View source for Bill Dudley

{{Short description|American football player (1921–2010)}}
{{Other people|William Dudley}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Bill Dudley
| image       = Bill dudley bowman 1948.jpg
| caption     = Dudley displayed on a Bowman card, 1948
| number      = 3, 35, 44
| position    = [[Halfback (American football)|Halfback]] <br> [[Safety (gridiron football position)|Safety]] <br> [[Return specialist]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1921|12|24|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Bluefield, Virginia]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|2010|02|04|1921|12|24|mf=yes}}
| death_place = [[Lynchburg, Virginia]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 5
| height_in   = 10
| weight_lb   = 182
| high_school = [[Graham High School (Bluefield, Virginia)|Graham]] <br> (Bluefield, Virginia)
| college     = [[Virginia Cavaliers football|Virginia]] (1939–1941)
| draftyear   = 1942
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 1
| pastteams   =
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] ({{NFL Year|1942}}; {{NFL Year|1945|1946}})
* [[Detroit Lions]] ({{NFL Year|1947|1949}})
* [[Washington Commanders|Washington Redskins]] ({{NFL Year|1950|1951}}; {{NFL Year|1953}})
| highlights  =
* [[Joe F. Carr Trophy|NFL Most Valuable Player]] (1946)
* 4× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1942 All-Pro Team|1942]], [[1946 All-Pro Team|1946]]–[[1948 All-Pro Team|1948]])
* 2× Second-team All-Pro ([[1951 All-Pro Team|1951]], [[1952 All-Pro Team|1952]])
* 2× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1951 Pro Bowl|1950]], [[1952 Pro Bowl|1951]])
* 2× [[List of National Football League annual rushing yards leaders|NFL rushing yards leader]] (1942, 1946)
* [[List of National Football League annual interceptions leaders|NFL interceptions leader]] (1946)
* 2× [[List of National Football League annual punt return yards leaders|NFL punt return yards leader]] (1942, 1946)
* [[NFL 1940s All-Decade Team]]
* [[Washington Commanders#90 Greatest|80 Greatest Redskins]]
* [[Washington Commanders#Ring of Fame|Washington Commanders Ring of Fame]]
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers Legends team]]
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers#Hall of Honor|Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor]]
* [[Maxwell Award]] (1941)
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1941 College Football All-America Team|1941]])
* Third-team All-American ([[1940 College Football All-America Team|1940]])
* [[Virginia Cavaliers football#Retired numbers|Virginia Cavaliers No. 35]] retired
| statlabel1  = Rushing yards
| statvalue1  = 3,057
| statlabel2  = Rushing [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue2  = 18
| statlabel3  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Reception]]s
| statvalue3  = 123
| statlabel4  = Receiving yards
| statvalue4  = 1,383
| statlabel5  = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue5  = 18
| statlabel6  = Return yards
| statvalue6  = 3,258
| statlabel7  = Return touchdowns
| statvalue7  = 4
| statlabel8  = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue8  = 23
{{Infobox military person
| embed         = yes
| allegiance    = {{USA}}
| branch = [[File:Roundel of the United States (1919–1941).svg|20px|United States Army Air Corp seal]] [[United States Army Air Corps|U.S. Army Air Corps]]
| serviceyears  = 1942–1945
| rank          = 
| unit          = 
| battles       = {{tree list}}
* [[World War II]]
** [[Pacific War|Pacific Theater]]
{{tree list/end}}
| awards        = 
}}
| pfr         = DudlBi00
| HOF         = bill-dudley
| CollegeHOF  = 1709 
}}

'''William McGarvey Dudley''' (December 24, 1921 – February 4, 2010), nicknamed "'''Bullet Bill'''", was an American professional [[American football|football]] [[halfback (American football)|halfback]], [[Safety (gridiron football position)|safety]] and [[return specialist]] who played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], the [[Detroit Lions]], and the [[Washington Commanders|Washington Redskins]]. He was inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1966 and the [[Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum|Virginia Sports Hall of Fame]] in 1972.<ref>Obituary ''[[The New York Times]]'', February 5, 2010.</ref><ref>Obituary ''[[The Washington Post]]'', February 10, 2010.</ref><ref>Obituary ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', February 5, 2010.</ref>

==Early life==
Dudley was born in [[Bluefield, Virginia]] and attended [[Graham High School (Bluefield, Virginia)|Graham High School]].<ref name=biography>{{cite web | work=Bill Dudley official site | url=http://www.cmgww.com/football/dudley/biography.htm | title=Biography: You can't stop the "Bullet" | access-date=July 11, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615220917/http://www.cmgww.com/football/dudley/biography.htm | archive-date=June 15, 2008 | url-status=dead }}</ref>  He made the [[high school football|football team]] his junior year, and in 1938 he kicked a 35-yard [[Field goal (football)|field goal]] in the season's finale and helped Graham beat favored [[Princeton High School (West Virginia)|Princeton High School]], 10–7.<ref name=coffincorner>{{cite web | work=Pro Football Researchers | url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/18-04-654.pdf | title=The Coffin Corner: Vol. 18, No. 4 (1996) Bullet Bill Dudley | access-date=July 13, 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009044410/http://profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/18-04-654.pdf | archive-date=October 9, 2010 }}</ref>

