Freddie Summers
{{Short description|American football player (born 1947)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Freddie Summers
| image =
| number = 20
| position = Defensive back
| birth_date = {{birth date|1947|2|16}}
| birth_place = Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1994|12|7|1947|2|16}}
| death_place = Randolph, Massachusetts, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lbs = 180
| high_school = Dorchester (MA)
| college = McCook JC (1965–1966)
Wake Forest (1967–1968)
| draftyear = 1969
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 98
| pastteams =
- Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|1969}}–{{NFL Year|1971}})
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|1972}})*
|highlights =
| pfr = S/SummFr20
}}
Freddie S. Summers (born February 16, 1947) was an American former professional football defensive back who played three seasons with the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Browns in the fourth round of the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. He first enrolled at McCook Community College before transferring to Wake Forest University, where he played quarterback.
Early life
Freddie S. Summers was born on February 16, 1947, in Columbia, South Carolina.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/s/summ01000.html | title=Freddie Summers | publisher=profootballarchives.com | accessdate=9 December 2024}} He attended Dorchester High School in Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts.
College career
Summers first played college football at McCook Junior College from 1965 to 1966. He transferred to play for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons from 1967 to 1968. In 1967, he became the first black quarterback to start for a major Southern university.{{cite web | url=http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/article168280867.html | title=Among a group of ground-breaking African American football players at Wake, a star QB | publisher=newsobserver.com | date=August 20, 2017 | accessdate=September 5, 2017 | author=Jacobs, Barry | url-status=bot: unknown | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906024314/http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/article168280867.html | archivedate=September 6, 2017 }} He completed 77 of 159 passes (48.4%) for 909 yards, two touchdowns, and eight interceptions while also rushing for 510 yards and an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)-best ten touchdowns, earning first team All-ACC honors. He also led the ACC in total offense that season. In 1968, he completed 125 of 250 passes (50.0%) for 1,664 yards, nine touchdowns, and a conference-high 25 interceptions while rushing for 439 yards and seven touchdowns.{{cite web | url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/freddie-summers-1.html?__hstc=223721476.82aea98ae78efe68c2ddd49f7c2cc343.1733766203316.1733766203316.1733768972800.2&__hssc=223721476.1.1733768972800&__hsfp=3011104808 | title=Freddie Summers | publisher=sports-reference.com | accessdate=9 December 2024}}
Professional career
Summers was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round, with the 98th overall pick, of the 1969 NFL draft. He converted to defensive back with the Browns. He played in eight games, starting three, during his rookie year in 1969. He appeared in 12 games, no starts, in 1970 and made one fumble recovery. Summers played in three games, starting one, during his final season with the Browns in 1971.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SummFr20.htm | title=Freddie Summers | publisher=pro-football-reference.com | accessdate=9 December 2024}}
On June 15, 1972, he was traded to the New York Giants in exchange for the Giants second pick in the 1973 NFL draft.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13811858/the_central_new_jersey_home_news/ | title=Grid Giants Obtain Browns' Gregory | work=The Central New Jersey Home News | date=June 16, 1972 | agency=Associated Press | accessdate=September 16, 2017 | pages=21}} He was placed on injured waivers on August 30, 1972.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13592008/the_journal_news/ | title=Jets, Giants slice | work=The Journal News | date=August 31, 1972 | agency=Associated Press | accessdate=September 5, 2017 | pages=55}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13811054/asbury_park_press/ | title=Giants Not Taking Eagles Lightly in Jaycees Battle | work=Asbury Park Press | date=September 1, 1972 | accessdate=September 16, 2017 | pages=43}}
Death
Summers died on December 7, 1994, in Randolph, Massachusetts.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20151005214105/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/freddie-summers-1.html College stats]
{{Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback navbox}}
{{Browns1969DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Summers, Freddie}}
Category:Players of American football from Columbia, South Carolina
Category:American football defensive backs
Category:American football quarterbacks
Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons football players
Category:Cleveland Browns players
Category:New York Giants players