Carl Allen (tailback)
{{Short description|American football player (1920–2008)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Carl Allen
| image = Carl Allen (halfback).jpg
| caption = Carl Allen, 1947
| number = 70
| position = Tailback
| birth_date = {{birth date|1920|6|25}}
| birth_place = Haskell, Oklahoma, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|2008|11|7|1920|6|25}}
| death_place = Benton, Arkansas, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lbs = 175
| high_school = Magnolia (AR)
| college = Ouachita Baptist,
Oklahoma City
| draftyear =
| draftround =
| draftpick =
| pastteams = * Brooklyn Dodgers (1948)
| pfr = AlleCa20
| statlabel1 = Games
| statvalue1 = 13
}}
Carl Blanchard Allen (June 25, 1920 – November 7, 2008) was an American football player who played at the tailback position on both offense and defense. He played college football for Oklahoma City in 1946 and 1947 and professional football for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948.
Early years
A native of Haskell, Oklahoma, he attended Magnolia High School in Arkansas.
College football and military service
Allen played one season of college football at Ouachita Baptist University before being called into military service during World War II. After the war, he played at the tailback position for Oklahoma City University and led the 1946 and 1947 Oklahoma City football teams to records of 10–1 and 7–3.{{cite news|title=Chiefs Trample Rockets In Memphis Clash, 27-0: Carl Allen's Accurate Passing Fashions To Counters for OCU|newspaper=The Daily Oklahoman|date=September 14, 1946|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40075744/the-daily-oklahoman/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Sioux to See Plenty of Allen, Chiefs' Running, Passing Star|newspaper=The Daily Oklahoman|author=Hal Middlesworth|date=September 11, 1947|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74765804/carl-allen/|via=Newspapers.com}} Oklahoma City coach Bo Rowland called Allen "the greatest tailback I ever coached . . . the most underrated back in football today."
Professional football
In April 1948, he signed to play professional football in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) for the New York Yankees.{{cite news|title=Grid Yankees Sign Chiefs' Carl Allen|newspaper=The Daily Oklahoman|date=May 1, 1948|page=25|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74766956/carl-allen/|via=Newspapers.com}} Four months later, the Yankees traded him to the Brooklyn Dodgers, also of the AAFC.{{cite news|title=Grid Dodgers Get Carl Allen From Yankees|newspaper=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|date=August 15, 1948|page=24|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74765186/carl-allen/|via=Newspapers.com}} He played for the Dodgers during their 1948 season, appearing in 13 games with two interceptions and one touchdown.{{cite web|title=Carl Allen|publisher=Pro Football Archives|accessdate=March 29, 2021|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playera/alle01200.html}}{{cite web|title=Carl Allen Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=March 29, 2021|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AlleCa20.htm}}