Pete Ladygo
Encyclopedia
Peter Glenn "Pete" Ladygo (born June 23, 1925) is an American former football
player. He played as a guard
and linebacker
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the National Football League
from 1952 to 1954, and as a guard for the Ottawa Rough Riders
in the Canadian Football League
in 1955. Ladygo played college football
for the University of Maryland
.
and attended Allegheny Prep School. He then went on to Potomac State College before transferring to the University of Maryland
. There, he played college football
under Jim Tatum
and earned varsity letter
s in 1950
and 1951
. In the 1950 upset win against second-ranked , Ladygo returned an interception
23 yards for a touchdown
. Against , he had a fumble
recovery. In the 1951 season, he recovered a fumble against in their end zone
for Maryland's first touchdown of the year.
selected Ladygo with the 186th overall pick in the 16th round of the 1952 NFL Draft
. In June, he signed a contract with the franchise. He played three seasons for the Steelers from 1952 to 1954 as a right guard. In 1952
, he played in twelve games and returned one kick for four yards. In August 1953, Ladygo was named among five "of the brightest names on the Steelers roster", who remained unsigned because they were dissatisfied with their contract offers. Owner Art Rooney
, however, expected them to sign after the start of training camp. Ladygo suffered a broken leg, and did not see game action during the 1953 season
. In 1954
, Ladygo returned to play in all twelve games.
of the Canadian Football League
. The Detroit Lions
traded a future draft pick to obtain Ladygo's rights before the season, but he stated that it did not change his plans to play in Canada. He said, "I have not signed any contract with Pittsburgh and certainly not with Detroit. The Steelers exercised their option on me last May but I don't feel this entitles the club to my services. I want to play with Ottawa and intend to do so." During the 1955 season, he returned one interception 12 yards. In September, the Ottawa Citizen
"put down Pete Ladygo as the outstanding Ottawa lineman." He recovered a fumble against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
, which was later converted into a score. In an "improved" Ottawa squad's rematch against Hamilton, Ladygo, Joe Moss
, and Avatus Stone
played 55 of the 60-minute game, and the Ottawa Citizen appraised that "they were all immense."
In 1955, he was living in Keyser, West Virginia
. He was inducted into the Potomac State College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.
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...
player. He played as a guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
from 1952 to 1954, and as a guard for the Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
in 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....
in 1955. Ladygo 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...
for 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...
.
Early life and college
Ladygo was born on June 23, 1925 in West Brownsville, PennsylvaniaWest Brownsville, Pennsylvania
West Brownsville is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,075 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Brownsville is located at ....
and attended Allegheny Prep School. He then went on to Potomac State College before transferring to 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...
. There, 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...
under 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...
and earned varsity letter
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s in 1950
1950 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1950 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 30th season as a member of the Southern Conference....
and 1951
1951 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1951 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 31st season as a member of the Southern Conference. Maryland outscored its opponents, 381–74, and finished the season with a 10–0 record, including...
. In the 1950 upset win against second-ranked , Ladygo returned an interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
23 yards for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. Against , he had a fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recovery. In the 1951 season, he recovered a fumble against in their end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
for Maryland's first touchdown of the year.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
selected Ladygo with the 186th overall pick in the 16th round of the 1952 NFL Draft
1952 NFL Draft
The 1952 National Football League Draft was held on January 17, 1952. Picks made by New York Yanks were assigned to the new Dallas Texans.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:...
. In June, he signed a contract with the franchise. He played three seasons for the Steelers from 1952 to 1954 as a right guard. In 1952
1952 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1952 Pittsburgh Steelers finished to a semi-respectable 5–7 finish under head coach Joe Bach, who returned to the organization replacing John Michelosen....
, he played in twelve games and returned one kick for four yards. In August 1953, Ladygo was named among five "of the brightest names on the Steelers roster", who remained unsigned because they were dissatisfied with their contract offers. Owner Art Rooney
Art Rooney
Arthur Joseph "Art" Rooney, Sr. , often referred to as "The Chief", was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers American football franchise in the National Football League.-Family history:...
, however, expected them to sign after the start of training camp. Ladygo suffered a broken leg, and did not see game action during the 1953 season
1953 Pittsburgh Steelers season
-Schedule:- Week 1 : Detroit Lions :at Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Michigan* Game time:* Game weather:* Game attendance: 20,675* Referee:* TV announcers:Scoring drives:...
. In 1954
1954 Pittsburgh Steelers season
-Schedule:- Week 1 : Green Bay Packers :at City Stadium, Green Bay, Wisconsin* Game time:* Game weather:* Game attendance: 20,675* Referee:* TV announcers:Scoring Drives:...
, Ladygo returned to play in all twelve games.
Ottawa Rough Riders
In 1955, he played for the Ottawa Rough RidersOttawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
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....
. 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...
traded a future draft pick to obtain Ladygo's rights before the season, but he stated that it did not change his plans to play in Canada. He said, "I have not signed any contract with Pittsburgh and certainly not with Detroit. The Steelers exercised their option on me last May but I don't feel this entitles the club to my services. I want to play with Ottawa and intend to do so." During the 1955 season, he returned one interception 12 yards. In September, the Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Citizen
The Ottawa Citizen is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Canada. According to the Canadian Newspaper Association, the paper had a 2008 weekly circulation of 900,197.- History :...
"put down Pete Ladygo as the outstanding Ottawa lineman." He recovered a fumble against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
, which was later converted into a score. In an "improved" Ottawa squad's rematch against Hamilton, Ladygo, Joe Moss
Joe Moss
Joseph Charles Moss is an American former coach and player. He played college football at the University of Maryland and professional football in the National Football League with the Washington Redskins...
, and Avatus Stone
Avatus Stone
Avatus Stone was born on April 21, 1931 in Washington, D.C. and died on November 2, 2000 in Fairfax, Virginia.After playing his college football at Syracuse University, Stone was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League in 1953, but played professionally in Canada with the...
played 55 of the 60-minute game, and the Ottawa Citizen appraised that "they were all immense."
In 1955, he was living in Keyser, West Virginia
Keyser, West Virginia
Keyser is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. He was inducted into the Potomac State College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.