William Francis Denehy

William Francis Denehy ("Wild Bill")
March 31, 1946 – June 27, 2025
William Francis Denehy, affectionately known as "Wild Bill," passed away on June 27, 2025, in Orlando, Florida.
Born March 31, 1946, in Middletown, Connecticut, Bill was the only child of Anna Zawisa Denehy and Francis "Stretch" Denehy. From an early age, he distinguished himself with exceptional athletic talents, excelling in both baseball and basketball. After high school, Bill signed with the New York Mets, foregoing college scholarship offers in basketball to pursue a professional baseball career.
Bill's meteoric rise in the minors earned him wide acclaim, visible on the iconic 1967 Topps rookie card shared with now-legend Tom Seaver. That November, he was famously traded to the Washington Senators in exchange for their manager, Gil Hodges-making him one of the rare few ever traded for a manager. Eventually making his way to the Detroit Tigers, Bill earned the nickname "The Assassin" by infamous manager, Billy Martin. Though injuries shortened his playing career, Bill's blazing fastball and competitive spirit became the stuff of legends among teammates, coaches, and fans alike.
After transitioning away from the field, Bill became one of the first on-air personalities for the short-lived all-sports Enterprise Radio Network, the precursor to WFAN. In 1981, he hosted a weekend sports talk show from 1:00 A.M. to 4:00 A.M., proudly nicknaming himself "Wild Bill" for that show. He later returned to regional sports media, hosting radio shows in Middletown, CT, and Springfield, MA, where he continued to inspire sports fans with his insight and charisma.
From 1981 to 1983, Bill transitioned into coaching as a pitching coach in the Boston Red Sox minor league system-first with the Double-A Bristol Red Sox and then with the New Britain Red Sox. He moved into collegiate coaching, serving as head coach of the University of Hartford's baseball team from 1985-87. During his tenure, he notably recruited and coached future MLB star Jeff Bagwell.
After moving to Orlando, Florida in the late '80s, Bill worked within the golf industry - for reputable Edwin Watts and as a golf instructor for Natural Golf. He also co-authored an instructional book, "Intrinsic Golf – It's Within You: How to Play Better Golf When You Don't Have Time to Practice or Take Lessons", which taught readers how to rely more on "feel" than someone else's method.
In 2014, Bill co-authored his gritty memoir "Rage: The Legend of 'Baseball Bill Denehy'" with Peter Golenbock. The book provides an unfiltered look at his life-the promise of a baseball career cut short by injury, the corrosive effects of addiction, the devastating impact of cortisone shots on his vision, and his eventual journey to sobriety and peace.
Even more than these career highlights, Bill was a funny storyteller, good friend, loving father, and sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous for over 34 years, who helped many recovering members. He was extremely creative and intelligent – always coming up with ideas that may not have always had their day in the sun. He is survived by his daughters, Heather and Kristin, and his twin granddaughters, Lily and Gwen. He is also survived by his ex-wife, Marilyn, and her extended family, who always enjoyed his stories, sense of humor and advice for all things baseball (and softball). He also kept in very close contact with the Lombardo brothers, Teddy and Grog, who, until the very last day, talked with him about the Yankees.