George Speth

{{Short description|American football player (1918–2011)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = George Speth

| number = 73, 22, 27

| position = Tackle

| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|07|25}}

| birth_place = Buffalo, New York, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|08|24|1918|07|25}}

| death_place = Port Richey, Florida, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lb = 220

| high_school = Seneca Vocational
(Buffalo, New York)

| college = Murray State

| draftyear = 1942

| draftround = 18

| draftpick = 165

| pastteams =

• Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1942}})
• Charlotte Clippers (1946–1949)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 10

| statlabel2 = Games started

| statvalue2 = 5

| pfr = SpetGe20

}}

George Carl Speth (July 25, 1918 – August 24, 2011) was an American football player.

Speth was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1918. He attended and played for Seneca Vocational High School and then played college football at Murray State from 1938 to 1941.{{cite web|title=George Speth|publisher=Pro Football Archives|accessdate=February 10, 2022|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/spet00200.html|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214234513/https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/spet00200.html|url-status=dead}} He was named by the Associated Press to the 1941 All-Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football team.{{cite news|title=George Speth Of Murray Honored On All-Star Team|newspaper=The Paducah Sun-Democrat|author=J.R. Anderson|date=December 5, 1941|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94760038/speth/|via=Newspapers.com}}

He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 18th round of the 1942 NFL draft. He signed with the Lions in March 1942.{{cite news|title=Signs With Lions|newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=March 14, 1942|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94759755/speth/|via=Newspapers.com}} He appeared in 11 NFL games, five as a starter at tackle for the Lions during the 1942 season.{{Cite web |title=George Speth |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SpetGe20.htm |access-date=August 29, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC}} He earned $2,500 per week while playing for the Lions.{{cite news|title=Retiree recalls 1 NFL season|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|author=Ron Kaspriske|date=August 13, 1993|page=6 Citrus|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94759313/george-speth/|via=Newspapers.com}}

Speth served as a lieutenant in the Marine Corps during World War II. He struck a deal with the Marines to allow him to play one year in the NFL before going on active duty, where he also played a season with the 1943 Camp Lejeune Marines team. He then served in the battles of Peleliu and Okinawa as a platoon commander with the 5th Marines. After the war, he played four seasons at tackle for the Charlotte Clippers of the Dixie Football League from 1946 to 1949. He appeared in more than 50 games for the Clippers. He was selected by the Associated Press for the All-Dixie League team in 1946.{{cite news|title=Two Lions Join Local Grid Team|newspaper=The Charlotte News|date=September 5, 1946|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94759517/speth/|via=Newspapers.com}}

After his playing career ended, he worked as a coach at McKinley High School in Buffalo, New York. After retiring, he moved to Florida, where he died in 2011 in Port Richey, Florida.