Bill Woodfull - Retirement

Retirement

Outside cricket, Woodfull had a successful career as a mathematics teacher at Melbourne High School, and was headmaster for six years. He was known for his stern discipline throughout his career. One of his students was future Australian Test all rounder and Australian Cricket Hall of Fame inductee Keith Miller, whom he taught in year nine. Miller was a mediocre student, as he did little study and focused his energy on sport. This disappointed Woodfull, a disciplined man who invoked the school motto, which meant Honour the Work and exhorted his students to work hard as Australia was attempting to emerge from the depths of the Great Depression. Miller scored zero in his final exam for Woodfull's geometry class, and was forced to repeat the year. Despite his credentials, Woodfull refused to involve himself in coaching the school's cricket teams, feeling that it would intrude on the responsibilities of the sports teachers. Despite this, Woodfull watched the students at cricket training and quickly noticed Miller's skills, writing in the school magazine that "Miller has Test possibilities". Other notable students included Doug Ring, a leg spinner who was a member of Bradman's Invincibles, left arm orthodox spinner Jack Wilson and world record breaking Olympic distance runner Ron Clarke. The school oval was later named the Miller-Woodfull Oval.

The rejuvenated Maldon Oval in his home town was renamed the Bill Woodfull Recreation Reserve, and when the Great Southern Stand was constructed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1992, one of the entrances was named the Bill Woodfull Gate.

Woodfull married Gwen King, whom he met while singing in the choir at his father's church in Albert Park, and they married after Woodfull's return from the England tour in 1926. They had three children. His two sons Jack and Bill Jr, played for Melbourne University Cricket Club and became successful dentists.

In November 1934, the governor general informed him that the King had offered him a knighthood, "for services to cricket", The citation made a veiled reference to Woodfull's actions during the bodyline episode. Woodfull always considered his contributions to education more important than anything he ever did on the cricket field, and declined the honour. In later life he said "Had I been awarded it for being an educationalist, then I would have accepted it. But under no circumstances would I accept it for playing cricket. In 1963, he was invested as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to education. In 1965, while on holiday with his wife and daughter Jill, he collapsed and died while playing golf in Tweed Heads, New South Wales. His family remained adamant that the bruising bodyline attack had permanently damaged his health and curtailed his life. Woodfull was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2001, one of the first 15 inductees.