:Clancy Williams
{{Short description|American football player (1942–1986)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Clancy Williams
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1942|9|24}}
| birth_place = Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1986|9|21|1942|9|24}}
| death_place = Seattle, Washington, U.S.
| number = 24
| position = Cornerback
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 194
| high_school = Renton (WA)
| college = Washington State
| draftyear = 1965
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 9
| afldraftyear = 1965
| afldraftround = 8
| afldraftpick = 62
| pastteams =
- Los Angeles Rams ({{NFL Year|1965}}–{{NFL Year|1972}})
- Portland Storm – WFL (1974)
| highlights =
- First-team All-American (1964)
- First-team All-PCC (1964)
- Second-team All-PCC (1963)
| pfr = WillCl20
}}
Clarence "Clancy" Williams Jr. (September 24, 1942 – September 21, 1986) was an American football defensive back who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL), all with the Los Angeles Rams.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=z4NfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vzAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5302%2C2050504 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |title=Former All-American Williams dies |date=September 24, 1986 |page=1B}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r7ISAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zvkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6593%2C1558094 |work=Spokane Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=staff and wire reports |title=Ex-Cougar Williams is dead |date=September 23, 1986 |page=B1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GRNQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RwgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2144%2C5325498 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Devlin |first=Vince |title=Clancy Williams was a racehorse with heart |date=September 24, 1986 |page=D1}}
Early life
Williams was born on September 24, 1942, in Beaumont, or Deweyville, Texas.{{Cite web |title=Clancy Williams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillCl20.htm |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} Williams was raised in suburban Seattle and graduated from Renton High School in 1961, where he was all-state in football and basketball, and earned all-state honors on the track team.{{Cite news |date=September 23, 1986 |title=Ex-Cougar Clancy Williams, 43, dies |work=Kitsap Sun (Bremerton, Washington) |pages=18}} He helped Renton to a Puget Sound League football championship. Williams was the only black player on his team. While some players bullied him for this, his mother encouraged him not to allow them to degrade him.{{Cite web |title=Renton History Museum, "Can I Play Too" Answer Guide for Parents and Teachers |url=https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_7922657/File/City%20Hall/Community%20Services/Museum/Coast%20Salish%20Curriculum/Can%20I%20Play%20Too%20Study%20Guide.pdf}}
The City of Renton made March 27, 1965, Clancy Williams Day. Williams is among seven legendary Renton athletes depicted on a mural at Liberty Park in the back of Giannini Stadium in Renton.{{Cite web |last=Sheppard |first=Cameron |date=2021-12-09 |title=Meet the artist who immortalized Renton sports legends with a giant mural |url=https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/meet-the-artist-who-immortalized-renton-sports-legends-with-a-giant-mural/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Seattle Weekly |language=en-US}}
College football
He played college football at Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman, and was its star running back and a defensive back from 1962–64. He was a first team All-American at defensive back as a senior in 1964.{{Cite web |title=Clancy Williams (1986) - Hall of Fame |url=https://wsucougars.com/honors/hall-of-fame/clancy-williams/79#:~:text=Washington%20State%20University%20Athletics,-Main%20Navigation%20Menu&text=Williams%20ended%20his%20time%20in,and%20East-West%20Shrine%20Game. |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Washington State University Athletics |language=en}} In 1964, he rushed for 783 yards in 147 attempts, and had 17 receptions for 210 yards.{{Cite web |title=Clancy Williams College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/clancy-williams-1.html |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} In his three years of varsity football, he had 1,456 rushing yards, 332 receiving yards, and 719 yards on kickoff returns. In 1964, he also led the Athletic Association of Western Universities in rushing yards per attempt (5.3).{{Cite web |title=1964 Athletic Association of Western Universities Leaders |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/aawu/1964-leaders.html |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}
