Nicknamed "Bird" by his Phi Kappa Psi brothers at Stanford University, Yardley was a real showman on the court. However he did not let his ornate style of play interfere with his scoring, as he would become the first NBA player to score 2,000 points in a season and the 1957 NBA Scoring Leader. Yardley was a two time All-American at Stanford. He played amateur basketball while serving in the Navy, leading his team to the 1951 championship. After being drafted by the Fort Wayne Pistons in 1953, he was named NBA All-Star from 1955 to 1960.

Died on August 12, 2004