Young Bussey
| Date of birth: | October 4, 1917 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth: | Timpson, Texas, United States |
| Date of death: | January 7, 1945 (aged 27) |
| Place of death: | Lingayen Gulf, Philippines † |
Career information | |
| Position(s): | Quarterback |
| College: | Louisiana State |
| High school: | San Jacinto (TX) |
| NFL Draft: | 1940 / Round: 20 / Pick: 187 |
Organizations | |
| As player: | |
| 1941 | Chicago Bears |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career stats | |
| Playing stats at NFL.com | |
Military service | |
| Allegiance: |
 United States |
| Service/branch: |
 U.S. Navy |
| Years of service: | 1942-1945 |
| Rank: |
 Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars: | World War II |
Ruey Young Bussey (October 4, 1917-January 7, 1945) was a professional American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Bussey was killed in action during World War II.[1]
Biography
Ruey Young Bussey was born in Timpson, Texas, and the youngest child of Katie Lee (Katherine L. Hughes) Bussey and Thomas Wade Bussey. The family later moved to Humble, located near Houston. Young's father worked several odd jobs, before landing a supervisory position at a firm that manufactured train equipment. However, in 1928, Tom mysteriously disappeared from the family, and later died in March 1935.
When his mother became become the head of the household, Young and his brother worked to help to support the family delivering milk
Young, excelled at sports, such as football, baseball, boxing, wrestling, swimming, diving, water polo, track and his favorite, basketball. At age 12, Young had become so coordinated that his teacher had to “rig” the softball teams during recess to help prevent Young from dominating the game. He attracted the attention of local sports writers in Houston while attending San Jacinto High School, which was located in an affluent area of Houston. His classmates at San Jacinto included Walter Cronkite and Dr. Denton Cooley, the founder of the Texas Heart Institute.
Young's skills and antics drew unequalled crowds to Houston high school games. At Louisiana State University, where he studied engineering. However even though he was an outstanding athlete, he routinely clashed with the school's coaching staff and administrators. Bulldog Turner, a teammate with the Chicago Bears, later said that "Coaching Young was nearly impossible."
World War II
Young was playing for the Bears the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. He decided to leave the NFL to join the Navy in 1942. He attained the rank of lieutenant and was assigned to the Pacific Theater. In 1944 his unit was assigned to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation. Young took part in the invasion, despite his premonition that he would not survive the campaign. During the battle, Young received several commendations for “courageous conduct.” His craft was later hit by a Japanese shell. His body was never recovered.
Family
The Busseys held deep roots in Timpson, Texas,since 1864. Ancestor, George Bussey, who was born in Maryland c.1735, reportedly served with George Washington during the American Revolution.
References
- ↑ Mayer, Larry (2008-11-12). "Bears enjoy rich military history starting with Halas". chicagobears.com. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
2. Young Bussey, Young Stud: An All-American Legend, by Ralph B. Cushman, Foreword by Dr. Denton A. Cooley. Copyright 1993 Bigco Press, Houston, Texas
External links
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