Waddy Young

Waddy Young was born on September 4, 1916, in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Wikipedia's text says September 14. His father, Glenn, performed in the 101 Ranch Wild West Show. He was all-state at end at Ponca City High School. At Oklahoma he became the first consensus All-American, in 1938, and led OU to its first Big Six title and first bowl, the 1939 Orange Bowl. He also won the Big Six heavyweight wrestling title and the all-campus boxing title. The Brooklyn Dodgers drafted him in the third round, 20th overall, in 1939. He played 22 games with 15 catches for 185 yards and was in the NFL's first televised game. He joined the Army Air Forces in 1941, flew 25 B-24 missions in Europe, then piloted the B-29 "Waddy's Wagon." He was killed on January 9, 1945, near Tokyo after staying back to protect a damaged wingman. He entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986. The Daily Oklahoman wrote on December 10, 1938 (NewsBank page 10): "To the Brooklyn Dodgers went Robert MacLeod of Dartmouth, Pug Manders of Drake, Bob Haak of Indiana and Roland Young, Oklahoma's all-American end."