By Olivia Maier, Warhawk Baseball Creative Director

Bob Berezowitz was inducted into the UW-Whitewater Athletics Hall of Fame in 1982. He was acknowledged for his accomplishments in both baseball and football. Berezowitz was under the direction of Coach Forrest Perkins and Coach Gene Cardinal during his time as a student athlete at the Wisconsin State University of Whitewater (now UW-Whitewater).
 
For most of his life, he dreamed of being a professional baseball player. In 1962, on his graduation night, Berezowitz received an offer to sign a contract with the New York Mets. Taking the best advice he could get, which came from his dad because he did not have an agent, he decided not to sign the contract. Perkins kept in constant contact with Berezowitz throughout his time in high school, which ultimately led to Berezowitz accepting the offer to compete for UW-Whitewater. He quickly became a two-sport star competing as a catcher in baseball and quarterback in football between 1963-1966.
 
In 1965, Berezowitz and others were playing semi-professional baseball in Milwaukee. At one point he was offered to go in the minor league system for the Milwaukee Braves. With already 500-plus players in spring camp and a 25-man roster, he decided to take his time and talents and remain in Whitewater.
 
In a pivotal year for the program, the Warhawks finished fifth at the 1965 NAIA World Series. The success of the 1965 baseball team came as a surprise to most of the young men. At the time they were in a competitive conference where all of the teams were playing their best. Prior to realignment of divisions, UW-W competed against the likes of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (NCAA Division I), Northern Illinois University (NCAA Division I), and UW-River Falls (program ended in 2002). The Warhawks played a five-game series against a tough UW-River Falls team to punch their ticket to the first-ever World Series appearance. Berezowitz described the baseball team as, "an unbelievable group of young men that loved baseball and had a great season."
 
Success came to Berezowitz on the football field as well. He was the quarterback of the 1966 NAIA national runner-up team. He was named the team's Co-Most Valuable Player and co-captain as well as named MVP of the semi-final game of the NAIA semifinal game.

After graduating from Whitewater in 1968, Berezowitz moved to Woodstock, Ill., to teach fifth and sixth graders from 1967-1973. He started his coaching career there, working as the head baseball coach and an assistant football coach. From there, he moved on to Evansville High School (WI), where he taught eighth-grade math and was the head football and baseball coach. In 1980, he returned to UW-Whitewater, where he taught, coached and mentored many until his retirement in 2006. In 2012, UW-Whitewater renamed the Student Athletic Complex, which houses classrooms and coaches offices, the Berezowitz Student Athletic Complex. 
 
Stories and memories are still shared today between Berezowitz and his friends. Once a year, four of them get together to play a round of golf together. Besides getting together with fellow alumni, Berezowitz can still be found around campus. His grandson, Joey Berezowitz, is a part of the UW-W men's basketball team, and he assists football coach Kevin Bullis on special projects. He describes his time as a UW-Whitewater student-athlete as "tremendous," and that he "would not trade it for anything as it worked out great for me."
 
Berezowitz shared words of advice for UW-Whitewater students: "Stick around town and to enjoy the college experience. UW-Whitewater is such a unique campus where you can walk to wherever you want to go. Try and experience new things such as supporting Warhawk athletics and getting involved on campus. There is nothing better than having a reunion every couple of years to catch up and tell stories."
 
 
See also: Bob Berezowitz Hall of Fame Profile Page