Clarence Peaks
{{Short description|American football player (1935–2007)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox gridiron football person
| name =
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|09|23}}
| birth_place = Greenville, Mississippi, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|03|31|1935|09|23}}
| death_place =Voorhees, New Jersey, U.S.
| team =
| number = 26, 36
| status =
| position1 = Fullback
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 218
| college = Michigan State
| NFLDraftedYear = 1957
| NFLDraftedRound = 1
| NFLDraftedPick = 7
| NFLDraftedTeam = Philadelphia Eagles
| playing_years1 = 1957–1963
| playing_team1 = Philadelphia Eagles
| playing_years2 = 1964–1965
| playing_team2 = Pittsburgh Steelers
| career_highlights =
- NFL champion (1960)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (1956)
| NFL = PEA173035
| DatabaseFootball = PEAKSCLA01
}}
Clarence Earl Peaks (September 23, 1935 – March 31, 2007) was an American professional football fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Michigan State University and was selected in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1957 NFL draft.[https://web.archive.org/web/20120523184023/http://articles.philly.com/2007-04-05/sports/25243222_1_eagles-clarence-peaks-broadcasts Clarence Peaks, ex-Eagle, dead]
Early life
Peaks was born on September 13, 1935, in Greeneville, Mississippi.{{Cite web |title=Clarence Peaks Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PeakCl00.htm |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He attended Flint Central High School in Flint, Michigan. He starred in football, basketball and baseball in high school. He was an outstanding quarterback, and excelled in passing, rushing, and as a punter. He was team co-captain, made the All-Valley Football All-Star Team, and was honorable mention All-State at quarterback.{{Cite web |title=Clarence Peaks, The Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame |url=https://aashof.org/1991/02/12/clarence-peaks/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=aashof.org |language=en-US}} He played football under coach Howard Auer.{{Cite web |last=Mintline |first=Doug |date=1981 |title=Clarence Peaks, 2nd Annual Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame (page 27) |url=https://gfashof.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1981_GFASHF_low_res.pdf#page=25 |website=gfashof.org}}
As a baseball player, he batted in the cleanup position. As a basketball player, he was second on the team in scoring, and was voted team co-captain in 1953. In the same year, Peaks was voted Most Valuable Player, and was named an All-Valley guard.
College career
Peaks attend Michigan State University (MSU).{{Cite web |date=2007-04-05 |title=Clarence Peaks, ex-Eagle, dead |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/obituaries/20070405_Clarence_Peaks__ex-Eagle__dead.html |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=www.inquirer.com |language=en}} He played football under College Football Hall of Fame coach Duffy Daugherty.{{Cite web |title=Duffy Daugherty College Coaching Records, Awards and Leaderboards |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/duffy-daugherty-1.html |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} He played halfback, and also punted.{{Cite journal |date=October 15, 1956 |title=Struggle And Prayer |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1956/10/15/struggle-and-prayer |journal=Sports Illustrated}}
He had a 7.1 yards per attempt rushing average in 1954.{{Cite web |title=1954 Michigan State Spartans Roster |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1954-roster.html |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} In 1955, he rushed for 376 yards averaging 4.6 yards per carry.{{Cite web |title=1955 Michigan State Spartans Roster |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1955-roster.html |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}
Peaks was part of one of the most renowned plays in Rose Bowl history. The 1956 Rose Bowl (played on January 2, 1956) was between MSU and the University of California at Los Angeles Bruins (UCLA). UCLA was the reigning college football champion. MSU defeated UCLA 17–14.{{Cite web |title=College football championship history {{!}} NCAA.com |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/college-football-national-championship-history |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=www.ncaa.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Rose Bowl - Michigan State at UCLA Box Score, January 2, 1956 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/1956-01-02-ucla.html |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}
MSU's quarterback was future NFL star Earl Morrall. During the Rose Bowl, Peaks took a lateral from Morall, and threw a 67-touchdown pass; the longest touchdown pass in Rose Bowl history at the time. Peaks also caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Morrall in the game.
