Bill Belford, beloved coach, dies

Oakland Tribune, Aug 3, 2005 by Katherine Pfrommer, STAFF WRITER

OAKLAND -- William "Bill" Belford, a Bay Area basketball coach and philanthropist who was known as "the Godfather of McClymonds High School" for his half-century of community activism and youth involvement, died Saturday at his home. He was 75.

The legendary basketball coach founded his semipro basketball and youth basketball team, Belford's Believers, in 1953 and several players went on to NBA greatness. Past players include Jim Hadnot, Antonio Davis, Bill Russell, Paul Silas, Joe Ellis and Demetrius "Hook" Mitchell, his family said.

"For 50 years, he was working and paying for youngsters to play in leagues and help with their careers -- that's unparalleled," said Johnny Burks of Oakland, a former player for Mr. Belford. "It was like a rite of passage and an honor to play with him. No one will ever be able to match his record."

Born Aug. 21, 1929, in Texas, Mr. Belford came to Oakland at 14 to escape the racism of the South, his family said.

He graduated from McClymonds in 1948, but he never really left.

In addition to basketball, Mr. Belford volunteered for years at the high school -- working to get a new track field, fixing up the tennis courts, fighting for a school swimming pool, and generally having his say at school board meetings. In 1982, he organized a summer sports exchange goodwill trip for the varsity basketball team to travel to Senegal, Africa.

"He gave his life to the kids at McClymonds. He helped literally tens of thousands of people," Burks said. "He called his team 'Belford's Believers' because it was about having faith and believing in yourself. It was his lifelong commitment."

A construction worker by trade, Mr. Belford formed his own construction company. In addition, he worked as a public works employee for the city of Oakland and the East Bay Municipal Utility District. He also ran Believers drive-in restaurants.

For seven years, Mr. Belford carried a large cross and various handmade signs in front of Berkeley City Hall each morning to protest Berkeley rent control. Mr. Belford built a multiunit building himself at a time when other landlords would not rent to African-American tenants, and he felt rent control was unfair, family said.

Mr. Belford was honored in 1990 with the San Francisco Foundation's Daniel E. Koshland award. He used the award to fund several West Oakland community projects.

In 2002, a serious automobile accident left him a quadriplegic. For a while he tried to coach from his wheelchair, but it proved to be too difficult, family said.

Mr. Belford is survived by wife Evelyn Belford; son William Belford Jr.; stepchildren Charles and Edward Herndon, Daryl and Alycia Young and Stacie Cheatem; 12 grandchildren; three great- grandchildren; four sisters; and one brother.

Viewing is from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday at McNary-Morgan-Greene and Jackson Mortuary, 3630 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. A wake will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Bethany Baptist Church, 5400 Adeline St., Oakland. Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at McClymonds High School auditorium, 2607 Myrtle St., Oakland. Contributions can be made to the William Belford Community Fund, 940 37th St., Oakland, CA 94608.