Biography

As a three-year starter at center for the Attleboro Blue Bombardiers, Bill Flynn joins Hall of Fame classmates Jim Cassidy and Dave Niven in the Attleboro Area Football Hall of Fame. Considered one of the best centers in Attleboro High School history, Bill Flynn was an outstanding force on offense and defense. A tough and durable team leader, Flynn generally played every down of every game and was seldom on the sidelines. At center, Bill was a very powerful and effective blocker who could pave the way up the middle for the Bombardier backs or use his great speed to race downfield for the key open field block. However, it was on defense where Bill gained the respect and admiration of his teammates, coaches, opponents and spectators. Flynn was tough enough to plug up the middle of the line and had the great speed to chase down the opposing backs long before his teammates could get to them.

In both his junior and senior year, the Attleboro Sun sports writers frequently recognized Bill for his outstanding play. In the 1936 win over S1. Mary's of Milford, "the line play of Dave Niven and Bill Flynn was exceptional and Flynn was down under punts faster than the ends." In Attleboro's first ever win over nemesis Fairhaven the Sun stated that "the strength of the local team was in the power of the front line led by Flynn and Niven. Bill Flynn, Attleboro's center, dimmed Fairhaven's chance of winning by intercepting a pass out of the hands of Benny Freitas with two minutes left in the game." And in big 7-0 win over North, "Flynn was outstanding on offense and defense." In a 1937, 6-0 victory over Natick, "Bill Flynn played a bang up game at center and intercepted a pass on the 1st play of the game." And in his final Turkey Day game, a 6-6 tie with the North Attleboro Red Rocketeers, it was noted that, "the outstanding line play of Swanezy on the North side and Niven and Flynn on the Blue and White side was apparent throughout the game."

Bill Hanon, legendary Editorial writer and retired Editor of the Attleboro Sun once wrote of Bill Flynn, "You didn't need any gang tackles when Bill was on duty. He hit them and they dropped in their tracks. I won't be surprised if L1. William Flynn, who was killed in France on August 15, 1944, is voted posthumously in the Attleboro Area Football Hall of Fame. I think he was the best center AHS ever had." Bill Flynn will forever be remembered as a hero on the football gridiron and the battlefields of war.