William Winton McKeever Jr.[1] (1916 – July 8, 2000) was an American football tackle who played one season for the Los Angeles Bulldogs of the Pacific Coast Football League (PCFL). He played college football for Cornell and was selected in the tenth round (84th overall) of the 1939 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
 McKeever with Los Angeles in 1942 | |||
| No. 97, 61 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Tackle | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | 1916 | ||
| Died: | July 8, 2000 (aged 83–84)[1][2] | ||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Episcopal Academy (PA) | ||
| College: | Cornell | ||
| NFL draft: | 1939 / round: 10 / pick: 84 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career PCFL statistics | |||
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Early life and education
editMcKeever was born in 1916, and attended Episcopal Academy in Pennsylvania, graduating in 1935. After graduating he joined Cornell University in New York, being one of the top freshman players. He made the varsity team the following season, and was given a letter.[3] In the first seven games of the 1936 season, McKeever was a starter in all but one of them.[4] He was a top player on the Cornell team, and earned letters in each of his three seasons on the varsity squad.[5] McKeever was named first-team All-American by Grantland Rice following the 1938 season.[6] He was an inductee into the school's hall of fame in 1978.[6]
Professional career
editAfter graduating from college, McKeever was selected in the tenth round (84th overall) of the 1939 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, though he did not play.[7][8] After being out of football for three seasons, he signed with the Los Angeles Bulldogs of the Pacific Coast Football League (PCFL) in 1942. He appeared in four total games with the Bulldogs.[3]
Personal life
editHis father, Bill Sr., was a starter on the 1897 Cornell team and was a team captain.
References
edit- ^ a b "Summer Resident Married in New York". Spring Lake Gazette. October 14, 1948. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
- ^ "Obituary: McKeever". The Philadelphia Inquirer. July 12, 2000. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
- ^ a b "Bill McKeever Stats". Pro Football Archives.
- ^ "Untitled". The Evening News. November 23, 1936 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Five Former Phila. Schoolboys Play With Cornell Against Penn". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 20, 1938 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "William M. McKeever (1978) - Hall of Fame - Cornell University Athletics". Cornell Big Red.
- ^ "1939 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ "Philadelphia Eagles All-Time Draft History". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
