Gene Alderton Explained
Wayne Eugene Alderton (April 3, 1934 – July 2, 1992) was an American football player. He played college football for the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League in the 1957 NFL draft.
College career
A native of Cumberland, Maryland, Alderton attended college at the University of Maryland, where he played as a center on the football team. As a sophomore in 1955, he was pressed into service to replace injured starting center Bob Pellegrini.[1] In 1956, he was an honorable mention Associated Press All-American.[2] The Associated Press also named him to its All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team.[3]
As a senior in 1957, he served as the team co-captain alongside Jack Healy.[4] That season, Maryland played North Carolina in the "Queen's Game" - the first American football game attended by Queen Elizabeth II. Alderton was scheduled to meet the Queen in the pre-game ceremonies.[5] After he lost a tooth in the previous week's game, "university officials speedily ordered up a replacement so he could smile properly when he and the other co-captains were introduced to Elizabeth and Philip".[6] [7] Alderton presented a souvenir football to the Queen and Prince Philip alongside fellow co-captain Jack Healy before the game.[8] The Newspaper Enterprise Association named him an honorable mention All-American.[9] The Atlantic Coast Conference selected him as a member of its All-ACC second-team.[3] [10]
Head coach Tommy Mont recommended Alderton, alongside back-up center Wilbur Main, for selection to the South squad in the all-star Shrine Game to Miami coach Andy Gustafson.[11] Upon the conclusion of his collegiate playing career, Alderton received the Teke Trophy for service by a football player over four years.[12] He graduated from Maryland in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in education for industry.[13]
After college
Alderton was selected in the 15th round of the 1957 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions.[14] In the summer of 1958, he was competing for a position at the Lions' training camp,[15] and considered to have a good chance at making the roster.[16] He played for Detroit, the defending NFL champions, in the 1958 College All-Star Game.[17] [18]
In mid-August, he was hired as the freshman team coach at his alma mater.[19] In 1964, Alderton was elected to the board of trustees of the University of Maryland M Club, an athletic alumni organization.[20] He died on July 2, 1992, while living in Hyattsville, Maryland.[21]
Notes and References
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SW0QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3ooDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2142,1380826&dq=gene-alderton&hl=en Jim Tatum Isn't Ready To Downgrade Early Appraisal of Maryland Gridders
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CSMsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=U54FAAAAIBAJ&pg=993,886998&dq=gene-alderton&hl=en 1956 Associated Press All-America Football Team Announced; Vols' Johnny Majors is Picked as First String
- "All-Time Honors", 2007 Maryland Football Media Guide, pp. 162 - 163, University of Maryland, 2007.
- https://archive.org/stream/terrapinyearbook1958univ#page/226/mode/2up/search/alderton 1958 Terrapin
- http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1133020/4/index.htm Events & Discoveries; SPIKED SHOES ON MILWAUKEE'S WELCOME MAT, BASEBALL ON COLOR TV, HOW TO MISUNDERSTAND SUGAR RAY, FOOTBALL GETS THE QUEEN FOR A DAY, IN 1960, ROME
- https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/oct/19/marylands-queen-for-a-day/?page=3 Maryland's queen for a day
- https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/565759152.html?dids=565759152:565759152&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+18%2C+1957&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=All+He+Wants+Is+New+Tooth+as+Queen+Calls&pqatl=google All He Wants Is New Tooth as Queen Calls
- https://archive.org/stream/terrapinyearbook1958univ#page/226/ 1958 Terrapin
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7LkfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ydcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2894,2485337&dq=gene-alderton&hl=en Three SEC Players Selected
- https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1689665812.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+03%2C+1957&author=&pub=The+Sun+%281837-1985%29&desc=Christy+Heads+All-A.C.C.+Team&pqatl=google Christy Heads All-A.C.C. Team
- https://archive.today/20120712004054/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sCYzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tuoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3199,525263&dq=gene-alderton&hl=en Maryland Players Get Boost For Shrine Tilt
- https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/121055611.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Jan+18%2C+1958&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post+and+Times+Herald+%281954-1959%29&edition=&startpage=A17&desc=Gene+Alderton+Wins+Maryland+Sports+Award Gene Alderton Wins Maryland Sports Award
- https://archive.org/stream/terrapinyearbook1958univ#page/336/mode/2up/search/alderton 1958 Terrapin
- http://www.databasefootball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1957&lg=NFL 1957 NFL Player Draft
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F58xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ukIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2408,4846278&dq=gene-alderton&hl=en Five Rookies Figure In Lions' Plan
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_J4xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ukIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3400,3201535&dq=gene-alderton&hl=en Veteran Performers to Carry Load for Lions in 1958 Camp
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l20sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tcsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5523,1196010&dq=gene-alderton&hl=en Underdog College Team Tackles Lions Friday
- https://archive.today/20120712235810/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xLsyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0uoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4227,5188790&dq=gene-alderton&hl=en Tonight's Rosters, Numbers
- https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1689932562.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+12%2C+1958&author=&pub=The+Sun+%281837-1985%29&desc=Terp+Frosh+Post+To+Gene+Alderton&pqatl=google Terp Frosh Post To Gene Alderton
- http://www.themclub.org/about/history/appendix_d.html Appendix D; M Club Board of Trustees; 1923 - 2000
- http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi Social Security Death Index
