Wally Garard

{{Short description|American football player (1916–2004)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}

{{Infobox college football player

| name = Wally Garard

| image = Wally Garard.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Wally Garard, 1938

| school = Saint Mary's Gaels

| pastschools = Saint Mary's (1934–1938)

| currentnumber =

| currentposition = Tackle

| position =

| class =

| major =

| bowlgames =

| highschool = John C. Fremont (CA)

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1916|8|3}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2004|2|25|1916|8|3}}

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lb = 225

| highlights =

}}

Wallace Arthur Garard Jr. (August 3, 1916 – February 25, 2004) was an American football tackle who played for the Saint Mary's Gaels. He was later selected in the fourth round (28th overall) of the 1939 NFL draft, but did not play professionally.

Garard was born on August 3, 1916, in Los Angeles, California. He attended John C. Fremont High School in South Los Angeles, graduating in 1934 before joining Saint Mary's College of California.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerg/gara00400.html|website=Pro Football Archives|title=Wally Garard Stats}} Though he did not play in 1934, Garard earned a position on the varsity team in the following year.{{Cite news |last=Borba |first=Harry |date=December 7, 1935 |title=Garard To Open At Center For Gaels Against Oregon |page=21 |work=The San Francisco Examiner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89267965/garard-to-open-at-center-for-gaels/ |via=Newspapers.com}}

In October 1936, he was Saint Mary's "star center". He left the team prior to a game against Marquette, leaving a note stating that he was homesick and intended to "bum" his way home.{{cite news|title=Madigan Claims Star Center Is St. Mary's Deserter|newspaper=The Sacramento Bee|date=October 31, 1936|page=29|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89267649/madigan-claims-star-center-is-st/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88764087/the-san-francisco-examiner/|newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 1, 1936|title=Wally Garard Ousted From Grid Gael Team|author=Hayward, Harry M.}} {{Open Access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88764045/oakland-tribune/|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 1, 1936|title=Garard Out At St. Mary's|author=Murphy, Eddie}} {{Open Access}} Garard returned to the team in 1938,{{cite news|title=New Tackle Starts For Gaels|newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner|date=October 7, 1938|page=23|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89268995/garard/|via=Newspapers.com}} but he missed the final games of the year as a result of an illness.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88764101/the-san-francisco-examiner/|newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 23, 1938|title=Gael Star Is Stricken By Strange Fever}} {{Open Access}}

In December 1938, Garard was selected by the Cleveland Rams with the 28th overall pick of the 1939 NFL draft.{{cite web|title=1939 NFL Draft|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference|accessdate=November 20, 2021|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1939/draft.htm}} He opted not to play professionally. He later owned a business in Concord, California.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88764002/concord-transcript/|newspaper=Concord Transcript|via=Newspapers.com|date=March 27, 1960|title=Wally's Rental Grows}} {{Open Access}} He died on February 25, 2004, at the age of 87.