While going through the Hackensack High School yearbooks over the years, I had come across Charles Parcells, nicknamed “Chubby”, who graduated in 1931.

It was a few years ago in 2006, while I was going through an old file, I came across it again in May of 2009. I had been to a beefsteak dinner for Hackensack Football and the guest speaker was Phil Simms. He made some comments on meeting Steve and Gerry Wyche in College at Morehead State and how they had their letter jackets on and he wondered where or what is Hackensack? Then, Phil Simms told stories about his football days and Bill Parcells. The Phil Simms stories made me remember the yearbook photo and so I decided to send material to Bill Parcell’s younger brother, Doug, who lives in River Edge, NJ and is a teacher in Ramsey, NJ, to see if this was their father or relative because he looked so much like Bill Parcells.

            After receiving the material I sent to Doug Parcells on some veterans on the website explaining the project, he called me back on May 24, 2009. Doug told me that “yes”, this is his father and no, he did not serve in the military during World War II. 

Doug Parcells told me his dad went to graduate school to be an attorney, but did not take the bar exam. His first job, he believed, was working for the FBI and that was where he was working during World War II at the age of 30. When war broke out, he would have been too old at first for the draft, most older men who were drafted were many times put in intelligence anyway, so that is why he stayed in the FBI as he was in a position where he was needed already.

            I asked Doug Parcells why his dad was called “Chubby”, and he said, “You know, I don’t know? He was called that by close friends his whole life and he was never fat or chubby and he stood tall.” Doug said his dad knew Howard Bollerman, Sr., and Doug believed he was coached in all sports at Hackensack High School by
John William Steinhilber.

            So there you have it…Charles Parcells, known as “Chubby”, is the father of the famous Giants Football coach. Bill Parcells and his younger brother, Doug Parcells, from River Edge, are Charles Parcells’ sons. Charles Parcells lived on 261 State Street in Hackensack and graduated from Hackensack High School in 1931.

Bill Parcells, the famous NFL football coach, graduated from River Dell High School’s first graduating class, otherwise he probably would have gone to
Hackensack High School. 

Doug Parcells graduated from River Dell in the early 1970’s and is well known in the area in youth sports.

Written by:
Bob Meli
June 11, 2009

Background image of FBI building during 1942 World War II Era obtained from:
https://www.fbi.gov/news/galleries/2014-photo-gallery/2014-photo-gallery