Bill Paschal
Encyclopedia
William Avner Paschal, Jr. (May 28, 1921 – May 25, 2003) was an American football
running back
in the National Football League
for the New York Giants
and the Boston Yanks
.
and attended Tech High School, where he played football
and track. He then played briefly at Georgia Tech
before injuring his knee. After the injury, he left school and went to work as a railroad switch
man in Georgia.
on the recommendation of the sportswriter Grantland Rice
and eventually signed with New York in 1943
for $1,500. He became the first player to win consecutive rushing championships in the NFL, gaining 572 yards on 147 carries in his rookie year and 737 yards on 196 rushes in his second year. He also led the league in rushing touchdowns both years, with ten in 1943 and nine in 1944
. It must be noted, however, that talent was weak in the NFL at the time due to many players leaving the league to fight in the Second World War.
Paschal was then traded to the Boston Yanks
during the 1947 season
and played through 1948
, before retiring. He gained 2,430 yards with 28 rushing touchdowns for his career.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Boston Yanks
Boston Yanks
The Boston Yanks were a National Football League team based in Boston, Massachusetts that played from 1944 to 1948. The team played its home games at Fenway Park. Games that conflicted with the Boston Red Sox schedule were held at the Manning Bowl in Lynn, Massachusetts...
.
Early life
Paschal was born in Atlanta, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and attended Tech High School, where he played football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and track. He then played briefly at Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
before injuring his knee. After the injury, he left school and went to work as a railroad switch
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
man in Georgia.
Professional career
After his knee healed, Paschal got a tryout with the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on the recommendation of the sportswriter Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice was an early 20th century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.-Biography:...
and eventually signed with New York in 1943
1943 NFL season
The 1943 NFL season was the 24th regular season of the National Football League. As more players left to serve in World War II, three teams were affected by the depleted rosters. The Cleveland Rams were granted permission to suspend operations for this season. The Philadelphia Eagles and the...
for $1,500. He became the first player to win consecutive rushing championships in the NFL, gaining 572 yards on 147 carries in his rookie year and 737 yards on 196 rushes in his second year. He also led the league in rushing touchdowns both years, with ten in 1943 and nine in 1944
1944 NFL season
The 1944 NFL season was the 25th regular season of the United States National Football League. The Boston Yanks joined the league as an expansion team. Also, the Brooklyn Dodgers changed their name to Brooklyn Tigers. Meanwhile, both the Cleveland Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles resumed their...
. It must be noted, however, that talent was weak in the NFL at the time due to many players leaving the league to fight in the Second World War.
Paschal was then traded to the Boston Yanks
Boston Yanks
The Boston Yanks were a National Football League team based in Boston, Massachusetts that played from 1944 to 1948. The team played its home games at Fenway Park. Games that conflicted with the Boston Red Sox schedule were held at the Manning Bowl in Lynn, Massachusetts...
during the 1947 season
1947 NFL season
The 1947 NFL season was the 28th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season by one game from eleven games per team to twelve, a number that remained constant until the 1961 season....
and played through 1948
1948 NFL season
The 1948 NFL season was the 29th regular season of the National Football League. During the season, Halfback Fred Gehrke painted horns on the Los Angeles Rams' helmets, making the first modern helmet emblem in pro football. The season ended when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Chicago...
, before retiring. He gained 2,430 yards with 28 rushing touchdowns for his career.