==College career==
At the age of 16, Dudley was awarded an [[athletic scholarship]] by the [[University of Virginia]] [[Virginia Cavaliers football|football team]] by coach [[Frank Murray (coach)|Frank Murray]].<ref name=biography />  As a result, he received a $500 grant, out of which he paid for room, board, and books.<ref name=coffincorner />  He also pledged and became a brother of the [[Sigma Alpha Epsilon]] fraternity.  Although he was originally slated as a [[punter (American football)|punter]] and [[placekicker]], Dudley eventually came to play the [[Halfback (American football)|halfback]] position.<ref name=biography />  In his sophomore year, he began as the fifth back on the depth chart but, due to a teammate's injury, played several games.<ref name=coffincorner />

By his third year, Dudley started every game and was the [[Southern Conference]]'s leader in total offensive yards.  He was also successful in his senior year, particularly during a game against the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina]].  In that game, Dudley scored all three touchdowns for Virginia and kicked four [[extra point]]s.<ref name=biography />  That season, he became the first Virginia player to earn [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] honors and was awarded the [[Maxwell Award]] for best [[college football]] player of the year.<ref name=biography />  He was also named the best college player of the year by the [[Washington D.C. Touchdown Club]].<ref name=coffincorner />  Dudley also led the nation in four categories: touchdowns with 18; points scored with 134; rushing average with 6.2 yards a play; and touchdowns responsible for with 29.<ref name=collegefootballhof>{{cite web | work=College Football Hall of Fame | url={{College Football HoF/url|id=1709}} | title=Dudley's College Football HOF profile | access-date=July 12, 2008}}</ref>  After the season, he played in the [[East–West Shrine Game]], where he intercepted four passes and threw for his team's touchdown in a 6–6 tie.<ref name=coffincorner />  He also played in the [[College All-Star Game]] in [[Chicago]].<ref name=coffincorner />

==NFL rookie season (1942)==
Dudley was [[NFL Draft|drafted]] in the [[1942 NFL draft]] with the first overall pick by the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]].  During the [[1942 NFL season|1942]] season, he led the league in rushing with 696 yards on 162 carries and was then named to the [[All-Pro]] team.<ref name=biography />  He also completed 35 of 94 passes for 438 yards and two touchdowns, punted 18 times for a 32.0 average, returned 20 punts for 271 yards (14.0 avg), and ran back 11 kickoffs for 298 yards (27.0 avg), scoring once.<ref name=coffincorner />  In the first game of his professional career, Dudley ran for a 55-yard touchdown and in his second game scored on a kickoff return.<ref name=profootballhof>{{cite web | work=Pro Football Hall of Fame | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=61 | title=Dudley's Pro Football HOF profile | access-date=July 12, 2008}}</ref>

==Military service (1943–45)==
In 1942, the [[United States Military|U. S. armed services]] began [[Conscription|drafting]] all eligible young men to fight in World War II. Dudley originally enlisted and was sworn into the [[United States Naval Aviator|Naval Air Corps]]; however, they found out he needed to have his parents' consent, since he was not yet 21.<ref name=coffincorner /> Dudley then enlisted in [[United States Army Air Corps|U. S. Army Air Corps]] in September 1942, but there was an influx of recruits and Dudley was told he would have to wait three months before he began training.<ref name=biography /> This delay made it possible for him to finish his rookie season with the Steelers.

Dudley went through [[Recruit training|basic training]] in [[Florida]] and then attended [[Flight training|flight school]] in [[Texas]].<ref name=biography /> He then joined the [[United States Military Academy|Army's]] [[Army Black Knights football|football team]]. In 1944, Dudley helped his team to a 12–0 record and was named the [[Most Valuable Player]].<ref name=biography /> At the end of the war, Dudley was shipped to the Pacific and flew two supply missions.<ref name=coffincorner /> He was then sent to [[Hawaii]] where the Army selected him to play in three more football games against All-Star teams.<ref name=biography />

==Return to the NFL (1945–53)==
Dudley returned to Pittsburgh that fall and rejoined the Steelers's team for the last four games of the [[1945 NFL season|1945 season]].<ref name=biography />  In a game against the [[Chicago Cardinals (NFL, 1920–59)|Chicago Cardinals]], he ran for two touchdowns and kicked for two additional points and became the Steelers' leading scorer for that season.  He also rushed for 204 yards and returned three kickoffs for 65 yards.<ref name=biography />

