Karl McDade (March 27, 1915 – December 6, 2006)[1] was an American professional football center and linebacker who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Football League (NFL) for one season in 1938.
 Karl McDade (right) with son (left) and mother (center) in 1965 | |
| No. 22[2] | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Center / linebacker[1] |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 27, 1915[1] Madras, Oregon,[1] U.S. |
| Died: | December 6, 2006[1] Portland, Oregon[1] |
| Height: | 6 ft 3[1] in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 195[1] lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Grant High School (Portland, Oregon)[2] |
| College: | Portland (1934–1937)[2] |
| Career history | |
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
Early life
edit
McDade was born on March 27, 1915, in Madras, Oregon,[1] the youngest of seven children to Daniel Martin McDade Sr. and Adeline Elizabeth Vautrain. McDade grew up with five siblings because the firstborn, Paul Morris McDade, passed away at about one year old in 1896 in Aspen, Colorado.
By 1920, McDade was living in Edgar, Nebraska with his mother and sister,[3] while his father and four brothers lived in Portland, Oregon during this time.[4]
At age 14, McDade, his mom, Adeline, sister, Twila, and brother, Val, lived in Northeast Portland, Oregon.[5][6] Residing in this location, McDade attended high school and played football at Grant High School.[7]
College career
editAfter graduating high school, McDade continued his education at the University of Portland, and played football under Coach Gene Murphy from 1934 to 1937.[2] He became starting center in 1934 and was considered among the best at his position in the area, with The Oregon Daily Journal noting him to be "just about as consistent a center as there is on the Pacific Coast today."[8][9] In 1993, well after his football playing days, McDade was inducted into the University of Portland Hall of Fame.[10]
Professional career
editFollowing his college career, McDade signed to play professional football with the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL), being one of the first three Portland alumni to ever sign into the NFL.[11] He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in September, before having appeared in a game for the Cardinals.[12] With the Steelers, he played in six games and started in one under head coach Johnny "Blood" McNally, with Walt Kiesling as assistant coach, and alongside the exciting Byron "Whizzer" White.[13] He was released by the Pirates in October 1938.[14]
World War II
editBefore McDade enlisted in the United States Navy on September 26, 1942 for World War II,[15] he married his wife Ruth Lillian Morris on September 19, 1942,[16] and remained married for 64 years.
After entering the Navy, on March 25, 1943, McDade was transferred from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington to the Naval Station Treasure Island on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay[17] for additional instruction.[18]
McDade received training at the Logan Naval Training Station for Electrical Engineering & Radio Material School in Logan, Utah, before being transferred to the Naval Air Technical Training Center Ward Island, offshore from Corpus Christi, Texas, on August 20, 1943.[19] McDade also served some of his time in the Navy in the Aleutian Islands.
Before the end of his service in the Navy, McDade achieved the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) on December 1, 1944.[20]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Karl McDade Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Karl McDade Pro Football Archives". www.ProFootballArchives.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "1920 United States Federal Census for Karl McDade, Edgar, Clay County, Nebraska". U.S. Census Bureau. 1920. Retrieved September 8, 2024 – via Ancestry.com.
- ^ "1920 United States Federal Census for Daniel Martin McDade Sr. and Sons, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon". U.S. Census Bureau. 1920. Retrieved September 8, 2024 – via Ancestry.com.
- ^ "1930 United States Federal Census for Karl V. McDade, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon 1", United States census, 1930;.
- ^ "1930 United States Federal Census for Karl V. McDade, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon 2", United States census, 1930;.
- ^ "1933 Yearbook, Grant High School, Portland, Oregon". Ancestry.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Players Introduced". The Oregonian. September 29, 1934. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Bertz, George (November 18, 1937). "Slaters Have Chance to Win Second Place". The Oregon Daily Journal. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Karl McDade - Hall of Fame". University of Portland Athletics. University of Portland. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Pilot Gridsters Join Pro Forces". The Sunday Oregonian. June 12, 1938. p. 48 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Pirates Purchase McDade From Cards". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 18, 1938. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1938 Pittsburgh Steelers". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ "Pitt Grid Pirates Drop Two Players". Spokane Chronicle. Associated Press. October 14, 1938. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Naval Enlistment Record for Karl McDade". Ancestry.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Marriage Record for Karl McDade and Ruth Lillian McDade". Ancestry.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Naval Training Record for Karl McDade". Ancestry.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Report of Change for Karl McDade". Ancestry.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Naval Enlistment Record for Karl McDade". Ancestry.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Military Record for Karl V. McDade". Ancestry.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
