Wakefield Hall of Fame

Leon F. “Sub” Dulong

"Sub" a lifelong resident of Wakefield played on the varsity football team for four years, 1928-1931, captaining the team his junior and senior years. In addition "Sub" pitched on the varsity baseball team for three years and played varsity basketball for two years. But by far "Subs" greatest accomplishments were on the football field on which he ignited a team and a Town.

During the 1928 and 1929 seasons, under Wakefield's legendary coach Bill Healy HOF, "Sub" started on the varsity football team. The 1928 season ended (0-6-2) and the 1929 season finished (2-5-2). During the 1930 season, Coach Healy began to turn things around. "Sub" captained the 1930 team to the first winning season in several years, (6-4-0). With a number of players returning the following year, the team and the Town looked forwarded to a successful 1931 season.

The vote to reelect "Sub" captain of the 1931 team was near unanimous, with "Sub" casting the lone vote against himself. "Sub" re-injured his shoulder in the first game against Medford, which ended in a 0-0 tie and missed the next the game against Warren, Rhode Island, which Wakefield won 6-0. "Sub" returned for the next game against Methuen and scored three touchdowns. His shoulder was heavily taped before the game but his legs were noted to be ''just as good as ever". The football team continued its winning ways with wins over Woburn (14-00), Watertown (26-0) and Winchester (27-0). "Sub" played a prominent role in each win, scoring one touchdown in both the Woburn and Winchester wins and three touch downs against Winchester before re-injuring his shoulder.

The enthusiasm within the Town was mounting to what was described as "the highest pitch in the history of Wakefield football ". "Sub” missed the next game against Essex Aggie which Wakefield won. Wakefield’s next opponent was Melrose. A crowd estimated at 5000 watched the game at Walton Field. Accounts of the game indicate that stands were borrowed from Reading and Melrose and were jammed before game time. Fans stood deep around the entire field, making a huge stadium like effect at the field. It was the largest crowd to attend a game at Walton Field since' its dedication. "Sub" was described as "the spark which ignited the Town into a football minded community this fall for the first time in many moons", Wakefield battled to a 0-0 tie with "Sub" carrying for over 88 yards. The final game of the season was against Reading. Wakefield won the game 37-0, with "Sub" scoring two touchdowns.

At the end of the 1931 season "Sub" was a unanimous choice to the Mystic Valley All Star Team as selected by the Mystic Valley coaches? "Sub" was listed as the "star on the best team in Wakefield High School history “. Dulong scored 61 points and he was the fastest starting back in local schoolboy football. "Sub" was also selected for the 1931 Traveler's All-Scholastic first team, and the Globe's and Post's All Scholastic second team.

Following high school "Sub" attended Saint Anselm's College on a football scholarship, but due to reoccurring shoulder injuries suffered throughout his football career, he left Saint Anselm's and returned to Wakefield. He became a member of the Wakefield Fire Department. “Sub” retired after thirty years on the Department. He passed away in 1989.

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