Clyde Scott
refer to caption
1950 Bowman Football card of Scott
No. 20, 27
Position:Halfback
Personal information
Born:(1924-08-29)August 29, 1924
Dixie, Louisiana, U.S.
Died:January 30, 2018(2018-01-30) (aged 93)
Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:174 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High school:Smackover (AR)
College:
NFL Draft:1948 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Clyde Luther Scott (August 29, 1924 – January 30, 2018)[1] was an American athlete who competed professionally in the National Football League (NFL) and earned an Olympic medal in the 110 meter hurdles. He was born in Dixie, Louisiana.

Biography

Olympic medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  United States
Silver medal – second place 1948 London 110 m hurdles

Scott grew up in Smackover, Arkansas, and participated in both track and football at the University of Arkansas and the US Naval Academy. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. He competed for the United States in the 1948 Summer Olympics held in London, Great Britain in the 110 meter hurdles where he won the silver medal.[2]

While at the University of Arkansas, he was initiated into the Xi Chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.[3] Scott's nickname while at the University of Arkansas was "Smackover", after his hometown. Scott was a three-time All-SWC player at RB and DB, and an All-American in 1948. He helped Arkansas win the 1946 Southwest Conference championship, as well as leading the Razorbacks to their first-ever bowl victory, beating William & Mary 21-19 in the 1948 Dixie Bowl on January 1, 1948. Scott was also a track star at the UA, competing in the 100-yard dash and 110-meter hurdles.

Scott was the eighth player overall chosen in the 1948 NFL Draft. Scott played five seasons in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Detroit Lions, appearing on two NFL championship teams. Scott had a career game on October 6, 1951 against the 49ers when he caught two touchdown passes (3 catches for 85 yards), and had a 40 yard run in the Eagles 21-14 upset win.[4][5] The Eagles finished 4-8-0. The 49ers, at 7-4-1, finished 1⁄2 game behind the Conference Champion Rams. Scott was forced to retire in 1953 after suffering a knee injury.

In 2014 Scott was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame.[6][7] The University of Arkansas retired Scott's football jersey number 12, one of only two numbers the school has ever retired (the other is number 77, retired in honor of Brandon Burlsworth).[8]

Scott died on January 30, 2018, at the age of 93.[9] He is one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is caused by repeated hits to the head.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ "UGA Sports News".
  2. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Clyde Scott". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020.
  3. ^ Xi Chapter: Century of Tradition at the University of Arkansas
  4. ^ Associated Press (October 7, 1951). "Eagles Upset 49ers 21-14". Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved August 21, 2018.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, Oct. 6, 1951". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  6. ^ "9 Razorbacks to be Inducted into SWC Hall of Fame". arkansasmatters.com. Little Rock, AR. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  7. ^ "Nine Razorbacks to be inducted into SWC Hall of Fame | NashvilleSportsMix". Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  8. ^ "Encyclopedia of Arkansas Clyde Luther "Smackover" Scott". encyclopediaofarkansas.net.
  9. ^ "Former Arkansas football player Clyde Scott dies at age of 93". seccountry.com.
  10. ^ "The driving force behind Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)". Concussion Legacy Foundation. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  11. ^ Ken Belson and Benjamin Mueller (June 20, 2023). "Collective Force of Head Hits, Not Just the Number of Them, Increases Odds of C.T.E. The largest study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy to date found that the cumulative force of head hits absorbed by players in their careers is the best predictor of future brain disease". The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2023.


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