In [[1946 NFL season|1946]], the Steelers hired a new coach [[Jock Sutherland]] and Dudley scored 48 points, which contributed to the Steelers' 5–5–1 record.<ref name=biography />  During that season, he became the league leader in rushing (604 yards), interceptions (10 total which he returned for 242 yards) and punt returns (27 total for 385 yards).<ref>"Most Valuable Players — 1946: Bill Dudley, Pittsburgh Steelers," ''Pro Football Illustrated, 1947.'' Mt. Morris, IL: Elbak Publishing Co., 1947; p. 17.</ref> In doing this, Dudley became the only NFL player to lead in four unique statistical categories.<ref name=biography />  He was named [[All-Pro]] and was awarded the [[NFL MVP#The Joe F. Carr Trophy|NFL's Most Valuable Player Award]].  Dudley became the first (and as of 2007, only) person to win MVP awards in college, service, and professional levels.<ref name=biography />
{{Quote box
 | quote  =''"Despite his lack of breakaway speed, Bill was the most<br />feared kickoff returner in the game.  He passed sidearm,<br />like a kid, yet he had a fine completion average.  He was<br />'too small,' but he was hardly ever hurt too badly to play.<br />He was the league's top ground gainer, yet he was also one<br />of the fiercest defensive tacklers and the best in the game at<br />interceptions.  As one of the men who faced him ruefully admitted,<br />Bill could not throw a pass correctly and 'ran as if he was<br />staggering,' yet he could always find a way to beat you."''
 | source =Journalist Robert Smith, on Dudley's ability.<ref name=coffincorner />
 | width  =200
 | align  =right
}}
Dudley was traded to the [[Detroit Lions]] after 1946, where he was offered a three-year contract and $20,000 a season.  He was elected captain of his team all three years, 1947–1949.<ref name=biography />  During his first year with the Lions, the team finished last.  On October 19, 1947, against the [[Chicago Bears]], Dudley returned a punt for an 84-yard touchdown.  During [[1947 NFL season|1947]], he scored 13 touchdowns; seven on pass receptions, four on runs from scrimmage, one on a punt return, one on kickoff return and throwing two.  In his last season with the Lions, he led Detroit in scoring for the third year in a row.<ref name=biography />

At the end of the [[1949 NFL season|1949 season]], Lions coach [[Bo McMillin]] traded Dudley to the [[Washington Redskins]], where he played for three seasons, during which he led the team in scoring every year.<ref name=biography />  On December 3, 1950, Dudley fielded a 60-yard punt kicked by Steelers' player [[Joe Geri]].  He ran over 30 yards before he reached his hands out of bounds, while keeping both feet in bounds, and caught the punt at the Redskin's four-yard line, and then ran it for a 96-yard touchdown.<ref name=biography />  Dudley took a break during the [[1952 NFL season|1952 season]] but returned in [[1953 NFL season|1953]].  He retired at the end of the season due to knee injuries and an overall physical deterioration.<ref name=biography />

Dudley was named first- or second-team All-NFL six times in his career and was named to three [[Pro Bowl]]s.<ref name=profootballhof />  During his nine pro seasons, Dudley gained 3,057 yards on 765 rushing attempts, a 4.0 average, and scored 20 touchdowns; caught 123 passes for 1,383 yards and 18 touchdowns; returned 124 punts for 1,515 yards and three touchdowns; ran back 78 kickoffs for 1,743 yards and one touchdown; intercepted 23 passes and returned them for 459 yards and two touchdowns; and punted 191 times for a 38.2-yard average.  He added 121 extra points and 33 field goals to his 44 touchdowns for a total of 484 points.<ref>{{cite web | work=HickokSports | url=http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/dudleybi.shtml | title=Dudley, "Bullet Bill" (William McG.) | access-date=July 11, 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609143313/http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/dudleybi.shtml | archive-date=June 9, 2012 }}</ref>  Dudley led his team in scoring during every one of his nine NFL seasons.<ref name=coffincorner />

Dudley is the only player ever with a rushing touchdown, touchdown reception, punt return for touchdown, kickoff return for touchdown, interception return for touchdown, fumble return for a touchdown, and a touchdown pass. He also had a touchdown via lateral and kicked PATs and field goals.

