Birthdate: February 19, 1911
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio
High School: Dayton Stivers High School (1930)
College: The Ohio State University
Died: December 29, 1956
Year Inducted: Charter Class of 2006
Wilmer Clemons Hosket was a native of Dayton and a 1930 graduate of Dayton Stivers High School. “Big Bill”, who was just shy of 6 foot 5 inches tall, was the All State center who led Stivers to a record three consecutive state titles in 1928, 29 and 30. The Tigers were 80/7 during his career (6 of the losses coming his sophomore year) and dominated the Ohio high school scene with Hosket at the time considered to be the best high school player ever developed in Ohio.
Bill and his high school coach, Floyd Stahl, both moved on to Ohio State. Hosket became an All Big Ten center leading the Buckeyes to the conference championship in 1933. Bill playing in the era of the center jump, was an excellent passer and could shoot with either hand. He became one of the premier post players in college basketball.
Following college, Hosket played semi-professional basketball with the Dayton Metropolitans. There was no NBA in this era, but he introduced the famed Waterloo Wonders to pro ball. Having seen the Wonders in high school, he became their center on one of the most entertaining teams of all time – a team that beat both the original Celtics and the Harlem Globetrotters.
When his playing days ended Bill stayed involved. He officiated on both the high school and college level. Bill’s son, also Bill, followed in his footsteps but Bill Sr. never saw him play as he passed away at the early age of 45 on December 29, 1956, when Bill was just 10 years old. Both Hoskets are members of the Ohio State University Hall of Fame and remain today as the only father-son combination to be elected first-team All Big Ten in the history of the conference.
