Bill Renna

Who was Bill Renna?

William Beneditto Renna was an outfielder in Major League Baseball, playing mainly as a right fielder for four different teams in part of five seasons spanning 1953–1959. Listed at 6 feet 3 inches, 218 pounds, Renna batted and threw right-handed. Nicknamed "Big Bill," he was one of the first of several Santa Clara University graduates to reach the Major League level.

Born in Hanford, California, Renna was the son of William and Christina Renna. He graduated from Hanford Union High School in 1942, and attended University of San Francisco before joining the U.S. Marine Corps and serving in the South Pacific during World War II conflict.

After discharge, Renna attended Menlo College before transferring to SCU in 1947, where he was an outstanding athlete while playing baseball, basketball and football. Besides, he played in the East–West Shrine Game in 1949 and also was selected for the All-American team that year.

Renna entered the majors in 1953 with the New York Yankees, playing for them for that one season before joining the Philadelphia Athletics, Kansas City Athletics and Boston Red Sox.