For Lewis “Bud” McFadin, leaving his beloved pet horse behind almost cost the University of Texas one of the greatest linemen in college football history. Texas officials shipped the horse to a nearby farm, allowing McFadin to stay and eventually launch an incredible Hall of Fame career.
Football Bio
August 21, 1928 – Rankin, Texas – Bud McFadden, an offensive lineman from the University of Texas who entered the College Football Hall of Fame in the induction class of 1983, was born.
According to the National Football Foundation, as a freshman, this talented youngster almost left school to return home because he missed, get this, his pet horse.
His attachment to the animal was so strong that Texas officials saved the day by shipping the horse to a nearby farm near the university to keep the bond healthy between their star player and his ride.
It turned out to be a great move too because a happy Bud McFadden played both offense and defense and was a Texas boxing and wrestling champion.
In 1949, the 6’3″, 225-pound lineman won All-American honors from the International News Service for his defensive skills.
In 1950, the All-America Board, the Associated Press, United Press, INS, and Look Magazine named him a first-team All-American, emphasizing his offensive skill set.
In the Chicago Tribune All-Star Game, Bud was named the most valuable player of the game for the All-Stars.
Bud McFadin dominated the trenches with a rugged versatility that propelled him from the Texas boxing ring to the heights of professional football. He anchored defensive and offensive lines for over a decade in the pros, earning five Pro Bowl selections across the NFL and AFL before cementing his legacy as a coach and a College Football Hall of Fame inductee.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1983.
- Unanimous First-Team All-American: 1950.
- First-Team All-American: 1949.
- 2Γ First-Team All-SWC: 1949, 1950.
- Cotton Bowl MVP: 1951.
- College All-Star Game MVP: 1951.
- NFL Draft: Selected in the 1st round (11th overall) by the Los Angeles Rams in 1951.
- 5Γ Pro Bowl/AFL All-Star Selection: 1955, 1956 (NFL) and 1961, 1962, 1963 (AFL).
- 3Γ First-Team All-AFL: 1960, 1961, 1962.
- Texas Longhorns Hall of Honor: Inducted in 1973.
- Texas Sports Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1983.
