AmeriHealth Caritas Partnership and La Salle University last week celebrated the life and contributions of Bill Fox, the late former Father Judge basketball coach who also served as a Healthy Hoops coach for the health plan.
Fox’s widow, four children and other family members attended the March 2 game, with La Salle hosting St. Joe’s.
A longtime Somerton resident, Fox played basketball at La Salle High School and then La Salle College, under Paul Westhead. After graduating, he was an assistant for a year at American under Jimmy Lynam before being named Judge’s coach.
Fox coached the Crusaders for 29 years, qualifying for the playoffs 26 times and capturing three Catholic League championships. Overall, he won 545 games.
Besides coaching, he was a teacher at Judge and worked for the city recreation and commerce departments and the school district’s real estate division.
Fox died last July at age 70 of Lou Gehrig’s disease.
There were tributes all night to Fox, starting with a pregame reception and continuing just before opening tip, when the Fox family lit the “L” in Tom Gola Arena.
At halftime, AmeriHealth Caritas Partnership made a $2,500 contribution to the Greater Philadelphia ALS Association in memory of Fox, a coach for Healthy Hoops, a program that teaches children and families how to manage asthma and related conditions.
Fox’s alma mater beat St. Joe’s by a Catholic League North-type score of 49-48. ••
