Ernie Caddel Ernest Wiley Caddel ( March 12 , 1911 – March 28 , 1992 ) was an American football running back . He played college football for Glenn " Pop " Warner at Stanford University from 1930 to 1932 and later played six seasons in the National Football League for the Portsmouth Spartans ( 1933 ) and Detroit Lions ( 1934 – 1938 ) . He helped lead the Detroit Lions to the NFL championship in 1935 and led the NFL in average yards gained per rushing carry for three consecutive years , from 1935 to 1937 . He was also the first player in NFL history to finish among the top 10 players in the league in both rushing and receiving yards , accomplishing the feat in 1934 and again in 1936 . He was known during his football career as the " Blond Antelope . " Early years . Caddel was born in Granite , Oklahoma in 1911 and was raised near Fresno , California . Stanford . Caddel was given the name " Ee - Dub " after his father ' s initials E . W . , as was the custom in those days . He enrolled at Stanford University in 1929 on a baseball scholarship , having never played football . Stanford would not recognize the initials " E . W , " and so Caddel became " Ernie . " While attending Stanford , head football coach Glenn " Pop " Warner noticed Caddel ' s athletic ability and persuaded him to play for the football team . He played at the halfback position for Stanford from 1930 to 1932 . In November 1931 , he drew national attention when he ran for three touchdowns , two on long runs , in a 32 - 6 victory over Dartmouth . As a senior in 1932 , Caddel starred for Stanford in September and October . In October 1932 , a United Press correspondent wrote : " Ernie Caddel , a rangy fleet - footed halfback , is regarded by many as an All - America candidate . In every appearance this season he has brought spectators from their seats by his spectacular wide , sweeping runs around the end - - invariably evading tacklers for 15 to 30 yards . " Caddel suffered two broken ribs in a game against Oregon State . To allow Caddel to play through the injury , Stanford ' s coach Warner created what has been described as the first flak jacket worn by a running back . The " San Jose News " in October 1932 noted that Caddel was wearing a shoulder brace " to permit him to play as long as wind and limib hold out . " Another writer noted , " Pop made a paper pattern one day and the thing that night . It was an ingenious affair . . . . It had steel ribs , but you hardly noticed the weight . " Due to this injury , however , Caddel was unable to play baseball in the Spring of his senior year , and he lost his Stanford scholarship . Fortunately , he was recruited by the Portsmouth Spartans to play professional football in Ohio . Professional football . After graduating from Stanford , Caddel played professional football in the National Football League for six years from 1933 to 1938 . Caddel was 6 feet , 2 inches , and weighed 190 pounds during his football playing career . With blonde , curly hair and " a beach - boy tan , " he was " a striking figure in the Midwest " and became known as the " Blond Antelope . " Caddel began his professional football career in 1933 with the Portsmouth Spartans in Portsmouth , Ohio . He ran 82 yards for a touchdown on his first carry for the Spartans . Caddel accumulated 393 yards from scrimmage for the Spartans in 1933 and scored five touchdowns . As a rookie , he led the NFL in receiving touchdowns with three and finished second in the league with an average of 5 . 2 yards per touch . In 1934 , the Spartans were sold , and the new owner moved the team to Detroit , Michigan , and renamed them the Detroit Lions . Caddel started all 12 games and helped the Lions post a 10 - 3 record in their inaugural season . He was among the NFL leaders in 1934 with 655 yards from scrimmage ( 4th in the NFL ) , an average of 5 . 7 yards per touch ( 4th in the NFL ) , and 528 rushing yards ( 5th in the NFL ) . As a third - year player , Caddel was both the leading rusher and the leading receiver for the 1935 Detroit Lions team that won the 1935 NFL Championship . He was also the second leading passer for the 1935 Lions with 169 passing yards . Caddel also led the NFL in 1935 in all - purpose yards ( 621 ) , rushing touchdowns ( 6 ) , yards per rushing attempt ( 5 . 2 ) , and yards per touch ( 6 . 4 ) . He also finished second in the NFL with 450 rushing yards . Caddel remained one of the NFL ' s leading players in 1936 . He accumulated 730 yards from scrimmage , third best in the NFL , and led the league with an average of 6 . 6 yards per touch and 6 . 4 yards per rushing attempt . His total of 19 pass receptions was also good for third best in the NFL during the 1936 season . Caddel was the first player in NFL history to finish among the top 10 players in the league in both rushing and receiving yards . He accomplished the feat in 1934 and again in 1936 . The next player to twice rank in the top 10 in both categories was Frank Gifford in 1956 and 1957 . In 1937 , Caddel led the NFL for the third consecutive year in yards per rushing attempt with an average of 5 . 6 yards per carry . Later years . After retiring from football , Caddel operated an automobile dealership , Roseville Chevrolet , in Roseville , California , for 42 years . He became known for his charismatic personality and for starring in light - hearted TV commercials " with " The Roseville Gang > " He died due to complications Alzheimer ' s in Roseville in 1992 at age 81 , possibly brought on by head trauma from his years with the Lions . During his early Spartan years , Caddel met his wife Nell Margaret Gableman , the daughter of Portsmouth ' s mayor . When they moved to Detroit , during the off - season , Caddel built cars in GM factory . General Motors noted his personality and good looks , and promoted him to sales . They had a daughter , Trudy Frances , and a granddaughter , noted vocalist Connie Champagne née Kelly Brock