Bill McKeever
{{Short description|American football player (1916–2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Bill McKeever
| image = File:Bill McKeever.png
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = McKeever with Los Angeles in 1942
| number = 97, 61
| position = Tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|10|29}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|7|8|1918|10|29}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89926708/marriage-of-mckeever-schley/|title=Summer Resident Married in New York|work=Spring Lake Gazette|date=1948-10-14|access-date=2021-12-02}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89926654/obituary-for-william-w-mckeever/|title=Obituary: McKeever|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=2000-07-12|access-date=2021-12-02}}
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 210
| high_school = Episcopal Academy (PA)
| college = Cornell
| draftyear = 1939
| draftround = 10
| draftpick = 84
| pastteams =
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|1939}})*
- Los Angeles Bulldogs (1942)
| highlights =
- First-team All-American (1938)
- First-team All-Eastern (1938)
- Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame (1978)
| statleague = PCFL
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 4
}}
William Winton McKeever Jr. (29 October 1918 – 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.
Early life and education
McKeever was born in 1918, 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerm/mcke00480.html|website=Pro Football Archives|title=Bill McKeever Stats}} In the first seven games of the 1936 season, McKeever was a starter in all but one of them.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88768062/the-evening-news/|newspaper=The Evening News|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 23, 1936|title=Untitled}} {{Open access}} He was a top player on the Cornell team, and earned letters in each of his three seasons on the varsity squad.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88768152/the-philadelphia-inquirer/|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 20, 1938|title=Five Former Phila. Schoolboys Play With Cornell Against Penn}} {{Open access}} McKeever was named first-team All-American by Grantland Rice following the 1938 season.{{Cite web|url=https://cornellbigred.com/honors/hall-of-fame/william-m-mckeever/424|website=Cornell Big Red|title=William M. McKeever (1978) - Hall of Fame - Cornell University Athletics}} He was an inductee into the school's hall of fame in 1978.
McKeever was also an accomplished hammer thrower in track and field, placing 3rd at the 1939 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in that event.{{Brinkster|16395}}
Professional career
After 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.{{Cite web |title=1939 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1939/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/phi/draft.htm|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|title=Philadelphia Eagles All-Time Draft History}} 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.
Personal life
His father, Bill Sr., was a starter on the 1897 Cornell team and was a team captain.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Eagles1939DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McKeever, Bill}}
Category:American football tackles
Category:Cornell Big Red men's track and field athletes
Category:Cornell Big Red football players
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players
Category:Los Angeles Bulldogs players