View source for Billy Disch

{{Short description|Baseball player and coach (1872–1953)}}
{{For|the politician|William Disch}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Billy Disch
| image = Billy Disch 1915 yearbook photo.png
| alt = 
| caption = Disch in 1915
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1872|10|15}}
| birth_place = [[Benton County, Missouri]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1953|2|3|1872|10|15}}
| death_place = [[Austin, Texas]], U.S.
| alma_mater = 
| player_sport1 = 
| player_years2 = 
| player_team2 = 
| player_positions = 
| coach_sport1 = Baseball
| coach_years2 = 1902–1908
| coach_team2 = [[St. Edward's Hilltoppers baseball|St. Edward's]]
| coach_years3 = 1911–1939
| coach_team3 = [[Texas Longhorns baseball|Texas]]
| coach_sport4 = Football
| coach_years5 = c. 1902
| coach_team5 = [[St. Edward's Crusaders football|St. Edward's]]
| coach_years6 = 1910
| coach_team6 = [[St. Edward's Crusaders football|St. Edward's]]
| overall_record = 515–140–12 (baseball)
| tournament_record = 
| championships = Baseball<br>2 [[Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association|TIAA]] (1913–1914)<br>20 [[List of Southwest Conference champions#Baseball|SWC regular season]] (1915–1921, 1922, 1924–1930, 1932, 1935–1936, 1938–1939)
| awards = 
| coaching_records = 
| CBASEHOF_year      = 2008
}}

'''William John Disch''' (October 15, 1872 – February 3, 1953) was an American [[baseball]] player and coach.  He served as the head baseball coach at the [[University of Texas at Austin]] from 1911 to 1939 and as an advisory coach for 12 seasons afterwards.

==Career==
Often called the [[Connie Mack]] of [[college baseball]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Disch-Falk Field History |url=http://www.texassports.com/Disch/history_coaches.htm |publisher=Texassports.com |access-date=October 19, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060523022631/http://texassports.com/Disch/history_coaches.htm |archive-date=May 23, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Disch earned a 513–180–12 overall record at Texas, including a collegiate record of 465-115-9, and garnered 20 [[Southwest Athletic Conference|Southwest Conference]] titles with a conference record of 284-70-4.<ref>{{cite web |title=Texas Baseball History 2018 Fact Book |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/texassports_com/documents/2018/2/13/Texas_Baseball_History_2018_Fact_Book.pdf |publisher=Texas Sports |format=PDF |access-date=24 October 2019 |archive-date=26 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026121705/https://s3.amazonaws.com/texassports_com/documents/2018/2/13/Texas_Baseball_History_2018_Fact_Book.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>  At the time he coached, there were no [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] postseason playoffs for national honors.  Along with [[Bibb Falk]], Disch is one of the two namesakes of [[UFCU Disch–Falk Field]].

Disch managed in [[minor league baseball]], where he also was a player. He managed the 1911 [[Beeville Orange Growers]] to a 63–54 record and the [[Class D (baseball)|Class D]] level [[Southwest Texas League]] championship. Disch also managed the 1903 [[Fort Worth Panthers]] of the Class D level [[Texas League]] and the 1915 [[Brenham Huskies]] of the Class D [[Middle Texas League]] for portions of their seasons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=646e87a0|title=1911 Southwest Texas League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-RGVL/y-1911|title=1911 Southwest Texas League (STL) minor league baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=disch-001wil|title=Billy Disch Minor Leagues Statistics & History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

He was listed as a [[scout (sport)|scout]] for the [[Boston Red Sox]] of [[Major League Baseball]] in 1948.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/baseballguiderec1948stlo#page/n7/mode/2up Spink, J.G. Taylor, ed., ''1948 Official Baseball Guide and Record Book.'' St. Louis]: [[The Sporting News]]</ref>

==Honors==
*In 1947, Disch Field at the [[University of Texas]] named for him. Today, the university ballpark, [[UFCU Disch–Falk Field]], is named for Disch and Bibb A. Falk. 
*Disch was inducted into the [[Texas Sports Hall of Fame]] in 1954.
*In 1957, Disch was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor at the University of Texas.
*The College Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inducted Disch in 1965.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/disch-william-john|title=TSHA &#124; Disch, William John|website=www.tshaonline.org}}</ref>

==Head coaching record==
===College baseball===
The records shown below are only the collegiate record, not the overall record against non-collegiate teams.

