Trying to research a player and hoping for assistance

[shig]

Hello. I'm trying to find info on a guy named Billy Shoemake. All there really is to go off of as far as I can see is draft history and what info is on his one and only football card which actually seems to have his college wrong as it says he was a Louisiana"Wildcat" when he actually went to LSU which I believe makes him a Tiger. Here's the other info I know about him:

Full name: Billy Dale Shoemake Born: August 24, 1937 in Collins, MS
Drafted #148 in 1959 by Washington. He doesnt appear on any actual roster for the team though, so I assume he didn't make the team or was released before the season started. He then shows up on a 1960 Fleer football card as a Denver Bronco, but like with the Redskins, he does not appear on any roster. So, he doesn't appear to have ever played in the NFL. I'm trying to find out more about him, and maybe what he went on to do, and even maybe why football didn't work out.

It's perhaps an odd request I know, to look for info on a guy who never really did anything in football, but I figured if anyone might know how to get more about him, it would be the Pro Football RESEARCHERS Association .. Thanks for reading and for any help.

[JohnTurney]

Hello. I'm trying to find info on a guy named Billy Shoemake. All there really is to go off of as far as I can see is draft history and what info is on his one and only football card which actually seems to have his college wrong as it says he was a Louisiana"Wildcat" when he actually went to LSU which I believe makes him a Tiger. Here's the other info I know about him:

Full name: Billy Dale Shoemake Born: August 24, 1937 in Collins, MS
Drafted #148 in 1959 by Washington. He doesnt appear on any actual roster for the team though, so I assume he didn't make the team or was released before the season started. He then shows up on a 1960 Fleer football card as a Denver Bronco, but like with the Redskins, he does not appear on any roster. So, he doesn't appear to have ever played in the NFL. I'm trying to find out more about him, and maybe what he went on to do, and even maybe why football didn't work out.

It's perhaps an odd request I know, to look for info on a guy who never really did anything in football, but I figured if anyone might know how to get more about him, it would be the Pro Football RESEARCHERS Association .. Thanks for reading and for any help.

He went to Louisana College a Christian School in LA - apparently, he was pretty good, one paper calling him maybe one of the best-ever players to go there. He was a wingback and end and defensive halfback in college--played at Jones JC before that--no idea where that is.

Louisiana College beat Arkansas Tech in Rice Bowl his senior season - he was ejected for throwing an illegal forearm.
He was signed by Washington Feb 4, 1959 and cut Aug 20, 1959. (Newspaper date Aug 20). Listed as an end for Washington wore #84 in the preseason

Signed by the Broncos, and played in an intrasquad game vs Patriots....no other newspaper accounts after that about football - don't know if he played after that or not he was not listed in the last preseason game program in early September...papers do not mention when he was cut - not that I could find

Sold sporting goods in hometown of Collins MS after that...his dad was a sheriff and tax collector.

that's about it...just guessing he was not good enough for pro ball. Either that or he liked to throw forearms and elbows around.

[Cali_Eagle]

He went to Louisiana College a Christian School in LA - apparently, he was pretty good, one paper calling him maybe one of the best-ever players to go there. He was a wingback and end and defensive halfback in college-- he played at Jones JC before that--no idea where that is.

Louisiana College beat Arkansas Tech in Rice Bowl his senior season - he was ejected for throwing an illegal forearm.
He was signed by Washington Feb 4, 1959 and cut Aug 20, 1959. (Newspaper date Aug 20). Listed as an end for Washington wore #84 in the preseason

Signed by the Broncos, and played in an intrasquad game vs Patriots....no other newspaper accounts after that about football - don't know if he played after that or not he was not listed in the last preseason game program in early September...papers do not mention when he was cut - not that I could find

Sold sporting goods in his hometown of Collins MS after that...his dad was a sheriff and tax collector.

that's about it...just guessing he was not good enough for pro ball. Either that or he liked to throw forearms and elbows around.

He was a Mississippi native (edit: from Collins MS), and Jones County Junior College is in Ellisville MS. By car they are 26 miles apart. BTW, it's amazing how much you found on a virtually unknown player!

[JohnTurney]

He was a Mississippi native, and Jones County Junior College is in Ellisville MS. By car they are 26 miles apart. BTW, it's amazing how much you found on a virtually unknown player!

It's all online newspapers. Only thing I knew about was I had vaguely remembered seeing his football card before. Didn't know a thing about him.

[shig]

He went to Louisana College a Christian School in LA - apparently, he was pretty good, one paper calling him maybe one of the best-ever players to go there. He was a wingback and end and defensive halfback in college--played at Jones JC before that--no idea where that is.

Well first off, WOW! Thank you for all that.

Second, the reason I as confused about LSU/ Louisiana College is that multiple things that appear to be official LSU documents have him listed. Like this one: https://issuu.com/lsuathletics/docs/09lsufbguide/178

The reason I was trying to find info on him is because a friend of mine played a character on a TV show and the character name was Billy Shoemaker. The show takes place in Denver and is about teachers and the show's title is "Those Who Can't" from the old saying "Those Who Can't...Teach". It was not planned or anything, it is sheer coincidence that a character in a show based in Denver that makes references to the Broncos has a character with a slight variation of the name of a Bronco (who... couldn't). I was really hoping for him to have become a teacher when football didn't work out. I guess sporting goods store is ok.... Those Who Can't... Sell the equipment??

Speaking of players becoming teachers though, if there's any info out there on next of kin for Dan Goich, I'd love to find it.