Billy Wilson

Biography

Billy Wilson dominated the 1950s as the San Francisco 49ers' premier receiving threat, leading the NFL in receptions three times while becoming the franchise's first outstanding wide receiver despite playing in an era dominated by the "Million Dollar Backfield" running game. Born February 3, 1927 in Sayre, Oklahoma, Wilson's family fled to California when he was three to escape the Dust Bowl ravaging the prairies during the Great Depression. He attended Campbell High School where he excelled as a four-letter athlete before enlisting in the United States Navy during World War II. After military service, he starred at San Jose State University, earning attention from NFL scouts. Drafted by San Francisco in the 22nd round (283rd overall) of the 1950 NFL draft—the seventh receiver selected by the 49ers that year—Wilson didn't debut until 1951, joining the team alongside quarterback Y.A. Tittle. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 190 pounds, Wilson possessed exceptional hands that teammate Bob St. Clair described as "hands of glue," combined with outstanding ability to run after catches. Tittle called him "one of the fiercest competitors I ever played with" and praised him as the team's number one receiver: "Whenever we needed a big catch, I went to him because I knew he would make the play." Wilson's breakthrough came in 1953 when he caught 51 passes for 840 yards and 10 touchdowns, beginning a dominant stretch where he never finished below fourth in receiving yards from 1953 to 1957. He led the NFL in receptions with 60 catches in both 1954 and 1956, then 52 in 1957, also leading the entire 1950s decade in receptions. His excellence earned six consecutive Pro Bowl selections (1954-1959), with his finest Pro Bowl performance coming in 1954 when he was named most outstanding player after catching 11 passes for 157 yards. His career-best regular season game occurred October 23, 1955 against Chicago Bears, when he caught nine passes for 192 yards with two touchdowns. In San Francisco's only playoff appearance during his tenure, Wilson delivered nine catches for 107 yards and a touchdown in the December 22, 1957 Western Conference playoff against Detroit Lions, though the 49ers squandered a 27-7 halftime lead losing 31-27. On December 13, 1959 facing Green Bay Packers at Kezar Stadium, Wilson caught his 400th career pass, becoming only the third player ever to reach that milestone after Don Hutson and Tom Fears, finishing second all-time in receptions at that moment. After retiring in 1960 with 407 receptions for 5,902 yards and 49 touchdowns, Wilson spent 30 years with the 49ers as assistant coach and scout. Despite former coach Bill Walsh's advocacy efforts calling him "the top pass receiver of his time," Wilson was never inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, though contemporaries Raymond Berry, Tom Fears, and Elroy Hirsch received enshrinement. He was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 and named to the Professional Football Researchers Association Hall of Very Good in 2008. Wilson died January 27, 2009 in Carlsbad, California from bone cancer, survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters, a brother, and seven grandchildren.