Bill Wade, 1959
Photo: ABC Television. The advertising agency Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborn (BBDO) distributed this publicity release and photo. During the 1950s and 1960s, program sponsors, networks and studios would often have either publicity or advertising agencies distribute publicty material. Many times the show’s sponsor did this through the agency they retained for their company. An example is Ford Motor Company’s use of the ad agency representing Ford, J. Walter Thompson, to distribute publicity materials for programs like I Love Lucy and other television shows they sponsored., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Quarterback, Vanderbilt, 1948–⁠51

Bill Wade

Born
Oct 4, 1930, in Nashville, Tennessee
Died
Mar 9, 2016, in Nashville, Tennessee

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Bill Wade played quarterback at Vanderbilt (1948–⁠51). The Los Angeles Rams took Wade first overall in the 1952 NFL Draft.

At a glance

Best season
1951
SEC Player of the Year and First-team All-SEC
Drafted
No. 1
Overall, 1952 NFL Draft (Los Angeles Rams)

Honors

All-America: AP second team (offense) 1951

Players of the year, conference and regional honors: Wikipedia’s lists (CC BY-SA), each linked from its honor.

The teams in those years

Our player records start in 2004; before that they hold the honors, the Heisman vote and the draft (from 1936), with college years from the player’s Wikipedia article where it gives them.

In the NFL

Pro Bowls: 2 (1958, 1963)

Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams by NFL season: rosters and honors, Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

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