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Bill Boedeker

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389:(AAFC) in 1946. He had not played football in college and had a piece of shrapnel in his leg from the war, but a DePaul coach recommended him to the Rockets nevertheless. Boedeker made the team, making him the first person from Fort Wayne to play professional football. He stayed in Chicago for one year before being traded to the AAFC's 791: 325:. When Boedeker returned from the service, he signed in 1946 to play football for the Rockets. He was traded to Cleveland in 1947 and spent three seasons there. The Browns won the AAFC championship each of those years. Boedeker was then sent to the Packers and the Eagles in 1950. He retired after the season. 464:
and a degree in engineering from DePaul. He settled in Fort Wayne after his football career. He worked in the 1950s as a sales director at Capehart-Farnsworth Corporation. In the 1960s, he was an executive at a television distribution firm in Fort Wayne. He died two weeks after his 90th birthday in
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in the AAFC championship game. The team finished the 1948 season with a perfect record, winning all of its games and another championship. A third championship followed in 1949, but the AAFC dissolved after the season and the Browns were absorbed into the more established
420:, the head coach of the Browns, called him "one of the most reckless runners who ever played for us and a terror when he ran back kicks". Cleveland finished the 1947 season with a 12–1–1 record with Boedeker in the backfield and beat the 436:
Boedeker's reckless running style earned him praise but also caused frequent injury. Brown said in 1949 that it was not carelessness but a "special kind of talent". Boedeker moved in 1950 to the NFL's
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Returning after three years of service, Boedeker planned to return to DePaul to play basketball, but was first given a tryout to play for the
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immediately after graduating from high school in 1942 and was sent to a military program at
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Sauerbrei, Harold (August 28, 1947). "Boedeker Is Good Man At Returning Kickoffs".
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Sauerbrei, Harold (August 7, 1949). "Boedeker Isn't Reckless Runner".
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Hickey, William (November 19, 1965). "This Sporting Life".
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The Best Show in Football: The 1946–1955 Cleveland Browns
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Cobbledick, Gordon (December 23, 1947). "Plain Dealing".
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in Cleveland as part of a rushing attack that featured
228: 217: 209: 200: 166: 127: 117: 107: 102: 94: 86: 69: 49: 44: 34: 29: 452:Boedeker earned a Bachelor of Science degree from 551: 549: 506: 504: 502: 500: 429:(NFL). Boedeker continued his college studies at 806:Career statistics and player information from 1474: 1157: 828: 266:(March 7, 1924 – March 21, 2014) was a 8: 1798:United States Army personnel of World War II 24: 1788:Players of American football from Milwaukee 1773:DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball players 309:after high school but was sent to train at 1481: 1467: 1459: 1164: 1150: 1142: 835: 821: 813: 23: 670:. Pro Football Reference. Archived from 440:and later in the season was sent to the 766:. Lanham, MD: Taylor Trade Publishing. 