Bill Walker (American football)
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" Walker is an American former football
and baseball
player. He attended the University of Maryland, College Park
where he played college football
as an end and baseball as an outfielder
. Wire services twice named Walker to All-America football second teams and he was also selected to an All-Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) team three years. Walker was named to the All-ACC baseball team once as well. He was selected by the Detroit Lions
in the eighth round of the 1955 NFL Draft, but instead signed with the Edmonton Eskimos
of the Western Interprovincial Football Union.
, Walker attended Munhall High School, where he played interscholastic football
as an end. He then went on to college at the University of Maryland
where he played on the varsity football team
as an end from 1953 to 1955. During this time, the team was coached by Jim Tatum
, who was the school's most successful coach of the modern era. In 1953
, the Terrapins won the national championship, and Walker was named to the All-ACC second team. He was named "lineman of the week" for his performance in the 21–0 victory over Alabama that season.
In 1954, Walker led the team in receiving with 13 receptions
for 209 yards. That year, he was named to the Associated Press
All-America second team
and the All-ACC first team. In 1955, he was a "key man on the undefeated Maryland team
," and was named to the United Press All-America second team
and the United Press All-ACC first team. The Atlantic Coast Sportswriters named him to the All-ACC second team. During his college career, Walker set the school career punting average at 41.8 yards per punt. That mark stood for 45 years until broken by Brooks Barnard
in 2006. At Maryland, Walker also played on the baseball team
as an outfielder
. He was named to the All-ACC team in 1955. In 1956, he received the Bosey Berger Award for the team's most outstanding senior player.
as the 96th overall pick. Walker instead signed with the Edmonton Eskimos
of what was then the Western Interprovincial Football Union, which is now part of the Canadian Football League
(CFL). Walker played three seasons for the Eskimos from 1956 to 1958.
He was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
in 2004. The 2009 edition of The USA Today College Football Encyclopedia
named Walker, alongside Bernie Faloney
, as Maryland's greatest two-way player since 1953 for his performance as an end on offense and defense, and as a punter.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He attended the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
where he played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as an end and baseball as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. Wire services twice named Walker to All-America football second teams and he was also selected to an All-Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC) team three years. Walker was named to the All-ACC baseball team once as well. He was selected by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in the eighth round of the 1955 NFL Draft, but instead signed with the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
of the Western Interprovincial Football Union.
Early life and college
A native of West Mifflin, PennsylvaniaWest Mifflin, Pennsylvania
West Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census....
, Walker attended Munhall High School, where he played interscholastic football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
as an end. He then went on to college at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
where he played on the varsity football team
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
as an end from 1953 to 1955. During this time, the team was coached by Jim Tatum
Jim Tatum
James M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
, who was the school's most successful coach of the modern era. In 1953
1953 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1953 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its first season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . Maryland outscored its opponents 298–38 and recorded six defensive shutouts. Jim Tatum...
, the Terrapins won the national championship, and Walker was named to the All-ACC second team. He was named "lineman of the week" for his performance in the 21–0 victory over Alabama that season.
In 1954, Walker led the team in receiving with 13 receptions
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
for 209 yards. That year, he was named to the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-America second team
1954 College Football All-America Team
The 1954 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1954 college football season...
and the All-ACC first team. In 1955, he was a "key man on the undefeated Maryland team
1955 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1955 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its third season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Their perfect 10–0 regular season culminated with a bid to the 1956 Orange Bowl, where...
," and was named to the United Press All-America second team
1955 College Football All-America Team
1955 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1955 college football season...
and the United Press All-ACC first team. The Atlantic Coast Sportswriters named him to the All-ACC second team. During his college career, Walker set the school career punting average at 41.8 yards per punt. That mark stood for 45 years until broken by Brooks Barnard
Brooks Barnard
Brooks Alexander Barnard is an American football punter. He played professional football for the New England Patriots in the National Football League and for the Rhein Fire in the NFL Europe...
in 2006. At Maryland, Walker also played on the baseball team
Maryland Terrapins baseball
The Maryland Terrapins baseball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college baseball competition. The Terrapins compete as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Historically, Maryland has not been a strong baseball program, and the...
as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He was named to the All-ACC team in 1955. In 1956, he received the Bosey Berger Award for the team's most outstanding senior player.
Professional career
Walker was selected in the eighth round of the 1955 NFL Draft by the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
as the 96th overall pick. Walker instead signed with the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
of what was then the Western Interprovincial Football Union, which is now part of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL). Walker played three seasons for the Eskimos from 1956 to 1958.
He was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1982 by the M Club Foundation to honor student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who made significant contributions to athletics at the University of Maryland...
in 2004. The 2009 edition of The USA Today College Football Encyclopedia
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
named Walker, alongside Bernie Faloney
Bernie Faloney
Bernie Faloney was a professional football player in the Canadian Football League and an outstanding American college football player at the University of Maryland...
, as Maryland's greatest two-way player since 1953 for his performance as an end on offense and defense, and as a punter.