Lehigh University Athletics
Pete Williams one of four inducted into Lehigh HOF
5/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
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A two-way star on Lehigh’s football teams of the late 1950’s, L.R. “Pete” Williams started every game of his three-year varsity career (freshmen were not eligible then) at offensive and defensive tackle. He captained the 1957 squad that went 8-1 and captured Lehigh’s first-ever Lambert Cup trophy and went onto earn All-America, All-East and All-Pennsylvania distinction that same season. Known for his quick feet and great balance, Williams scored 21 points during his career in the Brown and White, an incredible accomplishment for a lineman. The
“It’s a great honor to be inducted into the Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame,” said Williams. “The whole thing is a little surprising because I really had not anticipated it. I’m extremely honored and I’m looking forward to the ceremony, and one of the key things is this will all be there for my family and friends to see for years to come.”
On the gridiron, Williams possessed terrific speed and quickness for a lineman of his size.
“He was one of the fastest guys on the team,” noted former team manager Jim Swenson ’59. “He could run those 40-yard sprints with the best of them. Off the field, Pete is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. He was and still is a first-class act. “
Williams co-captained the 1957 Lambert Cup team with Hall of Fame member J. Daniel Nolan ’58. The team gained national notoriety when they received the Lambert Cup on the Ed Sullivan Show.
“To appear on the show with my teammates and receive the award on national television with millions watching, it was a great honor and certainly one of the highlights of my life.”
Among the many memorable games that Williams was part of was a 40-6 romp over
“I was the left end, and Pete lined up next to me at left tackle,” recalled Bud Wenzel ’59. “I intercepted a pass and ran about ten yards with it before dropping the ball. Pete already had three career touchdowns, but he was right there fighting with me to pick up the fumble.”
Williams recalls the game for a different reason. His Lehigh team coasted to a 34 point victory as a measure of revenge after
Following his career at Lehigh, Williams was drafted by the
Williams earned his degree from Lehigh in business administration and went on to spend 38 years at IBM where he worked in human resources for the company’s international division, a job that provided Williams the opportunity to travel the globe, racking up over a million miles on one airline alone, and spending a great deal of time in the Far East.
Now retired, Williams and his wife reside in
The annual Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame induction is sponsored by the Lehigh Athletics Partnership.