696:"Boedeker Is Given Promotion by Firm". 668:"Bill Boedeker NFL Football Statistics" 624: 612: 600: 491: 473: 557:"Readers sound off on Top 26 athletes" 206: 444:. He left football after the season. 7: 16:American football player (1924–2014) 1778:DePaul Blue Demons football players 530:. Cleveland Browns. Archived from 90:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 14: 1828:American men's basketball players 1803:Military personnel from Milwaukee 1783:Basketball players from Milwaukee 433:between seasons with the Browns. 789: 563:. August 9, 2009. Archived from 700:. December 7, 1952. p. 3C. 590:. Bowling Green, O. p. 17. 416:. He was also a kick returner. 387:All-America Football Conference 272:All-America Football Conference 528:"Browns have military history" 167:Career highlights and awards 1: 377:Professional football career 1833:United States Army soldiers 1823:Philadelphia Eagles players 1793:American football halfbacks 264:William Henry Boedeker, Jr. 1849: 561:Fort Wayne Journal Gazette 112:Fort Wayne (IN) North Side 1818:Green Bay Packers players 1719: 1703: 1503: 1420: 1404: 1186: 1103: 1087: 857: 278:(NFL) who played for the 257: 247: 243: 205: 196: 171: 162: 132: 1813:Cleveland Browns players 727:"WILLIAM H. BOEDEKER Jr" 427:National Football League 341:and attended the city's 276:National Football League 98:192 lb (87 kg) 21:American football player 1808:Chicago Rockets players 652:"Eagle Back Inducted". 305:, Boedeker entered the 808:Pro Football Reference 762:Piascik, Andy (2007). 713:Cleveland Plain Dealer 698:Cleveland Plain Dealer 654:Cleveland Plain Dealer 639:Cleveland Plain Dealer 588:Cleveland Plain Dealer 513:Cleveland Plain Dealer 454:Wayne State University 343:North Side High School 337:, Boedeker grew up in 329:Early life and college 299:North Side High School 404:Boedeker played as a 345:. He enlisted in the 201:Career NFL statistics 627:, pp. 141, 146. 567:on February 18, 2012 335:Milwaukee, Wisconsin 63:Milwaukee, Wisconsin 45:Personal information 1496:1949 AAFC champions 1179:1948 AAFC champions 850:1947 AAFC champions 674:on October 20, 2012 442:Philadelphia Eagles 339:Fort Wayne, Indiana 303:Fort Wayne, Indiana 288:Philadelphia Eagles 154:Philadelphia Eagles 80:Fort Wayne, Indiana 26: 1724:Assistant coaches: 1425:Assistant coaches: 1384:Dean Sensanbaugher 1108:Assistant coaches: 347:United States Army 321:before serving in 210:Rushing att-yards: 103:Career information 1750: 1749: 1456: 1455: 1139: 1138: 773:978-1-58979-571-6 732:The News-Sentinel 534:on March 14, 2014 438:Green Bay Packers 431:Kalamazoo College 363:Bronze Star Medal 351:DePaul University 311:DePaul University 292:Green Bay Packers 261: 260: 239: 238: 148:Green Bay Packers 1840: 1497: 1492: 1491:Cleveland Browns 1483: 1476: 1469: 1460: 1288:Frank Kosikowski 1180: 1175: 1174:Cleveland Browns 1166: 1159: 1152: 1143: 965:Marshall Shurnas 851: 846: 845:Cleveland Browns 837: 830: 823: 814: 799: 797:biography portal 794: 793: 792: 777: 749: 748: 746: 744: 739:. 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Retrieved 532:the original 521: 512: 492:Piascik 2007 465:March 2014. 