In 1956, Peaks was selected All-Big Ten and All American. He was selected to the College All-Star Team in 1957. In 1961, returning to MSU to play in the traditional spring practice game between the current MSU team against recent alumni, Peaks won the Old Timers Player Award.{{Cite journal |last=Wright |first=Alfred |date=May 23, 1960 |title=If There’s Time There’s Hope |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1960/05/23/if-theres-time-theres-hope |journal=Sports Illustrated}}
Peaks was among the favorites to win the 1956 Heisman Trophy, until he was injured.{{Cite web |last=Savage |first=Brendan |date=2019-11-13 |title=25 greatest football players of all time from the Flint area |url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/g66l-2019/11/54db554a708361/25-greatest-football-players-of-all-time-from-the-flint-area.html |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=mlive |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Sielski |first=Mike |date=2023-05-24 |title=Philadelphia Eagles almost drafted Jim Brown but settled for Clarence Peaks {{!}} Mike Sielski |url=https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/eagles-drafted-clarence-peaks-jim-brown-20230524.html |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=www.inquirer.com |language=en}}
Professional career
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Peaks, 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) and 218 pounds (98 kg), in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft (7th overall). He was selected immediately after the Cleveland Browns picked future NFL great Jim Brown (who became Peaks' friend). In the same draft, the Eagles also selected future hall of fame players Tommy McDonald (third round) and Sonny Jurgensen (fourth round).{{Cite web |title=Tommy McDonald {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/tommy-mcdonald/ |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=pfhof |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Sonny Jurgensen {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/sonny-jurgensen/ |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=pfhof |language=en}}
He was having his best season for the Eagles in 1960, the year the Eagles were NFL champions, when he suffered a broken leg in the team's seventh game that ended his season. He had rushed for 465 yards, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt, and scored three touchdowns up to that point. In his final three years on the Eagles, he never averaged more than 3.5 yards per attempt. He did, however, have his two best seasons in total receptions in 1961 (32) and 1962 (39).
Before the 1964 season, the Eagles traded Peaks and Bob Harrison to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Bill “Red” Mack and Glenn Glass.{{Cite news |date=1964-07-09 |title=STEELERS, EAGLES IN FOUR‐MAN DEAL; Kuharich Trades Peaks and Harrison for Mack, Class |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/07/09/archives/steelers-eagles-in-fourman-deal-kuharich-trades-peaks-and-harrison.html |access-date=2025-01-11 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} In 1964, he had his best rushing average (4.3) since his 1960 injury. He played sparingly in 1965 for the Steelers, his final season.
Over his 9-year NFL career (7 with Philadelphia), he ran for 3,660 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also had 190 catches for 1,793 yards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PeakCl00.htm|title = Clarence Peaks Stats}}
Personal life
After his playing career, Peaks worked for General Electric {{citation needed|date=January 2025}}and was a sportscaster. He worked for WHAT in Philadelphia for two years and WAMO in Pittsburgh for one.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} In 1969, he became the radio color commentator for Eagles games on WIP,{{cite news |title=Former fullback signed as air voice of Eagles |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WrYlAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA8&dq |access-date=7 August 2024 |work=Washington Afro-American |date=June 17, 1969}} and a television analyst for ABC. He became a financial consultant after his broadcasting career ended.
Awards and honors
Peaks was inducted into the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.{{Cite web |title=Peaks, Clarence – Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame |url=https://gfashof.org/inductee/peaks-clarence/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |language=en-US}} He was inducted into the Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
Death
In 2007, Peaks died at the age of 71 in Voorhees, New Jersey. He was buried in Philadelphia.
References
{{reflist}}
{{1957 NFL Draft}}
{{Eagles1957DraftPicks}}
{{EaglesFirstPick}}
{{1960 Philadelphia Eagles}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peaks, Clarence}}
Category:American football fullbacks
Category:Michigan State Spartans football players
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players
Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players