National Football Foundation

A remarkably talented and dedicated high school athlete in Memphis, Tenn., John “Buddy” Leake continued that dedication under College Football Hall of Fame head coach Bud Wilkinson at Oklahoma. As a freshman in 1951, he started seven games, rushed for 645 yards, scored 13 touchdowns and kicked 32 of 33 extra points. As a sophomore in 1952, Leake moved to right halfback alongside Hall of Famer Billy Vessells. Leake scored 242 points in four years, and was named an All-Big Seven halfback in 1954. He also played baseball for three years at Oklahoma, leading the Big Seven in homeruns in 1952.

During his professional football career with Winnipeg of the Canadian Football League, Leake began his insurance career as a Chartered Life Underwriter for Massachusetts Mutual in Memphis. This led to him becoming president of the Liberty Bowl Festival Association in 1976. After moving to Oklahoma City in 1979, he continued his successful insurance career while finding time to lead the formation of the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Football Foundation. From 1984-2001, under his leadership, the chapter awarded $200,000 in college scholarships. Leake died in 2014 at the age of 80.