Pete Ladygo

Peter Glenn "Pete" Ladygo (June 23, 1928 – August 22, 2014) was an American football player. He played as a guard and linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League from 1952 to 1954, and as a guard for the Ottawa Rough Riders in the Canadian Football League in 1955. Ladygo played college football for the University of Maryland.

Pete Ladygo
Ladygo as a senior at Maryland in 1951
Position:Guard, center, linebacker
Personal information
Born:(1928-06-23)June 23, 1928
West Brownsville, Pennsylvania
Died:August 22, 2014(2014-08-22) (aged 86)
Keyser, West Virginia
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
College:Maryland (1950–1951)
NFL Draft:1952 / Round: 16 / Pick: 186 by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Early life and college

Ladygo was born on June 23, 1928 in West Brownsville, Pennsylvania and attended Allegheny Prep School. He then went on to Potomac State College before transferring to the University of Maryland.[1] There, he played college football under Jim Tatum and earned varsity letters in 1950 and 1951.[2] In the 1950 upset win against second-ranked Michigan State, Ladygo returned an interception 23 yards for a touchdown.[3] Against George Washington, he had a fumble recovery.[4] In the 1951 season, he recovered a fumble against Washington & Lee in their end zone for Maryland's first touchdown of the year.[5]

Professional career

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Ladygo with the 186th overall pick in the 16th round of the 1952 NFL Draft.[6] In June, he signed a contract with the franchise.[7] He played three seasons for the Steelers from 1952 to 1954 as a right guard. In 1952, he played in twelve games and returned one kick for four yards.[6] In August 1953, Ladygo was named among five "of the brightest names on the Steelers roster", who remained unsigned because they were dissatisfied with their contract offers. Owner Art Rooney, however, expected them to sign after the start of training camp.[8] Ladygo suffered a broken leg,[9] and did not see game action during the 1953 season.[6] In 1954, Ladygo returned to play in all twelve games.[6]

Ottawa Rough Riders

In 1955, he played for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. The Detroit Lions traded a future draft pick to obtain Ladygo's rights before the season,[10] but he stated that it did not change his plans to play in Canada.[11] He said, "I have not signed any contract with Pittsburgh and certainly not with Detroit. The Steelers exercised their option on me last May but I don't feel this entitles the club to my services. I want to play with Ottawa and intend to do so."[11] During the 1955 season, he returned one interception 12 yards.[12] In September, the Ottawa Citizen "put down Pete Ladygo as the outstanding Ottawa lineman."[13] He recovered a fumble against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, which was later converted into a score.[14] In an "improved" Ottawa squad's rematch against Hamilton, Ladygo, Joe Moss, and Avatus Stone played 55 of the 60-minute game, and the Ottawa Citizen appraised that "they were all immense."[15]

After his season in Canada, Ladygo returned to Keyser, West Virginia, where he worked as a teacher and football coach at Bruce High School in Westernport, Maryland, and as an assistant football coach at Potomac State.[11] He was inducted into the Potomac State College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.[16] He died in Keyser on August 22, 2014.[17]

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References
  1. Pete Ladygo Past Stas, Statistics, History, and Awards, Database Football, retrieved August 30, 2010.
  2. All-Time Lettermen (PDF), 2007 Terrapin Football Record Book, p. 20, University of Maryland, 2007.
  3. Terps Smash Spartans, 34–7, Miami Sunday News, October 8, 1950.
  4. Maryland defeated George Washington University, 23 to 7, in a Southern Conference football game at Byrd Stadium this afternoon, The Baltimore Sun, November 5, 1950.
  5. MARYLAND SCORES, 54-14; Crushes W. and L. Eleven With Long Drives at Lexington, The New York Times, September 30, 1951.
  6. Pete Ladygo NFL & AFL Facts, Pro Football Reference, retrieved August 30, 2010.
  7. Chandnois and Ladygo Sign Steeler Contracts, Chicago Daily Tribune, June 8, 1952.
  8. Five Key Steelers Still Out on Limb, The Pittsburgh Press, August 1, 1953.
  9. Harry Gilmer Out of Action; Pasky Hurt, Los Angeles Times, September 22, 1953.
  10. Pete Ladygo, Ex-Terp, Traded To Detroit, The Baltimore Sun, July 20, 1955.
  11. Ex-Steeler Ladygo Stays With Riders, Ottawa Citizen, July 16, 1955.
  12. 1955 CFL Statistics, CFLapedia, retrieved August 30, 2010.
  13. Is Custis Headed For Riders?, Ottawa Citizen, September 12, 1955.
  14. Hamilton Defeats Ottawa, The Montreal Gazette, September 12, 1955.
  15. Tiger-Cats Stage Late Drive To Defeat Improved Riders In Close Game, 21–12, Ottawa Citizen, October 24, 1955.
  16. Dinah Courrier, Potomac State College, Arcadia Publishing, 2000, ISBN 0-7385-0621-4.
  17. Peter Ladygo obituary, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 25, 2014
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