Wildcat Wilson

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George Wilson
Date of birth:	September 6, 1901
Place of birth:	Everett, Washington
Date of death:	December 27, 1963
Place of death:	San Francisco, California
Career information
Position(s):	HB
College:	University of Washington
Organizations
As player:
1926 1927-1929	Los Angeles Wildcats (AFL) Providence Steam Roller (NFL)
Career highlights and Awards
Honors:	All-American 1925
College Football Hall of Fame

George "Wildcat" Wilson (September 6, 1901 - December 27, 1963) was an American football player, earning All-American honors as a tailback for the University of Washington Huskies.^[1] Upon his graduation in 1926, he was enticed to join the first American Football League by agent and league co-founder C. C. Pyle, as a potential rival for Red Grange. Pyle named Wilson president of the league's traveling team, the Los Angeles Wildcats, for the upcoming 1926 AFL season. While Wilson was also nominally named the team's owner, Pyle and Grange actually paid the bills and filed the franchise's ownership papers.

Based in Chicago and training in Rock Island, Illinois, Wilson's Wildcats finished fourth in the nine-team league, with Wilson among the leaders in rushing touchdowns.^[2]

Upon the demise of the AFL, Wilson joined the Providence Steam Roller of the National Football League, for which he played for three years. The championship year of 1928 featured Wilson as he was credited with five touchdowns and four interceptions as the Steam Roller won its only NFL championship.

He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.^[3]

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