VANDERBILT ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2008
Bill Wade (Football, 1949-1951)
Bill Wade was Nashville’s All-American boy. He was president of his Vanderbilt freshman class, a whiz on the gridiron where he became the No. 1 pick in the National Football League Draft, on the cover of Look Magazine while a Commodore and later was the quarterback of the World Champion Chicago Bears. He was honored many times by many organizations, including the NCAA with its prestigious Silver Anniversary Award in 1976.
- SEC Player of the Year in 1951
- Second-team All-America in 1951
- Threw for 1,609 yards and 13 touchdowns in 1951
- First-team all-SEC (AP) 1951
- The No. 1 pick in 1952 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams
- Cover boy on the 1951 Look Magazine All-America team
- Amazingly still ranks No. 8 among school’s career passing leaders despite throwing well less than half the attempts as the modern day quarterbacks
- His 85-yard touchdown pass to Bucky Curtis in the 1950 Alabama game ranks as the school’s fourth longest
- Threw five scoring passes against Auburn in 1950, still a school record he now shares with Jay Cutler
- His 14-year professional career included leading the Chicago Bears to the 1963 World Championship.