Back to search

Byron White

Halfback

Inducted 1954

Date of Birth

6/8/1917

Birthplace

Fort Collins, CO

School

University of Colorado (1935-1937)

Bio

Byron "Whizzer" White, playing for Colorado against Utah in 1936, scored on runs of 90, 41, 40, and 38 yards. Colorado won 31-7. Against Utah in 1937, he had touchdown runs of 85 and 37 yards, a field goal, and two extra points. Colorado won 17-7. In 1937, he led the nation in scoring, rushing, total offense, and all-purpose yardage. He averaged 246 yards a game in all-purpose running, a record until 1988. White, the champion athlete, was surpassed by White the student. He was Phi Beta Kappa and a Rhodes Scholar. He played pro football with Pittsburgh in 1938, studied at Oxford University in England in 1939, played professionally with Detroit in 1940-1941. In two of his seasons, he led the National Football League in rushing. White served in the Navy in World War II. Then he studied law at Yale and graduated first in his class in 1946. He returned to Colorado to practice law. In 1962, he was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. That same year, the National Football Foundation awarded White its Gold Medal. He grew up in Wellington, Colorado. This was a rural town, population 350. There were only 13 players on the high school football squad, but they played a full season. His longest run in college was a 102-yard kickoff return against Denver in 1936. He retired from the Supreme Court in 1993.