Rodger Wilton Young - Early Life

Early Life

Young was born in Tiffin, Ohio on April 28, 1918, to Nicholas Young and his wife. As a boy he lived at Green Springs before moving to the town of Clyde, Ohio. During his formative years he liked to go hunting, and he developed his skills at shooting and marksmanship during this time. Although he was a small boy, he was also a keen athlete and in his freshman year at high school he tried out for the football team. He was not selected initially, but during practice his enthusiasm convinced the coach to let him play occasionally. He also played basketball and it was during a game that he received an injury that was to stay with him for life. After being fouled by an opponent, Young fell over on the court, hit his head, and was knocked unconscious. Although he regained consciousness, the incident gradually led to hearing loss and damaged his eyesight. As a result, Young did not complete his schooling, dropping out in his sophomore year when he found it difficult to hear the lessons and see the blackboard.