2010

Butch Shockley Inducted into Chester County Sports Hall of Fame

From Conestoga High School to West Chester State Teachers College (now West Chester University), William "Butch" Shockley was a star athlete through all different parts of Chester County.

While there are few records to attest to Shockley's greatness as a high school football player at Conestoga in the mid-1950s, those who played with Shockley described his exploits as nothing they've seen before or since. He was a key member of coach Bill Paolontonio's first team in 1995. Paolontionio went on to coach football at Conestoga until 1972.

After graduating high school, Shockley decided to play collegiate football for West Chester State Teachers College. In his three years there, the Golden Rams went 25-2, capturing an undefeated season in 1957 and a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship in 1959.

Shockley, a running back, was an integral part of the team's success. In both 1958 and 1959, he was named to the PSAC first team. And over 50 years later, he continues to hold numerous running back records at West Chester. In 275 career carries, Shockley rushed for over 2,000 yards for a total of 8.67 yards per carry.

After Shockley graduated, he was drafted by the New York Titans (which became the New York Jets) of the newly formed American Football League. In a record that will never be broken, Shockley scored the first points of the franchise. He later played for the Buffalo Bills and one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Not only did Shockley excel at football, some say if he hadn't chosen the sport, he could have been a major league baseball player. He played baseball at Conestoga, West Chester State and also in the West Chester Adult Baseball League.

Shockley died on Dec. 7, 1992. He was posthumously inducted into Conestoga's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.

—MARY LOU DOYLE