William Henry Jr. ROETZHEIM

Bill Roetzheim started his gymnastics career with the Southside Turners before attending the University of Illinois Navy Pier. He later transferred to Florida State University and led that school to the 1951 NCAA Championship, also winning the individual all-around and the horizontal bar. At the 1951 Pan American Games Bill Roetzheim, who travelled on his own costs to Buenos Aires, as the USA did not send a gymnastics team, won two gold medals (all-around and horizontal bar) and two silver medals (floor and pommelled horse). During his career, Roetzheim won seven AAU titles, including the all-around in 1948, 1950, and 1951. He also won AAU apparatus titles on the horizontal bar in 1950-51, and the pommelled horse in 1951 and 1953.

Roetzheim later became gymnastics coach at University of Illinois – Chicago Circle from 1968-73 and then became athletic director at the school in 1974. He was a member of the FIG Technical Committee from 1984-96. Roetzheim is a member of the US Gymnastics Hall of Fame, the National Gymnastics Judges Association Hall of Fame and the Illinois High School Hall of Fame.