451: 435: 403: 380: 371:World War II 367:Purple Heart 359:George Mikan 332: 323:World War II 319:George Mikan 296: 263: 262: 249: 108:High school: 75:(2014-03-21) 18: 1768:2014 deaths 1763:1924 births 1732:Weeb Ewbank 1708:Head coach: 1683:Les Horvath 1677:Edgar Jones 1665:Tommy James 1659:Warren Lahr 1647:Tony Adamle 1629:Cliff Lewis 1623:Otto Graham 1611:Mac Speedie 1581:Joe Spencer 1527:Lin Houston 1521:Bill Willis 1409:Head coach: 1372:Edgar Jones 1360:Tommy James 1342:Tony Adamle 1330:Ollie Cline 1318:Cliff Lewis 1312:Otto Graham 1300:Mac Speedie 1210:Lin Houston 1204:Bill Willis 1092:Head coach: 1061:Edgar Jones 1043:Ray Terrell 1019:Tony Adamle 1001:Ermal Allen 995:Cliff Lewis 989:Otto Graham 977:Mac Speedie 911:Alex Kapter 887:Lin Houston 881:Bill Willis 863:Mike Scarry 414:Edgar Jones 399:Jim Daniell 397:and tackle 274:(AAFC) and 144:(1947–1949) 1757:Categories 1711:Paul Brown 1563:Lou Rymkus 1545:Ed Ulinski 1539:Alex Agase 1533:Bob Gaudio 1412:Paul Brown 1246:Lou Rymkus 1240:Chet Adams 1228:Ed Ulinski 1222:Alex Agase 1216:Bob Gaudio 1198:Mel Maceau 1095:Paul Brown 923:Lou Rymkus 917:Chet Adams 899:Ed Ulinski 893:Bob Gaudio 875:Mel Maceau 469:References 448:Later life 418:Paul Brown 230:Touchdowns 219:Receptions 56:1924-03-07 1689:Dub Jones 1641:Lou Saban 1569:Lou Groza 1390:Dub Jones 1354:Bob Cowan 1336:Lou Saban 1258:Lou Groza 1252:Ben Pucci 1073:Jim Dewar 1055:Lew Mayne 1037:Bill Lund 1031:Bob Cowan 1013:Lou Saban 935:Lou Groza 743:March 24, 307:U.S. Army 35:Position: 462:Michigan 406:halfback 393:for end 333:Born in 290:and the 268:halfback 118:College: 39:Halfback 458:Detroit 385:in the 369:during 355:Chicago 315:Chicago 270:in the 221:-yards: 213:173–741 95:Weight: 87:Height: 770:  365:and a 286:, the 282:, the 224:38–875 156:(1950) 150:(1950) 138:(1946) 122:DePaul 82:, U.S. 65:, U.S. 70:Died: 50:Born: 768:ISBN 745:2014 680:2012 573:2012 540:2012 412:and 188:1949 184:1948 180:1947 1693:99 1687:96 1681:92 1675:90 1669:85 1663:82 1657:80 1651:76 1645:74 1639:72 1633:70 1627:62 1621:60 1615:59 1609:58 1603:56 1597:53 1591:52 1585:50 1579:49 1573:48 1567:46 1561:44 1555:42 1549:38 1543:36 1537:35 1531:34 1525:32 1519:30 1513:23 1507:22 1394:99 1388:96 1382:94 1376:92 1370:90 1364:85 1358:82 1352:80 1346:76 1340:74 1334:72 1328:70 1322:64 1316:62 1310:60 1304:59 1298:58 1292:56 1286:53 1280:52 1274:50 1268:49 1262:48 1256:46 1250:45 1244:44 1238:42 1232:38 1226:36 1220:35 1214:34 1208:32 1202:30 1196:24 1190:22 1077:99 1071:94 1065:92 1059:90 1053:86 1047:85 1041:84 1035:82 1029:80 1023:76 1017:74 1011:72 1005:70 999:66 993:62 987:60 981:59 975:58 969:56 963:53 957:52 951:50 945:49 939:48 933:46 927:45 921:44 915:42 909:39 903:38 897:36 891:34 885:32 879:30 873:24 867:22 861:20 456:in 353:in 313:in 301:in 251:PFR 174:3× 1759:: 735:. 729:. 688:^ 559:. 548:^ 499:^ 476:^ 460:, 401:. 373:. 294:. 235:14 186:, 182:, 1482:e 1475:t 1468:v 1165:e 1158:t 1151:v 836:e 829:t 822:v 776:. 747:. 682:. 575:. 542:. 232:: 190:) 178:( 58:) 54:(

Index

Halfback
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne (IN) North Side
DePaul
Chicago Rockets
Cleveland Browns
Green Bay Packers
Philadelphia Eagles
AAFC champion
1947
1948
1949
Receptions
Touchdowns
PFR
halfback
All-America Football Conference
National Football League
Chicago Rockets
Cleveland Browns
Philadelphia Eagles
Green Bay Packers
North Side High School
Fort Wayne, Indiana
U.S. Army
DePaul University
Chicago
George Mikan
World War II

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