Cyril Pinder
{{Short description|American football player (1946–2021)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Cyril Pinder
| image = Cyril Pinder 1971.jpg
| caption = Pinder, circa 1971
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lbs = 210
| position = Running back
| number = 22, 33
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1946|11|13|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|01|22|1946|11|13}}
| death_place =
| draftyear = 1968
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 39
| high_school = Crispus Attucks
(Hollywood, Florida)
| college = Illinois
| pastteams =
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|1968}}-{{NFL Year|1970}})
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1971}}-{{NFL Year|1972}})
- Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|1973}})
- Chicago Fire (1974)
- Chicago Winds (1975)
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 72
| pfr = PindCy00
}}
Cyril Calvin Pinder (November 13, 1946 – January 22, 2021){{cite web|url=https://www.news-gazette.com/sports/pinder-former-illini-and-bears-running-back-dies-at-74/article_a57f619d-47c2-53a7-9038-b1234fa11b7a.html|title=Pinder, former Illini and Bears running back, dies at 74|first=Mark|last=Likas|work=The News-Gazette|date=January 24, 2021|accessdate=February 19, 2016}} was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Early years
Pinder attended Crispus Attucks High School in Hollywood, Florida, where he began playing football as a junior. He was an All-state selection at both football and basketball. He also practiced track.
He accepted a scholarship from the University of Illinois. During his junior year with the Fighting Illini, he was declared permanently ineligible by the Big Ten Conference on March 4, 1967, for having more than US $500 in expenses per year paid for by money from a slush fund set up by the university's athletic department.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19670305&id=yS4eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JpsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5024,658124 "Illinois Athletes Ruled Ineligible," The Associated Press, Sunday, March 5, 1967.] Retrieved January 14, 2012. He finished his college career with 92 carries for 434 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also was an indoor sprint champion.
Professional career
=Philadelphia Eagles=
Pinder was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round (39th overall) of the 1968 NFL draft, to replace running back Timmy Brown.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nrQFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qjEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7240,4435538&dq=cyril-pinder&hl=en|title=Kuharich wants better defense for Philadelphia team in 1968|date=7 August 1968|work=Rome News-Tribune|agency=AP|pages=15|accessdate=25 March 2010}} In 1970, he became the team leading rusher with 166 carries for 657 and 2 touchdowns. On September 13, 1971, after having a difficult contract negotiation,{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19710520&id=sHYlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1fIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5888,3554349&hl=es | title=Cyril Finder Says He Is Unhappy | accessdate=February 19, 2016}} he was traded to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 1972 second round (#37-Dan Yochum) and a 1973 fourth round selection (#83-Gery Palmer).{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19710914&id=JkUaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aCkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5120,2441481&hl=es | title=Karras Released By Lions; Vikings, Bears Are Busy | accessdate=February 19, 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
=Chicago Bears=
In 1971, he was acquired by the Chicago Bears for depth purposes while Gale Sayers was recovering from his career-threatening right knee injury. He was cut on September 10, 1973.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2002&dat=19730912&id=DGEyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5bEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2555,2402213&hl=es | title=Pro Football Moves | accessdate=February 19, 2016}}
=Dallas Cowboys=
On September 28, 1973, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys to replace running back Bill Thomas.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19730929&id=LF0sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fM0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5340,5584929&hl=es | title=Football | accessdate=February 19, 2016}} He spent his time between the active roster and the taxi squad, before being cut at the end of the 1973 season.
=Chicago Fire (WFL)=
In June, 1974, he was signed by the Chicago Fire of the World Football League.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2519&dat=19740604&id=NGxeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=b2ENAAAAIBAJ&pg=6117,484384&hl=es | title=Pinder In Camp Of Chicago Fire | accessdate=February 19, 2016}} He was named the team's starter at running back and registered 925 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns.
=Chicago Winds (WFL)=
In 1975, the Chicago Winds replaced the Fire in the World Football League. Pinder was signed on June 24, though the new team was evicted from the league after just five games.
Personal life
After football, he worked as an investment banker for ten years. He also worked for WLS-TV in Chicago. Pinder died on January 22, 2021, at the age of 74. He is one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is caused by repeated hits to the head.{{cite news |title=The driving force behind Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) |website=Concussion Legacy Foundation |url=https://concussionfoundation.org/cte-resources/subconcussive-impacts |access-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702123543/https://concussionfoundation.org/cte-resources/subconcussive-impacts |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |author=Ken Belson and Benjamin Mueller |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/20/sports/football/cte-study-concussions-brain-tackle.html |title=Collective Force of Head Hits, Not Just the Number of Them, Increases Odds of C.T.E. The largest study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy to date found that the cumulative force of head hits absorbed by players in their careers is the best predictor of future brain disease. |work= The New York Times |date=June 20, 2023 |access-date=July 2, 2023 }}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Eagles1968DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinder, Cyril}}
Category:American people of Bahamian descent
Category:Players of American football from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Category:American football running backs
Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football players
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players
Category:Chicago Bears players
Category:Dallas Cowboys players