Karl McDade

College career

After graduating high school, McDade continued his education at the University of Portland, and played football under Coach Gene Murphy from 1934 to 1937. In 1993, well after his football playing days, McDade was inducted into the University of Portland Hall of Fame.

Professional career Following his college career, McDade signed to play professional football with the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL), being one of the first three Portland alumni to ever sign into the NFL. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in September, before having appeared in a game for the Cardinals. With the Steelers, he played in six games and started in one under head coach Johnny Blood, with Walt Kiesling as assistant coach, and alongside the exciting Byron "Whizzer" White. He was released by the Pirates in October 1938.

World War II Before McDade enlisted in the United States Navy on September 26, 1942 for World War II, he married his wife Ruth Lillian Morris on September 19, 1942, and remained married for 64 years.

After entering the Navy, on March 25, 1943, McDade was transferred from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington to the Naval Station Treasure Island on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay for additional instruction.

McDade received training at the Logan Naval Training Station for Electrical Engineering & Radio Material School in Logan, Utah, before being transferred to the Naval Air Technical Training Center Ward Island, offshore from Corpus Christi, Texas, on August 20, 1943. McDade also served some of his time in the Navy in the Aleutian Islands.

Before the end of his service in the Navy, McDade achieved the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) on December 1, 1944.