STATESBORO - The Georgia Southern Athletics Department is mourning the passing of Bill Spieth, Ph.D., who was an integral part of the growth of the department. Spieth, 88, passed away Monday at the East Georgia Regional Medical Center in Statesboro.
Born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, Spieth was a professional baseball pitcher for three years after high school, but gave it up and served two years in the U.S. Army. After serving in the Korean War, Spieth later graduated from Penn State University on the G.I. Bill in 1954, earning his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. He joined the faculty of then Georgia Southern College in the 1960s as a health and physical education professor and academic advisor to students.