Cleveland Indians Clubhouse Security Guard Bill Wilson guards the entrance to the Indians Clubhouse during all homestands. The former teacher at Valley Forge High School recently sat down to chat with TribeVibe.

TribeVibe: How did you get this job?
Bill Wilson: I was a schoolteacher, and we [did] not qualify for social security. I was a few quarters shy, so I came and started working at the gates. They transferred me down to the clubhouse, and it’s too much fun. It’s just a fun job, and it’s not actually a job; I have fun down here.

TV: What are your duties as Clubhouse Security Guard?
BW: We are security in the clubhouse. We make sure all the reporters have credentials, and then they’re in at certain times, not allowed in at other times. It’s control of the personnel going in and out of the clubhouse.

TV: Describe a typical day.
BW: For a night game, we get here at 1:00. We used to work through the game and sit out in the bullpen and go out between the innings. They cut our hours back, so now we work around 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

TV: Do you have a memory from working in the bullpen?
BW: It was about three years ago. [Former Indians reliever] Terry Mulholland was always pulling pranks. I remember one time, he put a fish line from the fence to a chair. People were coming in and tripping over it. He was old—he had to be in his late 30s, early 40s. He would sit there and put a cap on his nose, [move his head], and it would land right on the top of his nose. All the rookies were trying to do that, and all their caps were going all over the place. Terry was really nice.

TV: Describe what it is like in the clubhouse following a big win.
BW: When we’re sitting inside, right here, and they’re coming up through the tunnel, the music is really good in the clubhouse. When they lose, they don’t play music in the clubhouse. Anytime they win, the music is on in the clubhouse. When they win, it’s just like Christmas morning; everybody’s just really happy.

TV: What is your favorite part of the job?
BW: Interacting with the writers; they’re all nice guys, they have good sense of humors. The players [are] nice. You hear about the two percent of players that are negative, and 98 percent of these kids are really nice people. They’re just like you and I, but they can hit and throw a baseball.

TV: Do you have a favorite Indian? [As outfielder Grady Sizemore walks by.]
BW: [Laughs] Grady’s one of my favorites. Years ago, [former pitcher] Jake Westbrook, and now, Justin Masterson’s really nice.

TV: Does any particular instance stand out in which you were interacting with a player?
BW: [Former infielder] Ronnie Belliard would always talk to you, always interact with you. He was a really, super nice guy.

TV: Are there lessons that can be learned from being around a baseball team like this?
BW: Yeah, I believe so because some of these guys—one in particular—was cut from his high school team and [did not] make his college team at first. He kept trying, and now he’s in the Major Leagues. The first time you try things, if you don’t succeed, you’ve just got to try, and things will work out for you.

TV: Is there anything else the fans should know about this job?
BW: The only bad part about this job is that it’s too good to quit. They’ll have to drag me out of here. I enjoy it. The reporters are all nice, the players are great. It’s a fun job.

-Megan Golden, TribeVibe contributor