By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Mr. Zinser

GROESBECK - When knee problems forced William J. Zinser to start walking with a cane this year, his family assumed he had stopped working. Because he was 81 years old, they thought he had retired from his job at the Shell station in Colerain Township.

That's why his son, Steve Zinser of Loveland, was surprised to get a call Thursday that his father had collapsed from a heart attack while helping a customer.

William Zinser, a longtime Groesbeck resident, died early Thursday morning from an apparent heart attack, doing one of the things he loved most - working.

Raised in Wyoming, he found his other passion while at Wyoming High School - as a star baseball and football player.

After graduating from Wyoming High School in 1940, Mr. Zinser served in the Army during World War II. Honorably discharged in 1945, he returned to Cincinnati and married his high school sweetheart, Mary Egbers.

He also started his longtime career at National Distillery in Carthage, where he worked until 1987, before he started working the counter at various Shell stations. It was also after the war that he began acting as a regional scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Clubs and Cleveland Indians.

"He greatest success in sports as a scout came when he discovered Sandy Koufax pitching as a freshman at the University of Cincinnati and was instrumental in getting him signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954," his son said.

In 1958, he managed the amateur team in Glendale and led it to the AABC World Series championship of 1958 in Battle Creek, Mich.

He also served as past president of the Mid-American Conference of Basketball and Football Referees and the Ohio Valleys Officials Association.

"He always said, 'I can still throw the odd curveball.' I wish I could pitch a few with him now," his son said.

He was preceded in death by his wife; a son, Kenneth; and a stepson, Scott Mechlam.

In addition to his son, survivors include three other sons, Greg of North College Hill, Robert of Wyoming and Quin of Groesbeck; two daughters, Jeanne Neal of West Chester, and M. Connie Helmers of Okeana; a brother, Robert of Wyoming; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be 9-11 a.m., Tuesday at St. Margaret-Mary Church, 1830 W. Galbraith Road, North College Hill. Mass of Christian burial will follow.

The body will be cremated.

Memorials: Bill Zinser, c/o Cincinnati Reds, Great American Ball Park, 100 Main St., Cincinnati 45202.

E-mail: nhamilton@enquirer.com