In a role-reversal, Cedar Rapids honors Bill Quinby

CEDAR RAPIDS — One person was honored Wednesday night at Theatre Cedar Rapids, but 240 went home feeling good.

Such is the power of community. Such was the reminder of the good that can come from one determined community-minded person.

It was billed as a celebration of Bill Quinby's commitment to Cedar Rapids, with the promise it would be festive and lighthearted. It was all that, and more. It was many people from different walks of life in this city offering observations and stories of how Quinby has affected individuals and a city.

The event was created and masterfully organized by Dale Todd, who easily found others happy to get involved. It was kept secret from Quinby until Tuesday. It wasn't as much wanting it to be a surprise to him as it was knowing how much he hates getting attention or credit.

Quinby, 83, is a former elementary school and middle school principal and teacher in the Cedar Rapids School district. He also is the former athletic director at Coe College, was a football game official in the Big Ten Conference for 13 years, and was a National Football League official for 17 years. He officiated in a Rose Bowl and a Super Bowl.

In 2000, he and Sarah Else were co-chairs of the fundraising committee to get the current Veterans Memorial Stadium built. Without their tireless efforts, it's fair to wonder if Cedar Rapids would have a pro baseball team today.

To list all the boards and commissions of all the charitable organizations and civic groups Quinby has been involved with would take a large chunk of space here. But know he's been a devoted supporter of Special Olympics. And know he did essential fundraising work to help launch and sustain the Cedar Rapids Community Free Clinic.

'I always felt it was best to help people who possibly needed help,' he said several years ago.

He has been, as one of Wednesday's speakers summed up so well, 'a champion for those who needed a voice.'

Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz is a close friend of Quinby's. In a video shown during the event, Ferentz said 'I don't know I've met anybody as busy as you are who has as many friends and gets as much done.'

Quinby played on Iowa's baseball team, and earned varsity letters as a manager of Forest Evashevski-coached Hawkeye football teams. He would have played for Evashevski were it not for knee surgeries he needed during his senior year at Franklin High School, where he was an all-state athlete.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett proclaimed Wednesday 'Bill Quinby Day' and gave him a key to the city. But the mayor's gesture that resonated most with the guest of honor was when Corbett said the baseball field at Daniels Park will be renamed Bill Quinby Field.

'I'm overwhelmed,' Quinby said. 'I played there from the time I was six years old through World War II.'

And, usually with what he calls a 50-cent cigar in his mouth, he has mowed that field time after time after time in service to Coe's baseball team since the Kohawks started using it 10 years ago.

If you Googled 'Bill Quinby' with 'Coe College' Thursday, the first entry wasn't about anything high and mighty. It was a 2013 photo of the Kohawks' softball team posing with Quinby, with the caption a message of thanks from the players because he brought Dilly Bars for them to enjoy after practice.

Perfect.

'I can't imagine anybody loves Cedar Rapids like you do,' much-respected local radio sportscaster Ron Gonder said to his longtime pal at Wednesday's salute.

'I think you get the idea tonight that the feeling is mutual.'

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