{{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | conference = | postseason = | poll = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[St. Edward's Hilltoppers baseball|St. Edward's]]<ref>{{cite web |title=St. Edward's Baseball Record Book |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/stedwards.sidearmsports.com/documents/2019/6/28/BB_Record_Book.pdf |publisher=Hilltopper Athletics |format=PDF |access-date=October 24, 2019}}</ref>
 | conference= Independent
 | startyear = 1902
 | endyear   = 1908
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 1902
 | name         = St. Edward's
 | overall      = 4–2
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1903 college baseball season|1903]]
 | name         = St. Edward's
 | overall      = 3–0
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1904 college baseball season|1904]]
 | name         = St. Edward's
 | overall      = 17–4
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1905 college baseball season|1905]]
 | name         = St. Edward's
 | overall      = 7–7
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1906 college baseball season|1906]]
 | name         = St. Edward's
 | overall      = 5–9
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1907 IAAUS baseball season|1907]]
 | name         = St. Edward's
 | overall      = 9–2
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1908 IAAUS baseball season|1908]]
 | name         = St. Edward's
 | overall      = 5–1–3
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
 | name       = St. Edward's
 | overall    = {{Winning percentage|50|25|3|record=y}}
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Texas Longhorns baseball|Texas Longhorns]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Texas Baseball History 2018 Fact Book |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/texassports_com/documents/2018/2/13/Texas_Baseball_History_2018_Fact_Book.pdf |publisher=Texas Sports |format=PDF |access-date=October 24, 2019 |archive-date=October 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026121705/https://s3.amazonaws.com/texassports_com/documents/2018/2/13/Texas_Baseball_History_2018_Fact_Book.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 | conference= [[Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association]]
 | startyear = 1911
 | endyear   = 1914
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1911 NCAA baseball season|1911]]
 | name         = Texas
 | overall      = 13–10–1
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1912 NCAA baseball season|1912]]
 | name         = Texas
 | overall      = 17–7–1
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1913 NCAA baseball season|1913]]
 | name         = Texas
 | overall      = 24–4–2
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1914 NCAA baseball season|1914]]
 | name         = Texas
 | overall      = 28–4
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
  | name      = [[Texas Longhorns baseball|Texas Longhorns]]
  | conference= [[Southwest Conference]]
  | startyear = 1915
  | endyear   = 1939
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1915 NCAA baseball season|1915]]
 | name         = Texas
 | overall      = 22–4
 | conference   = 12–2
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1916 NCAA baseball season|1916]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 16–6
 | conference    = 10–3
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1917 NCAA baseball season|1917]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 12–2
 | conference    = 4–1
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1918 NCAA baseball season|1918]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 17–1
 | conference    = 8–1
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1919 NCAA baseball season|1919]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 20–1–1
 | conference    = 12–0
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1920 NCAA baseball season|1920]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 17–5
 | conference    = 9–2
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1921 NCAA baseball season|1921]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 15–3–1
 | conference    = 9–2–1
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1922 NCAA baseball season|1922]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 16–5–1
 | conference    = 10–3–1
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = 
 | season        = [[1923 NCAA baseball season|1923]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 16–8
 | conference    = 10–8
 | confstanding  = 2nd
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1924 NCAA baseball season|1924]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 28–1
 | conference    = 22–1
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = 1925
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 16–4–1
 | conference    = 11–2–1
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = 1926
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 13–2
 | conference    = 8–2
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = 1927
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 16–4
 | conference    = 16–4
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = 1928
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 17–4
 | conference    = 16–4
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1929 NCAA baseball season|1929]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 18–4–1
 | conference    = 16–4–1
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1930 NCAA baseball season|1930]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 20–4
 | conference    = 16–4
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = 
 | season        = [[1931 NCAA baseball season|1931]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 10–2
 | conference    = 8–2
 | confstanding  = 2nd
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1932 NCAA baseball season|1932]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 11–5
 | conference    = 11–5
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = 
 | season        = [[1933 NCAA baseball season|1933]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 13–3
 | conference    = 8–2
 | confstanding  = 2nd
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = 
 | season        = [[1934 NCAA baseball season|1934]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 8–5
 | conference    = 7–5
 | confstanding  = 2nd
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1935 NCAA baseball season|1935]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 11–3
 | conference    = 9–3
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1936 NCAA baseball season|1936]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 12–2
 | conference    = 12–1
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = 
 | season        = [[1937 NCAA baseball season|1937]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 11–6
 | conference    = 10–5
 | confstanding  = 2nd
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1938 NCAA baseball season|1938]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 12–4
 | conference    = 12–2
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
 | championship  = conference
 | season        = [[1939 NCAA baseball season|1939]]
 | name          = Texas
 | overall       = 16–2
 | conference    = 15–0
 | confstanding  = 1st
 | postseason    = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
 | name       = Texas
 | overall    = {{Winning percentage|465|115|9|record=y}}
 | confrecord = {{Winning percentage|284|70|4|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB yearly record end
 | overall = {{Winning percentage|515|140|12|record=y}}
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br= |fangraphs= |cube= |brm=disch-001wil}}
* {{Find a Grave|35976691}}

{{St. Edward's Hilltoppers baseball coach navbox}}
{{St. Edward's Crusaders football coach navbox}}
{{Texas Longhorns baseball coach navbox}}
{{National College Baseball Hall of Fame}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Disch, Billy}}
[[Category:1872 births]]
[[Category:1953 deaths]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox scouts]]
[[Category:St. Edward's Hilltoppers baseball coaches]]
[[Category:St. Edward's Crusaders football coaches]]
[[Category:Texas Longhorns baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Texas Longhorns football coaches]]
[[Category:National College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:People from Benton County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Beeville Orange Growers players]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball managers]]
[[Category:Brenham Kaisers players]]