Hall of Fame
Dick Willding earned 10 varsity letter while at Jesuit. He received four in football, four in baseball and two in basketball.
As a Senior during the 1950 season, he was elected co-captain of the football team and was voted Jesuit’s team MVP. In the 1949 season, he led the City of Dallas with 72 points scored. He was the first Jesuit back to be named Back of the Week by the Dallas Morning News, and the first Jesuit player to make All-Greater Dallas Second Team. Some sportswriters in Dallas compared him to the great SMU star, Doak Walker.
In baseball, Willding made the American Legion All-Star Team twice as a catcher. During his senior year, he pitched and compiled a 4-2 record. He was vice president of the 1948 class, secretary of the 1949 class, and treasurer of the 1951 class.
Willding received an athletic scholarship to the University of Texas and lettered in football on the freshman team. His athletic career was cut short by an injury at the beginning of his sophomore year. He passed away in 2013.Â
