Personal information | |
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Born: | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | December 20, 1867
Died: | April 2, 1954 Blessing, Texas, U.S. | (aged 86)
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) |
Career information | |
College: | Yale (1888–1891) |
Position: | Guard |
Career history | |
As a player: | |
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As a coach: | |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Head coaching record | |
Career: | 17–13–1 (.565) |
Part of the American football series on the |
History of American football |
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Origins of American football |
Close relations to other codes |
Topics |
William Walter "Pudge" Heffelfinger (December 20, 1867 – April 2, 1954), also spelled Hafelfinger, was an American football player and coach. He is considered the first athlete to play American football professionally, having been paid to play in 1892 for the Allegheny Athletic Association.[1]
Heffelfinger played college football from 1888 to 1891 at Yale University, where he was a three-time consensus All-American as a guard. He served as the head football coach at the University of California in 1893, Lehigh University in 1894, and the University of Minnesota in 1895, compiling a career coaching record of 17–13–1. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as player with the inaugural class of 1951.