Bill Saltzman was one of several young men recruited fromPhiladelphia in the spring of 1928 to help reserve the fortunes ofthe football program that had won only one game in the previousyear and was touted as an outstanding backfield prospect. In hissophomore year, he broke into the starting lineup early and soonbecame one of the offensive and defensive stars of the team. Hisbest two games were in F&M victories against Swarthmore andMuhlenberg. In the Swarthmore game, his 50-yard run with anintercepted pass set up an F&M touchdown.
He scored touchdowns and kicked extra points in other games,called signals, and ran for 25, 16, and 15-yard gains in setting upthe key touchdowns in a 20-0 defeat of Muhlenberg. Saltzman wasnamed captain of the team in his junior season. During that year,he helped lead the team to five victories, including the first overGettysburg since 1922. In preparation for that game, Coach JonathanMiller said, "Saltzman has proven to be a fighting leader and I amdepending greatly on the two Bills (Britton and Saltzman) onThanksgiving Day." He was not disappointed. Britton scored the onlytouchdown of the game and Saltzman was given the game ball by histeammates. In his senior year, Saltzman was a major force onoffense and defense, and he added a kicking game as well.
Against Muhlenberg, for example, he scored a touchdown, kickedthree extra points and a field goal. He and teammate Benny Mazloffled a defense that limited opponents to an average of five points agame and shut out four opponents, including Gettysburg 2-0. Twoother games might have been shutouts but touchdowns were scoredlate in the games against F&M reserves. After graduating fromF&M, he played professional football for several seasons forteams around Philadelphia and Lancaster, and then moved intocoaching at Cheltenham High School, where he taught and was headfootball and basketball coach for many years.
He was also the head wrestling coach at Temple University from1944-51. But just before WWII, Saltzman found his true calling as acamp director, and found Camp Canadesis in 1941 in the Poconos. Thecamp soon became (and still is) one of the outstanding camps forsports and outdoor activities in the nation. "Uncle Bill" asSaltzman has been known to thousands of youngsters over the past 50years, was a great example for young people. Saltzman also foundedthe Golden Slipper Camp for needy children and the Variety Club forhandicapped children, and made sure that those youngsters hadopportunities in sports and outdoor activities as well.
Saltzman is being honored posthumously for his outstandingfootball career and his contributions to sports and athletics aftergraduation as a coach and revered camp director.
