Wilford White facts for kids
White on a 1954 Bowman football card
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| No. 33 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Halfback | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | September 26, 1928 Mesa, Arizona, U.S. |
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| Died: | August 1, 2013 (aged 84) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 172 lb (78 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Mesa (Mesa, AZ) |
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| College: | Arizona State | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1951 / Round: 3 / Pick: 36 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Wilford "Whizzer" White (born September 26, 1928, died August 1, 2013) was a talented American football player. He played as a halfback for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL). He also played for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Wilford was chosen by the Bears in the 1951 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State University and was the first player from his school to be named an All-American.
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Early Life and High School Sports
Wilford White was born in Mesa, Arizona. He went to Mesa High School. There, he was great at many sports, especially track and field. In football, he was named one of the best players in the state during his junior and senior years.
In his last year of high school, he helped his team win the state championship. He ran for an amazing 181 yards per game, which was a state record for 46 years! People called him "The Mesa Meteor" and "The Wizard of the Harmonica." Later, the media gave him the nickname "Whizzer."
College Football Career
White earned a football scholarship to Arizona State University. He was the team's top rusher from 1947 to 1950, gaining a total of 3,173 yards. In 1950, he had an incredible season. He rushed for 1,502 yards, which was the most in the nation that year. This still ranks as the second-best season in his school's history.
He also scored 22 touchdowns and 136 points in 1950. These numbers were among the best in the country and are still school records for a single season. White was only the second player in college football history to run for so many yards in one season. He also became the first football player from Arizona State University to be named an All-American.
In 1951, White played in two special games: the College All-Star Game and the East–West Shrine Game. Many people consider him one of the best running backs in Arizona State history. Many of his records still stand today.
Other College Sports
Besides football, Wilford White also played basketball. He competed in the decathlon, which is a track and field event with ten different contests. He finished fifth and sixth nationally in the decathlon during his junior and senior years. He competed against Olympic athlete Bob Mathias.
White was honored for his achievements at Arizona State University. He was inducted into the Arizona State University Athletics Hall of Fame. He also joined the Sun Devil Ring of Honor, and his jersey number (33) was retired.
Professional Football Career
The Chicago Bears chose Wilford White in the third round of the 1951 NFL Draft. He was the 36th player picked overall. He played two seasons in the NFL before a knee injury ended his career.
One of White's most famous plays happened when he was playing as a quarterback. He ran backwards for over 48 yards while being chased by Los Angeles Rams defenders. He ended up fumbling the ball near the goal line, and a Rams player recovered it for a touchdown. This play was featured in an NFL Films video called 100 Greatest Follies, where it was named the third greatest "folly" (or mistake) of all time. His son, Danny White, joked that his dad was probably so embarrassed that he tried to get rid of every copy of the film!
Family Life
Wilford White's son, Danny White, also became a famous football player. Danny was a Pro Bowl quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Later, he coached the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League. Wilford's grandson, Max Hall, also played quarterback in the NFL. Wilford White passed away on August 1, 2013, from a heart attack.
See also
- List of college football yearly rushing leaders
