Bill Nichols Honors Family and Historical Society with Donation

Sponsors batter in "Bases Loaded" project in Williamsport downtown  

In it's July-August, 2014 newsletter the Lycoming County Historical Society announced a commitment by long-time LLA member Bill Nichols, to fund the cost of one of the figures in "Bases Loaded" project, soon to be constructed in Williamsport.  The batter will be placed in memory of Mr. Nichols' late wife Patricia and in memory of Mr. Nichols' ancestors, the Rathmells, and in honor of the Lycoming County Historical Society.

Little League Baseball will be celebrating its seventy-fifth anniversary in August 2014. The Lycoming County Visitors Bureau recently announced the "Bases Loaded" project, which will transform the Market Square intersection of Market and Third Streets in downtown Williamsport into a baseball infield. The crosswalks will be the paths leading to first, second and third bases, and home plate. Ten statues will represent the various phases of Little League history including the original three sponsors- Jumbo Pretzel, Lycoming Dairy and Lundy Lumber. Others will demonstrate the universal appeal  of the game for children with representative statues of ball players with disabilities, African-Americans, children from Mexico and Latin America, young ladies, and an Asian child, representing the growth of Little League in Japan and Taiwan. As well, a statue of Carl Stotz, credited with founding Little League Baseball in 1939, is slated for the downtown project.

An official unveiling of the statuary will occur on August 22 during Championship Weekend.

Although he did not play baseball as a child, Mr. Nichols considered Little League "a big part of Williamsport. When I heard about this project, I thought it was an excellent idea and wanted to participate".

He credits a senior partner in his former ·law firm, Dale Furst, for inspiring him to give back to the community in which he was raised. Mr. Furst was responsible for organizing Lycoming County's United Way.

In 2010, Bill Nichols was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lycoming County Historical Society, for over forty-five years of service as the museum's legal counsel. In part, the award reads "He has a wealth of knowledge about the history of the organization, has seen it through good times and bad, and has supported it in all ways ... " And he continues to support the Historical Society and its role within the community.

Bill Nichols continues to represent the legal profession well by his service to the community. This is just one more justification for the presentation of the first ever Community Service Award to Bill Nichols in 2011, in recognition his outstanding commitment to community service beyond the practice of law by a member of the Lycoming Law Association.