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Features
League Of Women Voters To Honor 2 At Luncheon
Belmont Heights LL Founder And Star Coach:
Billy Reed Dies After Illness At 86
The League of Women Vot- ers of Hillsborough County will honor 2 at its 2018 Life- time Achievement Awards Presentation and Luncheon. The event will be held on Thursday, February 8, 2018, 11:30 a. m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 4500 W. Cy- press St., Tampa (33607).
The luncheon will celebrate
Mrs. Geraldine McKin- non Twine, a retired Regis- tered Nurse, as the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree. She will be intro- duced by her daughter, Judge Barbara Twine Thomas.
Also honored during the luncheon will be Joe Guidry, former Opinion Ed- itor of The Tampa Tribune.
GERALDINE MCKINNON TWINE
...RN, BSN, MA, MSN, ARNP
He will receive the 2018 Syd- ney and Thalia Potter Civic Leadership Award. He will be introduced by retired lobbyist Kathy Betancourt.
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Saturday, December 30th, Coach Billy Reed died after a lengthy illness at Tampa Lakes Rehabilita- tion Center. He had cele- brated his 86th birthday on December 10th.
Early Life
Born in the Hyde Park section of Tampa, Isadore Reginald “Billy” Reed, Jr., attended the public schools of Hillsborough County. He attended Mid- dleton High School, where he excelled in basketball, football, and baseball.
After graduating in 1949, Coach Reed continued his education at Florida A & M University, where he once again was a standout in all three sports. He graduated with a degree in Physical Education.
While in college, Coach Reed met his wife, Mrs. Dorothye Reed. They cel- ebrated their 56th wedding anniversary June 18th. They became the parents of 2 daughters and 3 grandchil- dren, Mrs. Reed said.
A devout Catholic, Coach Reed was a long- time member of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church.
Professional Career Coach Reed returned to Tampa and launched his professional career at his alma mater, Middleton High School, in 1957. Dur- ing his tenure at the segre- gated high school, Coach Reed touched the lives of hundreds of students teach- ing and coaching football
and baseball.
In 1968, Coach Reed
became one of the founders of the Belmont Heights Lit- tle League Baseball pro- gram.
It was created to provide a place for young African American boys to have safe and nurturing environment to play baseball.
His former players who went on to become profes- sional players included: Dwight Gooden, Gary Sheffield, Derek Bell, Floyd Youman, Carl Everett, Kiki Jones, and Vance Lovelace.
Between 1973 and 1981,
COACH ISADORE REGINALD “BILLY” REED, JR. 12/10/1931 --- 12/30/2017
the Belmont Heights Little League produced four teams that took part in the Baseball Little League World Series Champi- onship.
Coach Reed continued teaching and coaching at Middleton High School until the school closed in June 1971. Instead of retir- ing like many educators did when Middleton closed, Coach Reed, with 23 years on the job, transferred to Hillsborough High School, where he continued influ- encing the lives of students and athletes alike.
During his career that spanned 49 years, Coach Reed retired after dedicat- ing 26 years of his life at Hillsborough High School.
While at Hillsborough, Coach Reed produced five playoff teams and two squads that won the Sal- adino Tournament Champi- onship.
In 1980, under his guid- ance, the baseball team par- ticipated in the Class 4A State Tournament.
Although he retired, Coach Reed never lost his passion for helping the Bel- mont Heights Little League program. In February 2017, he hosted a Coaches & Par- ents Baseball Clinic.
He was also honored dur- ing that event for his contri- butions by the Belmont
Heights Little League Alumni Association during the “Coach Billy Reed Lead- ership Fundraiser Dinner.” The event honored Coach Reed and reunited mem- bers of the 1973 All-Star Baseball Team.
Health Forum
In 2015, Coach Reed, David Snow, III, Chester White, created the Men’s Health Forum at the College Hill Church Of God In Christ, Superin- tendent Charles Davis, pastor. It met monthly and invited guest speakers from the health profession to ad- dress the audience. The men later expanded the forum to include women. The forum was held on the
last Friday of each month.
Other Honors Coach Reed was in- ducted into the Florida A & M University Sports Hall Of Fame as an outstanding athlete. He was also in- ducted into the Hillsbor- ough High School Football Hall of Fame, in October
2015.
In 2000, he was inducted
into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and the Hillsborough High School Baseball Sta- dium is named in his honor.
Funeral services for Coach Reed were incom- plete at press time. Ray Williams Funeral Home is in charge of handling arrangements.
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