Dutch Clark
Playing career
- Portsmouth Spartans (1931, 1932)
- Detroit Lions (1934-1938)
Coaching career
- Detroit Lions (1937-1938)
- Cleveland Rams (1939-1942)
- 6 × All-Pro selection ( 1931-1937 )
- NFL 1930s All- Decade Team
- NFL Championship ( 1935)
- Back number blocked by Lions
- College Football Hall of Fame (1951 )
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (1963 )
- Greater Pueblo Sports Association Hall of Fame (1973 )
- Colorado College Athletic Hall of Fame (1995 )
- Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (1965 )
Earl Harry "Dutch " Clark ( born October 11, 1906 in Fowler, Colorado; † August 5, 1978 in Cañon City, Colorado ) was a U.S. American football player and coach in the National Football League ( NFL).
Youth
Clark visited the Pueblo High School, where he ran alongside American football and baseball, basketball and athletics. Clark had a vision disorder, making him especially disabled in baseball games, however, did not prevent several school records in track and set it up. In football played Clark Center and was elected to both the football and basketball for the All-State.
Playing career
College career
The collegiate career of Dutch Clark began with obstacles. Because of his athletic achievements in high school, he had noticed several college scouts. Already on the way to the University of Michigan persuaded him the Scouts of the Northwestern University to join this college. However, Clark had a short time homesick and returned to Colorado to get back in the college football rather insignificant Colorado College to join. Clark played there from 1927 to 1929 mainly as a quarterback, but was frequently on other positions are used. In 1928 he achieved a gain of space of 1349 yards, an average of 10 yards per run and a total of 103 points at 135 runs. In 1929, he was team captain and was selected to the All- American. He was the first college football player from Colorado, has been honored with this award. In 1930 he finished his studies in Biology (Bachelor of Arts) from Colorado College.
Professional career
In 1931, Clark joined the Portsmouth Spartans, a team that was resident in the NFL. He included a salary of 144 dollars per game. 1933 had the Spartans to pay just before moving to Detroit problems the content of Clark, he coached therefore this year the football team at the Colorado School of Mines. 1934 pulled the Spartans to Detroit and were renamed the Detroit Lions. Clark returned to the team and met Ox Emerson and George Christensen - two excellent offensive line players in Portsmouth were already his teammates. He latched on to this year, eight touchdowns, what league record showed. 1935 and 1936 he scored with seven and five touchdowns again the league record. The achieved total score of 55 points in 1935 and 73 points in 1936 set league record dar. In the 1935 season, the Lions were able to move in the NFL championship game. Opponents were the New York Giants, who were defeated 26-7. Clark erlief doing a touchdown. In 1938, he had to end his playing career due to numerous injuries. Clark succeeded twice three touchdowns to achieve in a quarter: 1931 with the Portsmouth Spartans against the Brooklyn Dodgers and the first year in Detroit, in 1934, also against the Dodgers.
Coaching career
1930, prior to his career as a professional player, Clark was assistant coach of the football team at his college. He trained there also the basketball and baseball team. From 1937 he was player-manager of the Lions. From 1939 to 1942 Clark was as head coach of the Cleveland Rams in Cleveland under contract. The success as a coach in Cleveland was denied him, however, he could not conclude the season with a positive result of the season. During the Second World War, Clark served in the U.S. Army. After the war he was coach of the Los Angeles Dons, a team of All-America Football Conference ( AAFC ). From 1951 he was a coach and sports director at the University of Detroit.
Dutch Clark died in 1978 and is buried at the Lakeside Cemetery in Cañon City.
Honors
Clark was six times elected to the All- Pro. He is a member of the NFL 1930s All- Decade Team in the College Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, in the Hall of Fame of the University of Detroit, as well as in other regional Hall of Fame. His shirt number is no longer assigned by the Lions. His high school named their football stadium after him. Outside the stadium, there is a statue of him.