Being in the Babe Ruth League Hall of Fame is a pretty rare honor.  In its history, there have been millions of players and volunteers, yet there are approximately 200 members in the Babe Ruth League Hall of Fame. 

William E. Pullan, a resident of Danbury, Connecticut and a proud member of the Babe Ruth League Hall of Fame (inducted in 2010), passed away on January 20, 2020. 

Pullan loved playing the game of baseball.  Though he stopped participating after high school, his love of the game led him to carry on with the sport in other ways.  He began his affiliation with Babe Ruth League, Inc. in 1961 where he was a charter member in forming the Ridgefield Babe Ruth League, spending many years as a coach, League President and Tournament Director.  Pullan also brought a lot of the old sandlot baseball concepts to the Carrier League in Danbury, which he helped establish and run until it ended in 1980.  This league was the start of Pullan’s involvement with The Jimmy Fund (Dana-Farber Center), a charity based in Boston, Massachusetts that supports cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 

Pullan also served as President of the Bethel Babe Ruth League for five years until 1978 when he was appointed District 4 Commissioner, a position he held for three decades.  As District Commissioner, Pullan oversaw teams in 14 surrounding towns, as well as ran five Babe Ruth tournaments a year. 

In 1979, while still serving as a District Commissioner, Pullan was named Jimmy Fund Director for the state of Connecticut in support of the New England Babe Ruth programs and its close affiliation with the Boston Red Sox.  He eventually was named Chairman of the New England Jimmy Fund Task Force. 

For over 40 years, 20 as Director, Bill Pullan raised $1 Million for The Jimmy Fund, before turning over the reins in 2009. He was a member of the Dana-Farber Society, and in 1999, received the prestigious Tom and Jean Yawkey Memorial Award for his work with The Jimmy Fund. 

At the time of his death, Pullan was serving as an At-Large Board Member for the Babe Ruth League Alumni Association.

In addition to his involvement with Babe Ruth League and The Jimmy Fund, Pullan was active in his community, where he served on the Danbury Westerners Board of Directors, contributed to the Danbury High School Hall of Fame Committee, and served as a member of the Bethel Park and Recreation Department for a number of years.  He was also a member of the Connecticut State Police Auxiliary for a number a years, was a major sponsor of the Danbury Soap Box (special needs kids section), and a member of Local Moose Lodge 1373 and Catholic War Veterans Post 1042. 

Pullan was also interested in photography, gardening, good music, and auto and motorcycle shows.

Professionally, Pullan was Assistant Circulation Manager for the Danbury-News Times and later worked for the Circulation Department of the Waterbury Republican-American.  After his newspaper career, he worked at Kimberly-Clark Corporation until 2005.

Pullan spent the better part of his life involved in Babe Ruth League, The Jimmy Fund and in helping his community.  He was a true Hall-of-Famer and will be missed by the thousands of people who crossed his path and/or were the recipient of his sincere generosity.