Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) Died May 25, 1928 Weight 165 pounds (75 kg) | Name Bodie Weldon | |
Born November 7, 1895Watertown, New York ( 1895-11-07 ) 191919201920 Phoenix Athletic Club (Ind.)Union Club of Phoenixville (Ind.)Buffalo All-Americans (NFL) | ||
Bodie Weldon: Football Wingback, Tailback, and Halfback
John Ambrose Weldon (November 7, 1895 – May 25, 1928) was a professional football player during the 1920s. He played in the American Professional Football Association (renamed the National Football League in 1922) for the Buffalo All-Americans. Weldon was instrumental in the first NFL game to take place in New York City, as Buffalo defeated the Canton Bulldogs 7-3 at the Polo Grounds. During the game Weldon punted against the legendary Jim Thorpe and kicked a point after touchdown.
However Weldon also played independent football for the Phoenix Athletic Club in 1919 and Union Club of Phoenixville in 1921. He would play a non-league game with Phoenixville on Saturdays, then took a train to Buffalo and the next day’s game. This arrangement helped Weldon, and several other Buffalo All-Americans players, earn extra money in between league games.
Prior to playing pro football, Weldon played at the college level for Lafayette College. He received a college letter in 1916 and was named the team's captain in 1917. While at Lafayette, he also played on the school's basketball team, as a guard, and on the baseball team as an outfielder.