Heffelfinger, ‘Pudge’ (William Walter) (1867–1954)

US American football player. A four-year starting guard for Yale University (1888–91), he was named to the first three All-America teams. He enabled Yale to defeat Princeton's famous ‘flying wedge’ by leaping over the blockers and landing on the runner. In 1892 he accepted $500 from the Allegheny Athletic Association to play a game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and thus became the first professional player. Heffelfinger was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.