Tribe Athletics Mourns the Loss of Bill Chambers

College of William & Mary

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William & Mary Athletics Family mourns the loss of Hall of Famer Bill Chambers, 86, who passed away on Tuesday, July 11, in Alabama. An All-American during his career, Chambers starred for the Green and Gold men's basketball program before graduating in 1953. He returned to serve as the Tribe's head coach for nine seasons (1957-66). 
"The Tribe Basketball family is deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Bill Chambers," W&M head coach Tony Shaver said. "He is a legendary figure in our program both as a player and a coach, reaching remarkable heights. We implore our student-athletes to strive to do extraordinary things at W&M and in their lives. Bill Chambers is a shining example of the extraordinary individuals that this place produces and the impact they can have. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. The Tribe family will sorely miss him." Chambers, who was inducted into the Tribe Athletics Hall of Fame in 1973, was a two-time All-Southern Conference selection and still ranks second in school history in rebounds (1,270) and 11th in scoring (1,456). He holds the NCAA record for rebounds in game, pulling down 51 against Virginia on Feb. 14, 1953. His No. 32 is one of five men's numbers retired and hanging from the rafters in Kaplan Arena. Chambers was an NBA Draft pick of the Minneapolis Lakers in 1953. 
He returned to his alma mater as the program's head coach in 1957 after successful stops at Warwick and Newport News High Schools that included a pair of Virginia State Championships. Chambers went 113-110 in his nine seasons at the helm, leading W&M to third-place finishes in the Southern Conference in 1960, 1963 and 1966. In 1960, Chambers led the Tribe to an upset win over Jerry West and No. 4 West Virginia, snapping the Mountaineers 56-game conference winning streak. "Besides my parents, coach Bill Chambers had the most significant impact on ...

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