Otha W. "Bill" Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, Aug. 31, 1925, to Otha William and Alice Smith. He died April 23, 2012 at the age of 86. Bill served in the U.S. Army during WWII. He married Audra E. Barnes on June 27, 1943 at Steamboat Springs, CO.
He served amateur softball for many years, first as a volunteer with the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), later as three-term Regional Vice President, its Board of Directors and two terms as National President of ASA, and the Nebraska State Softball Commissioner until retiring in 1998. He was founder of the Women's College World Series in 1969, the Nebraska Softball Association, The Nebraska Softball Hall of Fame and Scholarship Program, and Co-Founder of the Nebraska State Games. He served as a member of the United States Olympic House of Delegates, Director of the National Softball Centennial celebration, Director of softball for Explorer Olympics, Chairman of the National ASA Junior Olympic Committee, as a member of the International Softball Federation (ISF), and for twelve years served as the North American Vice-President for the Pan American Softball Games. He was a member of the Board of Directors for the Nebraska Sports Council, the Cornhusker State Games and President of the Nebraska Sports Council. He served as Commander of the West Point American Legion and as Cuming County American Legion Commander, as President of the Fremont Lions Club, as a member of the Dodge County Tourism Council and the Boy Scout Council, member of the Fremont American Legion and the Fremont Fraternal Order of Eagles. He founded the Junior Rifle Club in West Point, Nebraska.
