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Bill Dudley
William McGarvey Dudley (December 24, 1921 – February 4, 2010), nicknamed "Bullet Bill", was an American professional football halfback, safety and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Detroit Lions, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1972. He, along with Deion Sanders are the only players in NFL history to score touchdowns in six different ways (rushing, receiving, punt return, kickoff return, interception return, and fumble return)
Dudley was born in Bluefield, Virginia and attended Graham High School. He made the football team his junior year, and in 1938 he kicked a 35-yard field goal in the season's finale and helped Graham beat favored Princeton High School, 10–7.
At the age of 16, Dudley was awarded an athletic scholarship by the University of Virginia football team by coach Frank Murray. As a result, he received a $500 grant, out of which he paid for room, board, and books. He also pledged and became a brother of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Although he was originally slated as a punter and placekicker, Dudley eventually came to play the halfback position. In his sophomore year, he began as the fifth back on the depth chart but, due to a teammate's injury, played several games.
By his third year, Dudley started every game and was the Southern Conference's leader in total offensive yards. He was also successful in his senior year, particularly during a game against the University of North Carolina. In that game, Dudley scored all three touchdowns for Virginia and kicked four extra points. That season, he became the first Virginia player to earn All-American honors and was awarded the Maxwell Award for best college football player of the year. He was also named the best college player of the year by the Washington D.C. Touchdown Club. Dudley also led the nation in four categories: touchdowns with 18; points scored with 134; rushing average with 6.2 yards a play; and touchdowns responsible for with 29. After the season, he played in the East–West Shrine Game, where he intercepted four passes and threw for his team's touchdown in a 6–6 tie. He also played in the College All-Star Game in Chicago.
Dudley was drafted in the 1942 NFL draft with the first overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers. During the 1942 season, he led the league in rushing with 696 yards on 162 carries and was then named to the All-Pro team. He also completed 35 of 94 passes for 438 yards and two touchdowns, punted 18 times for a 32.0 average, returned 20 punts for 271 yards (14.0 avg), and ran back 11 kickoffs for 298 yards (27.0 avg), scoring once. In the first game of his professional career, Dudley ran for a 55-yard touchdown and in his second game scored on a kickoff return.
In 1942, the U. S. armed services began drafting all eligible young men to fight in World War II. Dudley originally enlisted and was sworn into the Naval Air Corps; however, they found out he needed to have his parents' consent, since he was not yet 21. Dudley then enlisted in U. S. Army Air Corps in September 1942, but there was an influx of recruits and Dudley was told he would have to wait three months before he began training. This delay made it possible for him to finish his rookie season with the Steelers.
Dudley went through basic training in Florida and then attended flight school in Texas. He then joined the Army's football team. In 1944, Dudley helped his team to a 12–0 record and was named the Most Valuable Player. At the end of the war, Dudley was shipped to the Pacific and flew two supply missions. He was then sent to Hawaii where the Army selected him to play in three more football games against All-Star teams.
Dudley returned to Pittsburgh that fall and rejoined the Steelers's team for the last four games of the 1945 season. In a game against the Chicago Cardinals, he ran for two touchdowns and kicked for two additional points and became the Steelers' leading scorer for that season. He also rushed for 204 yards and returned three kickoffs for 65 yards.
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Bill Dudley
William McGarvey Dudley (December 24, 1921 – February 4, 2010), nicknamed "Bullet Bill", was an American professional football halfback, safety and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Detroit Lions, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1972. He, along with Deion Sanders are the only players in NFL history to score touchdowns in six different ways (rushing, receiving, punt return, kickoff return, interception return, and fumble return)
Dudley was born in Bluefield, Virginia and attended Graham High School. He made the football team his junior year, and in 1938 he kicked a 35-yard field goal in the season's finale and helped Graham beat favored Princeton High School, 10–7.
At the age of 16, Dudley was awarded an athletic scholarship by the University of Virginia football team by coach Frank Murray. As a result, he received a $500 grant, out of which he paid for room, board, and books. He also pledged and became a brother of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Although he was originally slated as a punter and placekicker, Dudley eventually came to play the halfback position. In his sophomore year, he began as the fifth back on the depth chart but, due to a teammate's injury, played several games.
By his third year, Dudley started every game and was the Southern Conference's leader in total offensive yards. He was also successful in his senior year, particularly during a game against the University of North Carolina. In that game, Dudley scored all three touchdowns for Virginia and kicked four extra points. That season, he became the first Virginia player to earn All-American honors and was awarded the Maxwell Award for best college football player of the year. He was also named the best college player of the year by the Washington D.C. Touchdown Club. Dudley also led the nation in four categories: touchdowns with 18; points scored with 134; rushing average with 6.2 yards a play; and touchdowns responsible for with 29. After the season, he played in the East–West Shrine Game, where he intercepted four passes and threw for his team's touchdown in a 6–6 tie. He also played in the College All-Star Game in Chicago.
Dudley was drafted in the 1942 NFL draft with the first overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers. During the 1942 season, he led the league in rushing with 696 yards on 162 carries and was then named to the All-Pro team. He also completed 35 of 94 passes for 438 yards and two touchdowns, punted 18 times for a 32.0 average, returned 20 punts for 271 yards (14.0 avg), and ran back 11 kickoffs for 298 yards (27.0 avg), scoring once. In the first game of his professional career, Dudley ran for a 55-yard touchdown and in his second game scored on a kickoff return.
In 1942, the U. S. armed services began drafting all eligible young men to fight in World War II. Dudley originally enlisted and was sworn into the Naval Air Corps; however, they found out he needed to have his parents' consent, since he was not yet 21. Dudley then enlisted in U. S. Army Air Corps in September 1942, but there was an influx of recruits and Dudley was told he would have to wait three months before he began training. This delay made it possible for him to finish his rookie season with the Steelers.
Dudley went through basic training in Florida and then attended flight school in Texas. He then joined the Army's football team. In 1944, Dudley helped his team to a 12–0 record and was named the Most Valuable Player. At the end of the war, Dudley was shipped to the Pacific and flew two supply missions. He was then sent to Hawaii where the Army selected him to play in three more football games against All-Star teams.
Dudley returned to Pittsburgh that fall and rejoined the Steelers's team for the last four games of the 1945 season. In a game against the Chicago Cardinals, he ran for two touchdowns and kicked for two additional points and became the Steelers' leading scorer for that season. He also rushed for 204 yards and returned three kickoffs for 65 yards.