[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 166 (Friday, November 18, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IN HONOR OF BILL STANFILL

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2016

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and 
solemn remembrance that I pay tribute to an outstanding athlete, 
businessman, and citizen, William Thomas ``Bill'' Stanfill, Sr. Sadly, 
Bill passed away on Thursday, November 10, 2016. A memorial service was 
held on Monday, November 14, 2016 at Albany First United Methodist 
Church in Albany, Georgia.
  A Georgia man through and through, Bill Stanfill was born in Cairo, 
Georgia. According to him, growing up on a farm doing farm work helped 
prepare him to play football. While at Cairo High School, Bill was 
selected as the Class Double-A Lineman of the Year. He also led the 
basketball team to the state championship and was named MVP of the 
state tournament. As if that were not enough, Bill excelled in track 
and field, earning three state Double-A discus championships and a shot 
put title.
  Afters high school, Bill attended the University of Georgia on a 
football scholarship. He was in the first recruiting class of legendary 
UGA football coach, Vince Dooley. As a defensive tackle for the Georgia 
Bulldogs, he played on two SEC championship teams in 1966 and 1968. In 
1968, he was elected permanent team captain, was a consensus All-
American, and became Georgia's first and only winner of the Outland 
Trophy, which is awarded annually to the best college football interior 
lineman in the country.
  Bill was drafted in the first round with the eleventh overall pick by 
the Miami Dolphins in the 1969 draft. That year, he was named AFL 
Rookie of the Year runner up. In 1972, he was the leader of the ``No-
Name Defense'' on the undefeated Miami Dolphins team that went on to 
win the Super Bowl. He was also the starting defensive end on the 
Dolphins' 1973 Super Bowl team. That year, he recorded 18 18\1/2\ 
sacks, a single season Dolphins record that still stands today. His 
career sack total stands at 67\1/2\, which places him among the 
greatest Dolphins pass rushers of all time. He was a four-time Pro 
Bowler in his eight-year career with Miami.
  After suffering numerous injuries, Bill retired from football but 
unfortunately, those injuries followed him for the rest of his life. 
Nevertheless, Bill always remained close to the sport and his former 
teammates. He was inducted into the Miami Dolphins' Honor Roll, the 
Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, and the UGA Circle of Honor.
  Bill followed his NFL career with a successful business career with 
Dozier-Stanfill Real Estate Company in Albany, Georgia. He was a member 
of the First United Methodist Church of Albany and served as the 
Secretary/Treasurer of the Monk Thompson Sunday School Class.
  Bill is survived by his wife, Gail; four children, Stan, Jake, 
Kristin, and Scott; five grandchildren, Cole, Jack, Samuel, Grace, and 
Luke; two sisters, Beth and Tommie; and numerous nieces and nephews.
  Mr. Speaker, my wife Vivian and I, along with the more than 730,000 
residents of the Second Congressional District of Georgia, salute Bill 
Stanfill for his drive, perseverance, and dedication, which contributed 
to the long list of accomplishments still remembered and admired by 
many today. I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join 
us in extending our deepest condolences to Bill Stanfill's family and 
friends during this difficult time. We pray that they will be consoled 
and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, 
weeks and months ahead.