GOOD DNA AND CAMARADERIE KEEPS LOCAL PROFESSOR PLAYING BASKETBALL AT AGE 70

Diamond Bar, CA: The economy and age has nothing on Professor Bill Taylor, who at the age of 70-years continues his Saturday 7:30am regiment of playing " hoops " with 30-40 regular ballers at Chaparral Middle School , 1408 Spruce Tree Drive, Diamond Bar , California.

For nearly 30+ years, Professor Taylor has been a regular at the basketball "pick-up" games. Bill arrives at 7:15am each Saturday and "sweeps" the asphalt court before most of the players arrive at 7:30am.

Business Banker, Roy Miller, has been coming to the Saturday event for nearly 24-years and says: "I love the brotherhood of the BB group. We need more Bill Taylor's in this world."

"It is incredible, says Mike Fox, a 8-year participant of the Saturday hoops, that this man has so much stamina to come every Saturday for 30-years, sweep the courts and run up & down the court. I hurt after our 2-3 hour sessions, but Bill has no pain...it's amazing."

Another regular, Ike Enriquez of Diamond Bar, 12-year Saturday veteran, states: "The court is lousy, I just come for the camaraderie of the guys, including our leader Bill."

Eric Tate started playing when he was 18 years old and 22-years later he still attends the Saturday ritual stating: "Bill is the only one of the original group still playing, he is the founder, but he has not lost a step...he looks exactly the same! Bill has found the fountain of youth."

Danny McCoy of Upland has been coming since 1989, because "Bill is our leader, we call him The Commissioner because he sets the example for all the players age 15 to 60+. There is no profanity, it's all about having fun."

Steve Jennison of Diamond Bar, saids: "I come here to get exercise and camaraderie with the guys and Bill is our Commissioner, he is a great guy."

Bill Taylor was born June 3, 1939 in Bell, California. He attended Colton High School, graduated from UC Riverside with BA in Physics in 1961, Masters in Physics in 1964, and PhD in Physics in 1966.

Bill was a Post Doctorate Professor at Iowa State University for 4-years and since then has taught Physics at Cal State Los Angeles since 1970.

Bill has 3 sons who ocassionally play basketball, John (age 43), Eric (age 41), Dave (age 38).

Bill has been married to his original sweetheart since 1964 (45 years).

When asked why he continues to play basketball, Bill responded:

"I started playing one-on-one with my brother in 1975 and fell in love with the game and some 34 years later, I am fortunate enough to continue to run with the guys. I even played against Keith Van Horn many years ago before he became a great NBA player. But mostly, I just love the guys I meet and running up and down the court.

Even though I live in Glendora, it's a little bit of a drive, I just love the group of guys who come every Saturday morning. I would not know what to do without basketball and I plan on running another 20-years if I can."

Wi-Jin Lee, an "I.T. Geek" says: I come because there are so many nice people, I am short and a novice, but Bill once scolded a player not to use an elbow to protect us all."

Billing Supervisor, Ben Magdangal states: The Commish sets a very good example for all ages, ballers or wannabe's."

For more information on the Saturday group and Bill Taylor, please contact Mike Fox at (949)235-1017.

Many thanks to Mike Fox who authored this article and to Robert "Wei-Jin" Lee for the photographs.