Bill Mooney was born and raised in Stellarton, Nova Scotia. His family was one of the most well-known and respected families in the Stellarton area. They were known especially for their involvement in sports — particularly baseball, track and field, and skating.

Mooney excelled in all three of these sports. He was a talented pitcher on the various baseball teams he played for and possessed great stamina and speed; which helped make him a great athlete in both track and skating. He was a star in the 440- and 880-yard track events, as well as the 1-mile open skating event.

Bill is an original Sport Hall of Fame inductee.