Tad Weed
Encyclopedia
Thurlow "Tad" Weed was the placekicker
for the Ohio State Buckeyes
, a college level American football
team that won the national championship in 1954. Weed, 145 pounds, made 24 of 26 extra point attempts and one field goal
in a 10-0 title run that included a 20-7 win over USC
in the Rose Bowl
.
After college, Weed spent one year
in the National Football League
, where he was three of six in field goal attempts and 12 of 12 in extra point attempts for the Pittsburgh Steelers
. The following year, Pittsburgh selected Gary Glick
out of Colorado State
with the first pick of the 1956 NFL draft. Glick became the Steelers' placekicker and well as a starting defensive back
, and Weed's professional career was over.
In the early 1970s Weed invented the WEED tennis
racquet
. The racquet's 135-square-inch hitting area was the largest allowed under the rules of tennis.
In later years, Weed suffered from a nerve disorder that took away the use of his legs. He died on November 7, 2006 in Columbus Riverside Hospital from a blood disorder.
Prior to attending Ohio State, Weed played for Grandview Heights High School
.
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
for the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, a college level American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team that won the national championship in 1954. Weed, 145 pounds, made 24 of 26 extra point attempts and one field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
in a 10-0 title run that included a 20-7 win over USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
.
After college, Weed spent one year
1955 Pittsburgh Steelers season
-Schedule:- Week 1 : Chicago Cardinals :at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time:* Game weather:* Game attendance: 26,359* Referee:* TV announcers:Scoring Drives:...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, where he was three of six in field goal attempts and 12 of 12 in extra point attempts for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. The following year, Pittsburgh selected Gary Glick
Gary Glick
Gary Gaylen Glick is a former professional American football safety who played seven seasons in the National Football League. He was the first overall selection in the 1956 NFL Draft. Glick attended Colorado State University, where he starred as a quarterback....
out of Colorado State
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
with the first pick of the 1956 NFL draft. Glick became the Steelers' placekicker and well as a starting defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
, and Weed's professional career was over.
In the early 1970s Weed invented the WEED tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
racquet
Racquet
A racquet or racket is a sports implement consisting of a handled frame with an open hoop across which a network of cord is stretched tightly. It is used for striking a ball in such games as squash, tennis, racquetball, and badminton...
. The racquet's 135-square-inch hitting area was the largest allowed under the rules of tennis.
In later years, Weed suffered from a nerve disorder that took away the use of his legs. He died on November 7, 2006 in Columbus Riverside Hospital from a blood disorder.
Prior to attending Ohio State, Weed played for Grandview Heights High School
Grandview Heights High School (Columbus, Ohio)
Grandview Heights High School is a public high school in Grandview Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. It is the only high school in the Grandview Heights City Schools district, which serves both the city of Grandview Heights and the village of Marble Cliff....
.