William Inderbitzen’s name is synonymous with Hilmar High School, particularly its baseball program. For members of the community, it was only right that his name and accomplishments be immortalized in some way at the ballfield in which he spent so many of his days.
A standout player, successful coach, beloved teacher and in later years a respected athletic director and commissioner of the Trans-Valley League as well as a longtime member of the Hilmar-Irwin-Stevenson Lions Club, “Wild Bill’s” legacy on and off the diamond was forever cemented Thursday with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque during a pregame ceremony.
Inderbitzen passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 1, 2024 at the age of 85. Ahead of Thursday’s TVL clash between the Yellowjackets and visiting Orestimba High, nearly 100 family, friends, colleagues, players and local dignitaries gathered to reminisce and celebrate the late skipper’s life. It was a sight that "overwhelmed" Hilmar Unified School District Board of Education Trustee Tim Jones.
“Your presence says a great deal, not only about how much Bill meant to this community but about the values he stood for and lived every day,” Victor Diaz of the Lions Club told Thursday’s crowd. “Today, we unveiled this memorial plaque in honor of Bill, a man whose impact cannot be measured simply by years of service, but by the lives he changed.”
“I think just by everyone being here, it speaks loudly as to everybody he has touched,” added Inderbitzen’s daughter, Lee Ann Wrinn. “If you knew him as a friend, whether it's family, whether it was as a coach, a mentor or through volunteering, we just want to thank you because obviously his dedication and everything that he put out in the world has come back full circle. I think it's just a testament of how any one person can touch a lot of lives and make a big difference.”
The new plaque, which the Lions Club helped fund and was voluntarily produced at cost by Turlock Memorial Park, features an image of the late skipper and lists his many accomplishments in Hilmar. It is permanently mounted on the snack bar building located directly behind home plate of the school’s varsity baseball field.
After seven years of teaching between Waterford and Le Grand, Inderbitzen landed at Hilmar High in 1967, where he taught world history, physical education and driver’s education until 1998. Inderbitzen took the helm as the Yellowjackets’ baseball head coach in 1968, and over his 24-year coaching career, he won 309 games and six league titles (‘74, ‘76, ‘84, ‘85, ‘88, ‘89). Seven times he was named Coach of the Year. In addition to coaching, he served as athletic director from 1975 to 1999, and was named Athletic Director of the Year honors in 1996. Beginning in 2005, he continued to shape local athletics as commissioner of the TVL, a position he served in until his death. A Lions Club member since 1967, Inderbitzen was honored as Lion of the Year in 2017-18.
“One of Bill's greatest passions was education. He believed deeply that opportunity changed lives, and he didn't just believe it, he acted on it,” Diaz said. “Bill was instrumental in building and sustaining our scholarship awards, ensuring that students had access to possibilities they may not have thought of or even reached. Because of Bill, countless young people have stepped into brighter futures. That legacy continues every day with every scholarship awarded, every student encouraged, every dream supported. Those are living reminders of Bill's work and his heart… This plaque is more than just a marker. It's a promise that Bill's dedication will not be forgotten, a promise that service still matters, and a promise that one individual committed over time can truly shape our future.”
Inderbitzen’s journey in education began at Stanislaus State in Turlock, where he earned his teaching credential following a successful baseball career. He made his initial mark at Ceres High School, starring four years on the varsity baseball team. He was named an all-star each season and helped the team capture a Valley Oak League Championship.
At Modesto Junior College, he led his teams to second- and third-place finishes in Northern California, setting the stage for a stint at San Jose State. As a Spartan, he earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education while helping lead the baseball club to All Coast and Big 8 Conference championships. Individually, he was named to the All-Conference First Team and earned MVP honors from the California Intercollegiate Baseball Association in 1960, finishing with a .307 batting average and 17 RBIs.
Watching the ceremony from the field was the 2026 Hilmar High baseball team, led by head coach Frank Hilliard.
“It was an incredible day all-around,” Hilliard said. “Bill has absolutely left a legacy on this community, especially this program… He has put a lot of time, love and energy into this place, not only as a coach and a teacher but with the Lions Club. What he's done for this community is extremely incredible.
“What I want the team to take away from this is that the love and appreciation people have had for this small town of Hilmar, what people have done the generations before is what gets us to where we’re at today.”
Yellowjackets now sport winning record
Two hours after the ceremony concluded, Hilmar capped off a two-game sweep of Orestimba with an 11-1 win in six innings. They won by a similar 10-1 score the day prior.
The Yellowjackets improved to 2-4 in the TVL and to 7-6 overall heading into spring break.
“There's a lot of league games to be played, a lot of games in the season left to make our mark on the TVL and hopefully get back in a playoff spot,” Hilliard said. “We can't look back on the past. We need to turn the page.”
As offense has been hard to come by this season, this week may have marked a turning point. Before this week, the team batting average was under .250. Now they are hitting a collective .281. Providing the offensive spark has been Jacob Sward, driving in four runs on a pair of triples Wednesday and collecting two more hits Thursday before exiting with an injury late. Junior Solis has had five hits, three RBI and three runs scored over the two games over the Warriors.
What has been a strong point over the course of the 2026 season has been the pitching of Stuart Contreras and Xavier Silveira. Contreras has a 1.15 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 24.1 over six appearances, while Silveira sports a 3.63 ERA and 30 punchouts in 17.1 frames over five starts.
Silveira dealt from the jump Thursday, collecting 10 strikeouts and the one run on two hits and five walks over his complete game effort.
Contreras, meanwhile, maintained composure despite an early unearned run Wednesday and navigating the Warriors lineup under a 1-1 tie through the first four innings. The offense eventually came alive, as he ended up completing the game with eight strikeouts while allowing two and four walks.
“Both of their ERAs are extremely low, but unfortunately they’ve had some no decisions in these last few games,” Hilliard said. “Those two have continued to keep their eyes on the prize and not let any no decisions get in the way of their focus. Them continuously bringing it every time they step on the mound is huge. Those two guys are dogs out on the mound for us, we just got to support them like we did this week.”
