"Waddy"Young Biography-2: College & NFL Career
University of Oklahoma Football
Waddy was an All-State High School end at Ponca City High. Recruited by Oklahoma, he was a Big Six All-Conference selection in 1937 and 1938 as an End. He was the Sooner's first consensus football All-American in 1938. Waddy led the undefeated (10-0) Sooners to their first bowl game, the 1939 Orange Bowl.
"Waddy is the boy who makes our running attack go. Most of our plays go to the right over the foe's big left tackle but Waddy is big enough and good enough to move any of them. Also he is smart, fast, clean, can catch any kind of pass, handles the forward lateral well and is a fine end in every respect."
- University of Oklahoma head football coach Tom Stidham.
Young was inducted posthumously into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and named the recipient of the Robert Kalsu Freedom Award, presented by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, in 2007. The University of Oklahoma Air Force ROTC Silver Wings chapter is named in honor of Waddy Young.
NFL Brooklyn Dodgers 1939-1940
Young was selected by the Brooklyn Dodgers in the third round of the 1939 NFL Draft as a wide receiver. Young appeared in 11 games each year; he was principally used as a ferocious offensive blocker, opening up lanes for his running backs, and as a defensive end (most NFLers were 60-minute men back then....).
Waddy became known during his NFL playing career as "The Iron Dodger" for never missing a snap in any game for Brooklyn, including offense, defense, and all special teams.
He left the Dodgers at the end of the 1940 season, and volunteered for the Army Air Corps.
