Former TCU end Bruce Alford Sr. served his country during World War II after his collegiate career.
The TCU Horned Frogs are less than 100 days from kicking off the 2025 football season with a nonconference road matchup against the North Carolina Tar Heels and new head coach Bill Belichick. As we count down the days until kickoff, we’ll highlight a former (or current) Horned Frog whose jersey number represents the number of days left until the opener.
FROG CLUB
83 – Bruce Alford Sr. (End – 1941-42)
A 1973 inductee into the TCU Athletic Hall of Fame, Alford Sr. received Second-Team All-Southwest Conference honors in 1941 before becoming both a First-Team All-Southwest Conference and Third-Team All-American in 1942. Alford Sr. was named MVP of the 1942 Orange Bowl and he was taken with the 62nd overall pick in the eighth round of the 1943 NFL Draft. Alford Sr. opted to serve his country, however, joining the Army Air Corps during World War II before beginning his professional football career with the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946 at the age of 24.
Alford Sr. played six professional seasons, four with the New York Yankees from 1946-49 and two with the New York Yanks of the National Football League (NFL) from 1950-51. Across six seasons, Alford Sr. played in 75 total games and registered 81 receptions for 1,341 yards and nine touchdowns. Once his playing career was over, Alford Sr. returned to the NFL as an official, serving as a line judge for 20 years and working three Super Bowls (II, VII and IX). His son, Bruce Alford Jr., also played football for the Horned Frogs as a place kicker and was selected in the sixth round of the 1967 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.