The city of Indianapolis lost a good one recently when Wilson D. York passed away at the age of 91 years young in his home of Franklin, Tennessee where he had moved to be close to his daughter.
While he spent the last few years of his life in the Volunteer state, he remained a Hoosier at heart after an incredible career that saw him serve as the Media Center Director for the Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, each at a high level.
For those who wonder how any one individual could coordinate all those various responsibilities, you’re not alone as l often marveled at the way my friend orchestrated all that seasonally, in addition to a highly successful sales career.
While there may only be 24 hours in a day, Bill York stretched it further than anyone, reveling in the challenge and did it all quite efficiently with his trademark grin.
While his incredible professional accomplishments are well known,
It’s his personal qualities that l feel deserve some discussion, and with your indulgence, l will do just that.
He mentored many a sportswriter with his calm demeanor and always knew when someone needed to be corrected about their approach to covering the various teams and institutions he guarded so closely.
Courteous, professional and very knowledgeable are just a few ways to describe Bill, and over an incredible career that spanned several decades, he led the media through the good times and the bad ones that surrounded the entire central Indiana sports scene.
He was there when the Indiana Pacers kicked off their inaugural ABA season and still on the job when they reached the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
His tenure with the Indianapolis Colts was equally impressive as he took their Media Room by the horns upon their arrival at the Hoosier Dome and finished his run with them many decades later at Lucas Oil Stadium in a manner that Colts Chief Operations Officer Peter Ward cited as distinguished and loyal.
While he loved both of the aforementioned franchises, it was the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that he called his second home and the accomplishments he achieved at IMS were without question the stuff that only Hall of Famers compile, all the while fostering good will and great friendships with motorsports journalists from every major media outlet in North America and beyond in the process.
On a personal level, the Godfather of sports media offered me both sage advice and direction as to how to conduct interviews, meet deadlines, and the difference between good copy and rumors.
He comforted me when my wife suddenly collapsed and died, calling me daily and offering assistance.
To say he was a great husband and father would simply be a gross understatement, and he garnered the respect of high profile athletes, celebrities, politicians and journalists all over the country.
Bill York was both a national treasure and a truly down to earth human being, one that always had time to help others while asking nothing in return, and it was truly a distinct honor to offer my personal remarks to those in attendance at his recent Celebration of Life.
He made me a better writer and more importantly a better person for simply knowing him for all these years. As l said to his family and friends last Friday, “When l grow up, l want to be just like Wilson D. York.”
Rest easy my friend, and thanks for all the memories. Regretfully, this old curmudgeon never told you that he loved you, but something tells me you always knew that l did.
Danny Bridges, who has never met a finer man than Bill York, can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
Beautifully said, Mr Bridges.
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