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|-
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1942 NFL season|1942]] !! [[1942 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 11 || 11 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''162''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''696''' || 4.3 || '''66''' || '''5''' || 1 || 24 || 24.0 || 24 || 0
|-
! [[1945 NFL season|1945]] !! [[1945 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 4 || 4 || 57 || 204 || 3.6 || 32 || 3 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1946 NFL season|1946]] !! [[1946 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 11 || 11 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 146 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 604 || 4.1 || 41 || 2 || 4 || 109 || '''27.3''' || '''80''' || 1
|-
! [[1947 NFL season|1947]] !! [[1947 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 9 || 8 || 80 || 302 || 3.8 || 28 || 2 || '''27''' || '''375''' || 13.9 || 64 || '''7'''
|-
! [[1948 NFL season|1948]] !! [[1948 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 7 || 4 || 33 || 97 || 2.9 || 11 || 0 || 20 || 210 || 10.5 || 22 || 6
|-
! [[1949 NFL season|1949]] !! [[1949 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 12 || 10 || 125 || 402 || 3.2 || 26 || 3 || '''27''' || 190 || 7.0 || 18 || 2
|-
! [[1950 NFL season|1950]] !! [[1950 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 12 || 11 || 66 || 339 || '''5.1''' || 27 || 1 || 22 || 172 || 7.8 || 17 || 1
|-
! [[1951 NFL season|1951]] !! [[1951 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 12 || 12 || 91 || 398 || 4.4 || 40 || 2 || 22 || 303 || 13.8 || 40 || 1
|-
! [[1953 NFL season|1953]] !! [[1953 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 12 || 0 || 5 || 15 || 3.0 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 90 !! 71 !! 765 !! 3,057 !! 4.0 !! 66 !! 18 !! 123 !! 1,383 !! 11.2 !! 80 !! 18
|}

==After football==
After retiring, Dudley was a scout for the Steelers and the Lions.  In 1951, he then entered the insurance business in [[Lynchburg, Virginia]] with his brother Jim.<ref name=biography />

Dudley was elected to the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1956, the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1966, and the [[Virginia Sports Hall of Fame]] in 1972.<ref name=biography />  The Downtown Club of [[Richmond, Virginia]] has sponsored the Bill Dudley Award since 1990, awarded each year to the state's top college football player.<ref name=biography />  Dudley is an unlockable free agent running back in the videogame [[Madden NFL 08]].

Dudley served four terms in the Virginia House of Delegates.<ref name=collegefootballhof />

Dudley suffered a massive [[stroke]] on January 30, 2010.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4887025&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines Former Steelers star Dudley dies at 88] [[ESPN]], [[Associated Press]] story. Retrieved February 4, 2010.</ref> He died in his home in Lynchburg, Virginia on February 4, 2010.<ref>Heather Dinich, [https://www.espn.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/9446/virginias-bill-dudley-dies-at-88 Virginia's Bill Dudley dies at 88] [[ESPN]]. Retrieved February 4, 2010.</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Whittingham |first=Richard |year=2002 |title=What a Game They Played: An Inside Look at the Golden Era of Pro Football |location=Lincoln, Neb. |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=978-0-8032-9819-4 }}
*{{cite book |last=Stinson |first=Steve |year=2016 |title=Bullet Bill Dudley – Greatest 60 Minute Man in Football |publisher=Lyons Press |isbn=978-1493018154 }}
*{{cite book |first=George |last=Sullivan |title=The Great Running Backs |location=New York |publisher=G. P. Putnam's Sons |year=1972 |isbn=0-399-11026-7 |pages=74–79 }}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* {{Profootballhof|61}}
* {{College Football HoF|1709}}
* {{Footballstats |nfl=bill-dudley |pfr=D/DudlBi00 }}
* {{Find a Grave|47580514}}

{{navboxes
|titlestyle = background:#ccccff
|list = 
{{Virginia Cavaliers quarterback navbox}}
{{Washington Redskins}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback navbox}}
{{Maxwell Award Winners}}
{{1941 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{NFL NumberOne Draft Picks}}
{{1942 NFL Draft}}
{{SteelersFirstPick}}
{{Steelers1942DraftPicks}}
{{Joe F. Carr Trophy}}
{{NFL rushing yards leaders}}
{{NFL season interception leaders}}
{{NFL punt return yards leaders}}
{{NFL1940s}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers Legends team}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor}}
{{Washington Commanders greatest players}}
{{Washington Commanders Ring of Fame}}
{{1966 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dudley, Bill}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:American football halfbacks]]
[[Category:American football placekickers]]
[[Category:American football punters]]
[[Category:American football safeties]]
[[Category:American football return specialists]]
[[Category:Detroit Lions players]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players]]
[[Category:Virginia Cavaliers football players]]
[[Category:Washington Redskins players]]
[[Category:American Football League announcers]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Maxwell Award winners]]
[[Category:First overall NFL draft picks]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces officers]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II]]
[[Category:People from Bluefield, Virginia]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Virginia]]
[[Category:NFL Most Valuable Player winners]]
[[Category:Sigma Alpha Epsilon members]]