BOSTON — Billings Field in West Roxbury is undergoing renovations with new baseball and soccer fields for kids. It used to be the home of the Parkway Falcons Pop Warner football team for years. One of the coaches for several years was Bobby Kilduff, a Boston Firefighter killed battling flames in Dorchester last Saturday night.
“Prototypical community guy. Lived in West Roxbury, got himself involved on behalf of his kids and stayed because it was a worthy endeavor,” Kevin Hallinan said. He considered this a calling. The kids loved him."
Hallinan was a former president and coach of the Pop Warner teams. The elementary and middle school students would put on the pads and play at different weight levels.
The lowest was the ‘E’ team, where Hallinan and Kilduff coached together.
“If they were distracted and we needed their attention, he would say, ‘Eyes,’ and they would snap to the coach’s eyes. He’s a marine, so he’d bring that enthusiasm as well as the discipline kids were getting in shape with the exercises; he had them do. They didn’t even know they were getting in shape because they were having fun,” Hallinan said.
Kilduff was a defensive coach who helped run drills for conditioning. His son was on a team, and his daughter was a cheerleader. Even after they left the program, Kilduff stayed on to coach.
0 of 4
“He thought the program did so much for them he couldn’t help but give back,” Hallinan said.
This football program has a special connection to firefighters. A playground next to the park was named after Lt. Edward Walsh and Boston Firefighter Michael Kennedy, who died on the job in 2014. Walsh’s kids were in the program at the time.
“Many of the coaches were tied to firefighting. It hits close to me because my son is also a Boston firefighter,” Hallinan said.
Kilduff, at times, would bring in a fire truck to spray water and cool down the kids on a hot summer night of practice. He would also set up his DJ equipment and play music for kids to get hyped before a game.
While the Pop Warner program shut down a few years ago, what Kilduff did for this community will not be forgotten.
“Nothing I’ve heard said about this guy is exaggerated, not even a little. It’s likely understated,” Hallinan said. “He was an absolute giver, and he elevated people around him.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
