Buddy was President of the Senior Class at Sheffield High School in 1945, but left school in the middle of the year to serve in the United States Navy. After serving in the Navy he entered Holmes Junior College and completed high school in addition to college. In high school, he played football, baseball and ran track. In 1944 the Bulldogs squad went undefeated and Buddy made the All Tri-Cities squad. While at Holmes Junior College he played football, track and baseball making the Junior College All-State Team. Following college he went to work for Reynolds Metals and played fast patch softball for 27 years leading the Reynolds team to the State Championship in 1954. He served Sheffield as a commissioner and then as mayor for six years.