Bill Bordley
Encyclopedia
William Clarke Bordley is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
. In 2011, he was named chief of security for Major League Baseball.
in Torrance, California
. While there, he set school records in innings pitched
, strikeouts, wins and earned run average
that still stand as of 2010. His baseball jersey was retired by the school. Upon graduation, Bordley was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers
in the first round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft. Bordley was drafted ahead of future Major League Baseball All-Stars such as Ken Landreaux
, Leon Durham
, Pat Tabler
, Bruce Hurst
, Mike Scioscia
, Alan Trammell
and Rickey Henderson
. Bordley elected to forego the Majors, however, to attend the University of Southern California
. In his freshman year with the USC Trojans baseball team, Bordley went undefeated with a 14-0 win-loss record and led the Pacific-10 Conference in strikeouts. His freshman strikeout record would stand until broken by Tim Lincecum
in 2004. Bordley led the Trojans to the 1978 College World Series
and subsequently the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship
in the same year. Bordley also received American Baseball Coaches Association All-American honors.
with the San Francisco Giants
in 1979. Bordley spent one total year at the Major League level with the Giants in . He appeared in his final Major League game on September 9, 1980. Bordley's finest performance came in his debut with the Giants on June 30, 1980. He appeared in the game as the Giants starting pitcher
against the Cincinnati Reds
. He registered a strike out
against the first batter faced, Reds outfielder
Dave Collins
. Bordley would go on to give up 3 runs
over 6 innings
to earn the win over Reds pitcher
and future Hall of Famer
Tom Seaver
. Bordley would also tally a strike out against Johnny Bench
, another future Hall of Famer.
Bordley was released by the Giants in October 1982 after developing arm problems throughout 1979 and 1980. Surgery resulted in Bordley sitting out the 1981 season. He was released following a comeback attempt in the Giants minor league
system in 1982.
investigating treasury forgery and protecting retired President Ronald Reagan
and visiting dignitaries. He spent 5½ years on former President Bill Clinton
's detail. Shortly after the World Series in 2011, Major League Baseball
named Bordley its chief of security, officially Vice President of Security and Facility Management.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. In 2011, he was named chief of security for Major League Baseball.
High school and college career
Bordley attended Bishop Montgomery High SchoolBishop Montgomery High School
Bishop Montgomery High School is a Catholic high school serving twenty-five parishes in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. BMHS was founded in 1957, and staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Conventual Franciscans, and lay faculty...
in Torrance, California
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
. While there, he set school records in innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
, strikeouts, wins and earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
that still stand as of 2010. His baseball jersey was retired by the school. Upon graduation, Bordley was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the first round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft. Bordley was drafted ahead of future Major League Baseball All-Stars such as Ken Landreaux
Ken Landreaux
Kenneth Francis Landreaux is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball.After graduating from Dominguez High School in Compton, California, Landreaux carried on his education at Arizona State University before joining the California Angels in...
, Leon Durham
Leon Durham
Leon "Bull" Durham is a former first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 10 seasons. Durham played with the St. Louis Cardinals , Chicago Cubs , and Cincinnati Reds...
, Pat Tabler
Pat Tabler
Patrick Sean "Pat" Tabler is a former Major League Baseball player and currently a color analyst for the Toronto Blue Jays on the Canadian sports television network Rogers Sportsnet and formerly with Rod Black on TSN....
, Bruce Hurst
Bruce Hurst
Bruce Vee Hurst is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is best remembered for his brilliant performance for the Boston Red Sox in the postseason. He was even named World Series M.V.P...
, Mike Scioscia
Mike Scioscia
Michael Lorri Scioscia is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He has worked in that capacity since the 2000 season, and is the longest-tenured manager in Major League Baseball....
, Alan Trammell
Alan Trammell
Alan Stuart Trammell is a retired American baseball shortstop of the Detroit Tigers from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series championship in and an American League East division championship in . Although his arm was not...
and Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
. Bordley elected to forego the Majors, however, to attend the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. In his freshman year with the USC Trojans baseball team, Bordley went undefeated with a 14-0 win-loss record and led the Pacific-10 Conference in strikeouts. His freshman strikeout record would stand until broken by Tim Lincecum
Tim Lincecum
Timothy Leroy Lincecum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim" and "The Franchise." He throws right-handed and bats left-handed....
in 2004. Bordley led the Trojans to the 1978 College World Series
1978 College World Series
The 1978 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from June 2 to June 8. The thirty-second tournament's champion was the University of Southern California, coached by Rod Dedeaux...
and subsequently the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship
NCAA Division I Baseball Championship
The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship tournament is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the College World Series....
in the same year. Bordley also received American Baseball Coaches Association All-American honors.
Professional career
After his illustrious collegiate career, Bordley signed as an amateur free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in 1979. Bordley spent one total year at the Major League level with the Giants in . He appeared in his final Major League game on September 9, 1980. Bordley's finest performance came in his debut with the Giants on June 30, 1980. He appeared in the game as the Giants starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He registered a strike out
Strike Out
Strike Out, , North American Harness racing championStrike Out was born in 1969 at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and is by Bret Hanover out of the mare Golden Miss....
against the first batter faced, Reds outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Dave Collins
Dave Collins
David S. Collins is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball from to .Collins is one of three players to have made it to the major leagues who played for the storied Rapid City Post 22 American Legion baseball program in Rapid City, SD...
. Bordley would go on to give up 3 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
over 6 innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
to earn the win over Reds pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and future Hall of Famer
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
. Bordley would also tally a strike out against Johnny Bench
Johnny Bench
Johnny Lee Bench is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame...
, another future Hall of Famer.
Bordley was released by the Giants in October 1982 after developing arm problems throughout 1979 and 1980. Surgery resulted in Bordley sitting out the 1981 season. He was released following a comeback attempt in the Giants minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
system in 1982.
Post-baseball career
After his baseball career came to an end, Bordley returned to USC where he earned his finance degree. In 1988, he joined the United States Secret ServiceUnited States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
investigating treasury forgery and protecting retired President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and visiting dignitaries. He spent 5½ years on former President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's detail. Shortly after the World Series in 2011, Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
named Bordley its chief of security, officially Vice President of Security and Facility Management.