:Merl Condit
{{Short description|American football player (1917–1992)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Merl Condit
| number = 1, 35, 44, 42
| position = Halfback
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1917|3|21|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1992|10|18|1917|3|21}}
| death_place = Wexford, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 187
| high_school = Charleston
(Charleston, West Virginia)
| college = Carnegie Mellon
| draftyear = 1940
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 15
| pastteams =
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|1940}})
- Brooklyn Dodgers ({{NFL Year|1941|1943}})
- Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1945}})
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|1946}})
| highlights =
- Second-team All-Eastern (1939)
| statlabel1 = Rushing yards
| statvalue1 = 1,713
| statlabel2 = Rushing average
| statvalue2 = 4.1
| statlabel3 = Receptions
| statvalue3 = 32
| statlabel4 = Receiving yards
| statvalue4 = 323
| statlabel5 = Total touchdowns
| statvalue5 = 14
| pfr = CondMe20
}}
Merlyn Edwin Condit (March 21, 1917 – October 18, 1992), nicknamed "Merlyn the Magician", was an American football halfback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, and Brooklyn Dodgers. He played college football at West Virginia University and Carnegie Mellon University.{{cite web |url=http://www.footballhistorian.com/football_heroes.cfm?page=28 |title=Football Historian - Football History, facts, stats, players, history |publisher=www.footballhistorian.com |accessdate=2010-01-04 }}
Professional career
The Cleveland Rams selected Condit in the second round of the 1940 NFL draft,{{Cite web |title=1940 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1940/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} but he never played for them, instead joining Pittsburgh as a rookie in 1940, where he earned a selection to the NFL All-Star Game.{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1940/probowl.htm |title=1940 NFL Pro Bowlers |publisher=www.pro-football-reference.com |accessdate=2010-01-04 }} Condit next played three seasons for the Brooklyn Dodgers between 1941 and 1943. In 1942 Condit finished second in the league in rushing yards and total yards from scrimmage, and first in yards per carry.{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CondMe20.htm |title=Merl Condit NFL & AFL Football Statistics |publisher=www.pro-football-reference.com |accessdate=2010-01-04 }} He was named to his second All-Star Game and was voted 2nd team All-NFL by the AP, NFL, and NY Daily News.{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1942/probowl.htm |title=1942 NFL Pro Bowlers |publisher=www.pro-football-reference.com |accessdate=2010-01-04 }}
Condit also contributed to Brooklyn's defense and special teams. He intercepted 10 passes for the Dodgers, kicked 5 field goals and 21 extra points, and served as punter and punt returner during his time with the club.
Condit served in World War II during parts of 1943 and 1944. He returned to the NFL in 1945, playing that year for the Washington Redskins. He finished his career with Pittsburgh in 1946.
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" |
| colspan="2"| Legend |
|---|
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league |
| Bold
| Career high |
=Regular season=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Rushing ! colspan="5"| Receiving | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |
| 1940 | PIT
| 10 || 2 || 52 || 205 || 3.9 || - || 0 || 4 || 30 || 7.5 || - || 1 | |||||||||||
| 1941 | BKN
| 11 || 11 || 91 || 357 || 3.9 || 41 || 4 || 5 || 32 || 6.4 || 21 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1942 | BKN
| 11 || 11 || 129 || 647 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 5.0 || 63 || 2 || 9 || 111 || 12.3 || 56 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1943 | BKN
| 8 || 7 || 67 || 190 || 2.8 || 25 || 1 || 7 || 101 || 14.4 || 65 || 1 | |||||||||||
| 1945 | WAS
| 5 || 0 || 36 || 173 || 4.8 || 41 || 3 || 3 || 16 || 5.3 || 12 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1946 | PIT
| 9 || 8 || 46 || 141 || 3.1 || 23 || 1 || 4 || 33 || 8.3 || 23 || 0 | |||||||||||
| colspan="2"| | 54 | 39 | 421 | 1,713 | 4.1 | 63 | 11 | 32 | 323 | 10.1 | 65 | 2 |
=Playoffs=
References
{{reflist}}
{{Cleveland Rams 1940 draft navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Condit, Merl}}
Category:Players of American football from Pennsylvania
Category:American football halfbacks
Category:American military personnel of World War II
Category:Carnegie Mellon Tartans football players
Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players
Category:Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL) players
Category:Washington Redskins players