Hall of Fame
JERRY VANDERHORST - Football 1948-50
One of the top players when UD resumed football in the years following World War II, Jerry VanderHorst was a two-way starter on the offensive and defensive lines and was known as the best athlete on the team in those position areas. He was an All-Ohio performer for the Flyers in the 1949 and 1950 seasons.
As a lineman, there are no stats to judge him by, but VanderHorst and his linemates were responsible for opening holes for all-time greats such as Art Bok (who finished his career tied for the UD career scoring record) and Leroy Ka-Ne (who still holds the Flyer single-season record of 7.8 yards per carry).
After graduating from UD, VanderHorst was invited to camp with the Los Angeles Rams. He made the team but was already married and soon discovered the money in pro football back then was not enough to support his family. The Rams retained a first right of refusal on his contract, and just like that, his football playing days were over.
VanderHorst currently lives in Dayton.