Williams played on both sides of the ball: on offense at halfback and defense at cornerback. WSU sports historian Dick Fry made the case Williams was the finest two-way player in Washington State history.{{cite news |url=https://247sports.com/college/washington-state/Article/Clancy-Williams-Washington-State-Cougars-legend-two-way-Rams-135853475/ |work=Cougfan.com |location=(Washington) |agency=CBS247sports |title=Two-way terror Clancy Williams: WSU's finest all-around player? |date=August 15, 2003 |page=1}} He played in the 1965 Hula Bowl, East-West Shrine game, and Chicago All Star Game against the Cleveland Browns. He was inducted into Washington State's Hall of Fame in 1986.{{Cite news |date=July 30, 1965 |title=Clancy Stars for All-Stars in Grid Work |work=Spokane Chronicle |pages=19}}
His most famous college play came in WSU's 1964 opening game against Stanford. With little more than one minute left in the game, WSU was down 23–22. A Stanford receiver caught a pass, and when he turned to run up field, Williams stripped the ball away and took it to WSU's 37 yard line. WSU scored a touchdown, winning the game 29–23.{{Cite web |last=Nusser |first=Jeff |date=2014-03-06 |title=WSU's Clancy Williams on college HOF ballot again |url=https://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-cougars-football/2014/3/6/5478804/wsus-clarence-clancy-williams-back-on-college-football-hall-of-fame |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=CougCenter |language=en}}
Professional football
He was selected in the first round of the 1965 NFL draft (ninth overall) by the Rams. Williams played his entire eight-year NFL career as a defensive back with the Rams. In the five years from 1966 to 1970, he started 68 or the team's 70 games at left cornerback, with 28 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. In 1966, his eight interceptions were tied for second most in the NFL,{{Cite web |title=1966 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1966/leaders.htm |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} and his seven interceptions in 1968 were tied for fourth best in the NFL.{{Cite web |title=1968 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1968/leaders.htm |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
At the time Williams retired after 1972, he had 28 interceptions for the Rams, two returned for touchdowns. His 28 interceptions for the Rams were second most in team history when he retired, behind teammate Eddie Meador (46).{{Cite web |title=Eddie Meador Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MeadEd00.htm |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} Through 2024, he is tied for fifth all-time on the Rams interception list, while Meador still remains first. He also returned kickoffs for the Rams, chiefly from 1965 to 1967; averaging over 25 yards per return.{{Cite web |title=Los Angeles Rams Career Defensive Leaders {{!}} The Football Database |url=https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/los-angeles-rams/leaders/career-defense-interceptions |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=FootballDB.com |language=en}}
He finished his professional football career in the World Football League.
Personal life
After football, Williams worked in Los Angeles in banking and at the Los Angeles Times newspaper.
His son Clarence III also played football at Washington State for four years at tight end, and in the NFL for one year with the Cleveland Browns.{{Cite web |title=Clarence Williams College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/clarence-williams-2.html?__hstc=223721476.932f2eb9560bb3a72bf233b9427a4122.1734814798309.1739819415305.1739825074465.85&__hssc=223721476.5.1739825074465&__hsfp=2935783122 |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Clarence Williams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillCl21.htm |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
Williams had three first cousins from Beaumont who played in the NFL, Mel Farr, Miller Farr, and Jerry Levias.{{Cite journal |last=Sharnik |first=Morton |date=November 30, 1970 |title=TOO SMALL TO BE OVERLOOKED |journal=Sports Illustrated |volume=33 |issue=22}}
Death
He died of cancer in Seattle at age 43 in 1986. and was interred at Greenwood Memorial Park in Renton.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Football stats |nfl=2528875 |cfl= |afl= |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=WillCl20 |dbf= |rotoworld=}}
- {{IMDb name|2666129}}
- {{Find a Grave|15710591}}
{{1965 NFL Draft}}
{{San Diego Chargers 1965 draft navbox}}
{{Los Angeles Rams 1965 draft navbox}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Clancy}}
Category:Players of American football from Beaumont, Texas
Category:American football cornerbacks
Category:Los Angeles Rams players
Category:Washington State Cougars football players