William “Billy” Moloney
Class of 1974
Inducted in 2014
Performing as a stalwart pitcher on Coach Mike Skaff’s Lowell High School Baseball teams of the early 1970’s, William F. Moloney embarked on an athletic journey that ultimately saw him play a key role in the success of several Major League baseball teams.
As a member of the Raider Baseball team, Bill enjoyed a stellar senior season ( 1974) as the Raiders ‘ top pitcher. Bill recorded a record of 5-2, accounting for the majority of Lowell’s 7 victories. Bill’s three shutouts ranks him 2nd on the all-time LHS list and his superb seasonal earned run average (ERA) of 0.82 ranks 10th. Included in his efforts was a 15-strikeout performance against perennial power St. John’s Prep. The 15 strikeouts also ranks high in the LHS Baseball Record Book. Bill’s name can be found in many other pitching categories of the record book, including his 78 strikeouts in 1974 and his career ERA of 0.82, which ranks 2nd all-time. After graduation Bill attended University of Massachusetts, Lowell, where he blossomed into one of the Chiefs ‘/Riverhawks’ greatest all-around players. As a senior Bill culminated his career by leading the nation with an ERA of 1.01. His career record was a standout 18-5 (.783 winning percentage).
A four-year player for Coach Jim Stone, Bill pitched and played 1st base for UMass Lowell, setting over 20 school records both as a pitcher and a hitter. Among his pitching school records are career ERA (2.07), career victories (18), and career strikeouts (179). As a hitter, Bill batted a career .282 and set career school records for hits (98), homeruns (11), and RBI (75).
Bill was inducted into the University of Massachusetts Lowell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983.
After graduation, Bill signed with the Boston Red Sox as a pitcher, realizing a childhood dream. He played several seasons in the Red Sox Minor League system, eventually advancing as high as the AAA level, one step below the Major Leagues. His playing days over, Bill remained active in professional baseball, first as staff member/batting practice pitcher with the Red Sox and then sharing his considerable expertise as a pitching coach in the Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays minor league systems.