Wee Willie Smith (American football)

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For the American basketball player, see Wee Willie Smith.
Wee Willie Smith
No. 0
Position:Tailback / Defensive back
Personal information
Born:(1910-07-02)July 2, 1910
Lexington, Nebraska
Died:September 4, 1996(1996-09-04) (aged 86)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Height:5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Weight:148 lb (67 kg)
Career information
High school:Boise (ID)
College:Idaho
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR
Wee Willie Smith
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
RankUS-O5 insignia.svg  Lieutenant Colonel
Battles/warsWorld War II, Korean War, Vietnam War

Willis Merton "Wee Willie" Smith (July 2, 1910 – September 4, 1996) was an American football back who played one season with the New York Giants of the National Football League.

High school[]

Smith first enrolled at Lexington Senior High School in Lexington, Nebraska, transferred to in Sheridan, Wyoming, and then to Boise High School in Boise, Idaho, where he graduated.[1]

College[]

Smith played college football at the University of Idaho in Moscow under head coach Leo Calland.[2][3] A three-year star at quarterback (1931–1933) in the Pacific Coast Conference,[4][5][6][7] his nickname was "Little Giant" while a Vandal.[8][9][10] Smith also played baseball, graduated in 1934 with a degree in education, and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.[11]

Professional football[]

1934 New York Giants, NFL Champions;
Smith is in second row at far right

Smith played in nine games in the National Football League, starting one, for the New York Giants in 1934.[1][10] In the 17–7 win over Pittsburgh on October 21, Smith scored the final touchdown on a three-yard run to seal the win.[12][13] The following week, he scored a late touchdown on a 24-yard run in the 17–0 win over Philadelphia.[14][15]

The Giants, coached by Steve Owen, finished 8–5 in the regular season and won the Eastern Division. They met George Halas' undefeated Chicago Bears for a third time that season in the NFL championship game. The Bears had won the two regular season games in November and led 13–3 after three quarters on a frigid December 9, but the Giants scored four touchdowns in the fourth quarter to secure a 30–13 upset at the Polo Grounds for the league title,[16] in what was later known as the "Sneakers" game. Due to his small stature, Smith wore number zero and generated a considerable amount of interest in the press.[17]

In 1936, Smith played for the independent Los Angeles Bulldogs,[18] who played all their games at home at Gilmore Stadium.

After football[]

By 1937, he was out of football and back in northern Idaho, working as an area supervisor for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in Coeur d'Alene.[3]

He served as a training officer in the U.S. Army in World War II, and coached the football team at Fort Warren in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[19][20]

Personal life[]

Smith was blind in one eye;[21] he died at age 86 in Albuquerque, New Mexico,[22] and is buried at the Santa Fe National Cemetery (section 4, site 8B).

References[]

  1. ^ a b "WILLIS SMITH". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  2. ^ "Idaho hopes for dry field today". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. Associated Press. October 28, 1933. p. 3, sports.
  3. ^ a b "Wee Willie back on Idaho campus". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. August 23, 1937. p. 14.
  4. ^ "Idaho's Little Giant goes places". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. October 24, 1931. p. 14.
  5. ^ "Willis Smith, Idaho's Little Giant; is he All-American material?". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. November 17, 1931. p. 16.
  6. ^ "To boost Smith for All-Coast". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 24, 1931. p. 13.
  7. ^ "Idaho smears Utah Aggies, 33-0". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. November 25, 1932. p. 10.
  8. ^ "Football: 1932 season, vs. Utah State". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1933. p. 205.
  9. ^ "Football: 1933 season". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1934. pp. 214–224.
  10. ^ a b ""Little Giant" going strong in tough professional ball". Idaho Argonaut. (University of Idaho, Moscow). October 26, 1934. p. 1.
  11. ^ "Seniors". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1934. p. 55.
  12. ^ "Strong brilliant as Bucs lose to Giants, 17 to 7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. October 22, 1934. p. 14.
  13. ^ "Smith is star in Giant's win". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. October 22, 1934. p. 9.
  14. ^ "Football games go as expected". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. October 29, 1934. p. 9.
  15. ^ "Giants win 11 straight on home field 17 to 0". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. October 29, 1934. p. 5, part 2.
  16. ^ Gannon, Pat (December 10, 1934). "Giants make spectacular finish to beat Bears for pro grid title". Milwaukee Journal. p. 2, part 2.
  17. ^ McLemore, Henry (December 7, 1934). "Hank interview "Little Giant" Smith of Idaho". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. United Press. p. 12.
  18. ^ "Willis Smith is star of pro football game". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. November 23, 1936. p. 10.
  19. ^ "Tiny Colorado College leads Rocky Mountain grid teams". Reading Eagle. Pennsylvania. United Press. September 11, 1943. p. 12.
  20. ^ "Flyers, victors over Broncs, want another game here". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 10, 1945. p. 7.
  21. ^ "Darren Sproles and the NFL's all-time Mighty Mites". profootballdaly.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  22. ^ "'Little Giant' Willis Smith dead at 86". Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Associated Press. September 7, 1996. p. B11.

External links[]

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