Bill Wade - Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt's head football coach Red Sanders offered Wade a football scholarship; he accepted on the spot. He was practically raised on the campus, witnessing numerous games with his father as a youngster.

"They had put my picture on the cover of Look magazine before the 1949 season started," Wade said. "I didn't play a lot my sophomore season, Jamie Wade (no relation) played more than I did and did a very good job. Red Sanders left and went to UCLA. Our coach was gone and Bill Edwards came down to be the coach."

"We opened up against Georgia Tech with a full house, and I will never forget it. This Look magazine came out right before our first game. There I was on the front of Look magazine with Dot and Peggy Neal. Both of them were from Atlanta though they were in Vanderbilt. The crowd kept yelling at me, 'Hey glamour boy.'"

Concluding his collegiate career, Wade was named the SEC's Most Valuable Player and a second team All-American. He was also MVP of the 1951 North-South Shrine Bowl game in Miami. Wade also played in the Senior Bowl of 1952 and was selected to play in the College All-Star Game in Chicago.

Wade was named to the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class.