Author Darrell Mudd, Billinger family will sign books during TMP-M Homecoming weekend

By JACOB BRUBAKER
Hays Post

Most residents of Hays could point you to Al Billinger Fieldhouse on the campus of Thomas-More Prep Marian, but how much do most know about the legend behind the name?

Not enough, thought Darrell Mudd.

“I was shocked there was no book about someone who a building was named after,” Mudd said. 

That’s why Mudd teamed up with the Billinger family — Al’s children Alan, Roxie, Steve and Greg — to compose “The Legend Alvin ‘Al’ Billinger,” a book about the legendary coach. This is the sixth book for Mudd, who first began writing in 2005 and was first published in 2010. Mudd is a 1961 St. Joseph’s Military Academy graduate who played basketball for Coach Al in 1960 and 1961. 

The book tells the life story of Billinger, a small-town boy from Victoria who grew into a fantastic high school athlete. However, athletics was far from his only accomplishment. Al graduated from St. Joseph’s College and Military Academy before heading to the European theater to serve his country in World War II.

Al returned home to become a dedicated father and husband. He also returned to college to earn his degree while performing as an outstanding college athlete, most notably as a basketball player. Upon graduation, Al began teaching and coaching at St. Joseph’s Military Academy. Al had a number of other side jobs including house painting, selling life insurance, baking and  meat butchering. In his free time, he enjoyed the outdoors as a hunter and fisherman.

The book doesn’t just tell the life story of Coach Al, it contains memories and stories from those impacted by him. In fact, over 70 people contributed a story or memory for the book.

The book was released in May 2019 via Amazon/Kindle. Author Darrell Mudd and Al’s children will be in town this weekend for TMP Homecoming, Sept. 20 to 21, selling signed copies of the book and visiting the community that meant so much to Coach Al. Mudd will also be talking about the writing process for the book.

Their book tour schedule is as follows:

• Sept 20: 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Hays Library on Main Street

• Sept 21: 8 to 10 a.m. at Hays, The Bricks Pavilion

• Sept 21: 11 to 1:30 a.m. at the TMP-Marian cafeteria, Dutch lunch

• Sept 21: 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Hays, Gella’s Diner & Lb. Brewing

Book sale profits will be donated to the maintenance/upkeep of the Al Billinger Fieldhouse.