Pudge Heffelfinger facts for kids
Heffelfinger at Yale
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| Position: | Guard |
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| Personal information | |
| Born: | December 20, 1867 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died: | April 2, 1954 (aged 86) Blessing, Texas, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | Yale (1888–1891) |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
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| As coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Head coaching record | |
| Career: | 17–13–1 (.565) |
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College Football Hall of Fame
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William Walter "Pudge" Heffelfinger (born December 20, 1867 – died April 2, 1954) was a famous American football player and coach. He is known as the very first athlete to play American football as a professional. This means he was paid to play the sport, starting in 1892.
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Pudge Heffelfinger's Early Life
William Walter Heffelfinger was born in 1867 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His parents, Christopher and Mary, were from Pennsylvania. Pudge's father joined the Union Army during the Civil War. He was hurt in the Battle of Gettysburg. After the war, his family started a shoe making business.
The Heffelfinger family became very well-known in Minneapolis. When he was a boy, William was given the nickname "Pudge." He played both baseball and football in high school. Sometimes, he even played for the University of Minnesota's baseball and football teams while still in high school.
Pudge's Amazing Playing Career
Playing Football at Yale University
Pudge Heffelfinger was an amazing football player for Yale College. He played there from 1888 to 1891. He was chosen as an All-American player three times, which was a huge honor.
Pudge had planned to go to the University of Minnesota. But a Yale graduate saw his talent and convinced him to play for Yale instead. This person even helped him study for the entrance exam. On his first day of practice in 1888, the team captain, "Pa" Corbin, saw Pudge's skill. He immediately gave Pudge a spot on the main varsity team.
The 1888 Yale team was incredibly strong. They won every game and didn't even let the other teams score a single point! Their total score for the season was 698 to 0. During Pudge's four years at Yale, the team only lost two games. He thought the 1891 team, his senior year, was the best. He called it "one of the best balanced teams I ever saw."
Pudge was good at more than just football at Yale. He also played rowing, baseball, and track. He even won the university's heavyweight boxing championship!
The First Professional Football Player
After leaving Yale, Pudge played amateur football for the Chicago Athletic Association. He was paid "double expenses," which was common for top amateur players. Everyone thought he was the best player around.
Two teams in Pittsburgh, the Allegheny Athletic Association (called the 3As) and the Pittsburgh Athletic Club, were big rivals. They both wanted Pudge to play for them. The Pittsburgh A.C. offered him $250 to play. But Pudge didn't think it was enough to risk his amateur status. The 3As then offered him $500! On the day of the game, Pudge and two of his Chicago teammates played for the 3As.
The game was played at Recreation Park in Pittsburgh. Today, a historic marker shows where this important game took place. At the time, Pudge's payment was kept secret. But his playing caused a big argument. The Pittsburgh A.C. complained about the Chicago players on the 3As team. The 3As pointed out that Pittsburgh had also brought in players. Allegheny won the game 4–0. Pudge scored the only touchdown by recovering a fumble. Back then, a touchdown was only worth four points.
Years later, in the 1960s, a man gave Art Rooney, the president of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a document. It was a 49-page history of early pro football. This document showed that Pudge Heffelfinger was the first professional American football player. He was paid $500 to play for Allegheny on November 12, 1892. The Pro Football Hall of Fame later found an old expense book from the Allegheny Athletic Association. It had a clear entry: "Game performance bonus to W. Heffelfinger for playing (cash) $500." This record proved that Pudge Heffelfinger was indeed the first professional football player.
Pudge's Coaching Career
Coaching at California
Pudge Heffelfinger became a head football coach for the first time at the University of California, Berkeley. This was for the 1893 football season. His team had a good record of 5 wins, 1 loss, and 1 tie.
Coaching at Lehigh
Next, Pudge coached at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania in 1894. His team won 5 games and lost 9.
Coaching at Minnesota
In 1895, Pudge coached the University of Minnesota football team. In his only season there, his team won 7 games and lost 3. They had big wins against rivals like the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Chicago. His team scored 136 points while only letting opponents score 58 points.
Pudge's Later Life and Legacy
Pudge Heffelfinger married Grace Harriet Pierce in 1901. They were married until he passed away in 1954. After his official coaching career, Pudge worked in business in Minneapolis. He joined his family's shoe manufacturing company. The business faced tough times and went bankrupt in 1910.
After that, Pudge had a busy career in real estate. He helped develop important areas in Minneapolis. He also helped bring the Butler Brothers company to the city. Pudge was also involved in politics. He was a delegate for the Republican Party in 1904 and 1908. In 1924, he won a seat on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners. He compared politics to football, saying he would reduce taxes "if I make a touchdown in this political game." He served on the board for 24 years.
Pudge always stayed involved with football. Even after he stopped coaching professionally, he would visit Yale every year to help the coaching staff. Even in his 50s, he would scrimmage with the Yale players, showing how tough he still was. He also played in charity games against much younger men. He played his last game when he was 65 years old! From 1935 to 1950, Pudge edited a yearly booklet called Heffelfinger's Football Facts. It had history, rules, and schedules for college and pro football.
Pudge Heffelfinger died in Texas on April 2, 1954.
Hall of Fame Honors
Pudge Heffelfinger was honored by being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. Even though he was a very early pioneer for professional football, he has not yet been inducted into the main Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, he was inducted into the Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2022, he was also named one of the first 10 members of the Football Learning Academy's Hall of Honor. This group aims to recognize football legends not yet in the main hall.
Images for kids
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Heffelfinger at Yale
