Born in the Philadelphia suburbs, the younger Collins attended the elite Episcopal Academy, graduating in the class of 1935.

Commissioned as a lieutenant, Collins served as a communications officer aboard the Cleveland-class light cruiser USS Miami, which participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and supported strikes on Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

He went on to play in the International League for the Jersey City Giants and Buffalo Bisons before retiring from the field.

In the Major Leagues, Collins appeared in 132 career games played and collected 66 hits, with nine doubles and three triples.

[1] In 1955, Collins received a master's degree in education from Harvard, and went on to teach at his alma mater, the Episcopal Academy, from 1960 to 1982.