Lee Nalley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Rocky Mount, North Carolina, U.S.
| No. 25 | |
|---|---|
| Positions | Halfback, safety |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 15, 1925 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | September 14, 2003 (aged 78) Rocky Mount, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Listed height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Listed weight | 161 lb (73 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Central |
| College | Vanderbilt (1947–1949) |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
Lee "Long Gone" Nalley Jr. (March 15, 1925 – September 14, 2003) was a college football player for the Vanderbilt Commodores football team from 1947 to 1949.[1] A prominent halfback and safety man, he broke an NCAA record with 791 punt return yards in 1948.[2][3][4] Nalley broke the record in the game against Maryland.[5] He also had the record for return yardage in a career.[6] He was chosen as the return man for an Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1920–1969 era.[7]
Nalley graduated from Nashville's Central High School in 1943. He then spent two years in the Navy due to World War II before entering Vanderbilt University in 1946.[8] Due to his small size, he had to make the football team as a walk-on. "I ran the 100 in 9.9 seconds, which was pretty fair for that time, and I had a good change of pace" recalled Nalley.[8]
