Walter S. Moore, who was a scholar-athlete at Cortland and later a coach and teacher at Hamilton (N.Y.) High School, had a positive impact on the lives of thousands of New York State high school athletes during his 22 years of service and leadership of the Pupil Benefits Plan, Inc.
A native of Cazenovia, N.Y., Moore had his Cortland education interrupted by World War II. He studied Japanese at the University of Pennsylvania and served as an interpreter at Kokura Hospital during the U.S. occupation of Japan.
Moore returned to Cortland in 1947. A Dean's List student, he was a chemistry lab supervisor and acted with The Masquers. He earned letters and excelled as a football quarterback, baseball third baseman, a javelin thrower in track and a team-leading scorer in basketball. He earned a bachelor's degree from Cortland in 1949 and a master's degree in physical education and school administration from Syracuse Univsersity in 1950.
From 1950 to 1963, Moore was a physical education teacher and coach at Hamilton High School. He earned the title of quality teacher, while his football teams swept three straight league titles.
Active within the community, he was a charter member and president of the Hamilton Lions Club, manager of the Hamilton semi-pro baseball squad, and served as a religious education instructor. In 1963, Moore was chosen by Larry Grimes '38, founder and executive secretary of The Pupil Benefit Plan, Inc. to become his assistant. Pupil Benefits, sponsored by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and licensed by the New York State Insurance Department, is the largest student accident insurer in the state with sponsored activity coverage for more than one million boys and girls. Moore combined his intellect, knowledge of athletics and strong moral character to help Pupil Benefits become a leader in developing statewide rules and regulations to insure the safety of scholastic athletes. Masks on helmets, mouthpieces, the modified seventh and eight grade programs and pre-season training periods were instituted using the records and statistics of Pupil Benefits Plan. The nominal charge of one dollar for insurance also gave many New Yorkers the opportunity to compete in high school sports. In 1977, Moore was appointed executive secretary and retired in 1985.
He and his wife, Trudy Bayer Moore '49, returned to Cazenovia to re-establish the family apple orchard and operate a bed and breakfast. Four of the six Moore children are SUNY Cortland graduates: Dennis '74, captain of the tennis team; Lynn '75; Neale '79, a soccer team captain and All-American selection; and Stephen '85, a captain of the Red Dragon soccer team.
UPDATE- March, 2015: Moore was recognized for his accomplishments when he was inducted into the Cazenovia H.S. Hall of Fame in 2004.
