Roy Eldon "Buck" White

Roy Eldon "Buck" White was born in Brownwood on 28 February 1900. He changed his date of birth so he could enlist in the Navy on 20 April 1917 when he was only 17 years old. Fireman Second Class White was on the USS Alcedo when it was sunk by a German submarine on 5 November 1917. This was the first US Navy ship torpedoed by the Germans in World War I. Only 43 men survived. During the attack, his nose was partly torn from his face, and he received a Purple Heart. Roy "Buck" White was treated at a French naval hospital and was assigned to a French railroad gun before returning to sea. He was discharged on 23 January 1919. Buck played football at Daniel Baker College in Brownwood from 1920 to 1922. He was recruited to play football at Valparaiso (Indiana) University in 1923 and 1924. He was an All-American at both Daniel Baker College and Valparaiso University. He is a member of the Daniel Baker College Hillbilly Hall of Honor. Renowned coach George Halas recruited Buck to play for the Chicago Bears in 1924 when he was still at Valparaiso. (the rumor was that in 1924, Roy White played for Valparaiso on Saturdays and the Chicago Bears on Sundays under the name of Roy Black.) he played fullback and linebacker for the Chicago Bears from 1925 until 1929 and was on two world championship teams. He was described by legendary running back Harold "Red" Grange as "The greatest blocking back ever to put on a football suit." The famous Jim Thorpe said that he stopped playing football because of the hard hits delivered by Buck White described as "the most bone jarring hits he ever took." He was also a punter and one year averaged 60 yards per punt. Buck won the United States Amateur Boxing Title in 1924, but illness prevented him from participating in the Olympics. In 1930, he returned to Texas and devoted his life to teaching and coaching. He retired from teaching and coaching in 1966. He died on 15 May 1993 in San Antonio at the age of 93.