Hagood Clarke

Clarke was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1942.Pro-Football-Reference.com, Players, [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ClarHa00.htm Hagood Clarke]. Retrieved July 2, 2010. For his high school education, he attended Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee,databaseFootball.com, Players, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100205081530/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=CLARKHAG01 Hagood Clarke]}}. Retrieved June 2, 2010. where he played high school football for the Baylor School Tigers.

Clarke attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he was a walk-on player for coach Ray Graves' Gators teams from 1961 to 1963.[http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2011/media_guide.pdf 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402035222/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2011/media_guide.pdf |date=April 2, 2012 }}, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 85, 103, 149–150, 152, 180 (2011). Retrieved August 28, 2011. Clarke played both ways for the Gators, playing halfback on offense and safety on defense. Memorably, he caught a nineteen-yard touchdown pass to clinch the Gators' 17–7 upset win over the ninth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions in the 1962 Gator Bowl,John Crittenden, "{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120711185733/http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19621230&id=xHYyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=u-kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2368,5095445 Angry Gators Snap Up Penn State, Spring 17–7 Upset In Gator Bowl]}}," The Miami News, p. 1C (December 30, 1962). Retrieved May 11, 2010. intercepted a third-quarter Joe Namath pass to help preserve a 10–6 upset of the third-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa in 1963,Buddy Martin, "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2_YjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CQUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2653,2800964&dq=hagood+clark+alabama&hl=en Biggest Gator Victory Yet: 10–6 Florida Win in Tuscaloosa-Town Makes History]," Ocala Star-Banner, pp. 25–26 (October 13, 1963). Retrieved May 12, 2010. and ran for a seventy-yard touchdown to provide the margin of victory in the Gators' 27–21 win over the Miami Hurricanes later that same season.Associated Press, "[https://www.nytimes.com/1963/11/24/archives/florida-scores-over-miami-2721-clarkes-70yard-touchdown-run-sparks.html?sq=%2522Hagood%2520Clarke%2522&scp=1&st=cse Florida Scores Over Miami, 27–21; Clarke's 70-Yard Touchdown Run Sparks Victors]," The New York Times, p. 109 (November 23, 1963). Retrieved May 14, 2010. See also Norm Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, p. 74 (2007). He was also the Gators' principal punter in 1962, with forty-six punts for 1,884 yards (and average of 41.0 yards per kick). Clarke led the Gators in punt return yardage in 1961 and 1962, and was the recipient of the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award, recognizing the "senior football player who displays outstanding leadership, courage and character," in 1963.

Clarke graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1965, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great."F Club, Hall of Fame, [http://www.gatorfclub.org/hall-of-fame/greats Gator Greats]. Retrieved December 13, 2014.

Clarke was selected by the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL) in the seventh round (85th pick overall) of the 1964 NFL draft,Pro Football Hall of Fame, Draft History, [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1454 1964 Draft]. Retrieved June 2, 2010. but signed with coach Lou Saban's Buffalo Bills of the alternative AFL, and played his entire five-year career as a safety and punt returner for the Bills from 1964 to 1968.National Football League, Historical Players, [http://www.nfl.com/players/hagoodclarke/profile?id=CLA627705 Hagood Clarke]. Retrieved May 11, 2010. In his first three seasons with the Bills, the team won the AFL Championship Game in 1964Deane McGowen, "[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0C15FD3F5F107A93C5AB1789D95F408685F9&scp=9&sq=%22American%20Football%20League%20championship%22%20Buffalo&st=cse Gilchrist's Hard Day's Work Nets Him 122 Yards, Bruised Ribs and a Rest]," The New York Times, p. 122 (December 27, 1964). Retrieved May 14, 2010. and 1965,Associated Press, "[https://www.nytimes.com/1965/12/27/archives/bills-formula-clawing-and-digging.html?sq=%2522American%2520Football%2520League%2520championship%2522%2520Buffalo&scp=12&st=cse Bills' Formula: 'Clawing and Digging']," The New York Times, p. 36 (December 27, 1965). Retrieved May 14, 2010. and lost it in 1966.Frank Litsky, "[https://www.nytimes.com/1967/01/02/archives/garrlett-tallies-twice-on-rushes-fumble-recoveries-a-punt-return.html?sq=%2522American%2520Football%2520League%2520championship%2522%2520Buffalo&scp=17&st=cse Garlett Tallies Twice on Rushes]," The New York Times, p. 27 (January 2, 1967). Retrieved May 14, 2010. Statistically, Clarke's best season was 1965, when he had seven interceptions and played in the AFL All-Star Game.Associated Press, "[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0A15FD345812718DDDAF0994D9405B868AF1D3&scp=8&sq=%22Hagood%20Clarke%22&st=cse Namath Leads Stars to 30–19 Victory; Jet Rookie Directs a 24-Point Surge Against Bills]," The New York Times, p. S1 (January 16, 1966). Retrieved May 14, 2010. He also was an All-AFL 2nd team selection in 1966, when he had five interceptions, including an interception of a George Blanda pass followed by a 66-yard return for a touchdown in the final twenty-seven seconds to beat the Houston Oilers, 27–20.Associated Press, "[https://www.nytimes.com/1966/09/26/archives/bills-win-on-late-interception-chargers-down-raiders-2920-oilers.html?sq=%2522Hagood%2520Clarke%2522&scp=3&st=cse Bills Win on Late Interception; Chargers Down Raiders, 29–20; Oilers Lose, 27–20]," The New York Times, p. 53 (September 26, 1966). Retrieved May 14, 2010. See also "{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121026135901/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1079113/index.htm A Roundup Of The Sports Information Of The Week]}}," Sports Illustrated (October 6, 1966). Retrieved May 11, 2010. In 1968, his final season with the Bills, Clarke had an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown against the New York Jets.Associated Press, "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VHssAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XMwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6566,704217&dq=hagood-clarke&hl=en Jim Turner's Toe Gives Jets Win]," Spartanburg Herald-Journal, p. 15 (November 3, 1968). Retrieved May 14, 2010. See also Dave Andersen, "[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0D16FC3D54157493C6A9178AD95F4C8685F9 Jets Defeat Bills, 25–21, on Interception by Sample and Six Field Goals]," The New York Times, p. 63 (November 4, 1968). Retrieved May 14, 2010.

Clark appeared in sixty-seven games in his five-season AFL career, and compiled twelve interceptions for 178 interception return yards and a touchdown. He also tallied sixty-five career punt returns for 583 yards and two touchdowns.

Clarke is a financial consultant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

{{Portal|American football|Biography|College football}}

• Florida Gators football, 1960–69
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{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• Carlson, Norm, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). {{ISBN|0-7948-2298-3}}.
• Golenbock, Peter, Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory, Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). {{ISBN|0-9650782-1-3}}.
• Hairston, Jack, Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told, Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). {{ISBN|1-58261-514-4}}.
• McCarthy, Kevin M., [https://books.google.com/books?id=_Tk-IQepI6cC Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football], Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (2000). {{ISBN|978-0-7385-0559-6}}.
• McEwen, Tom, The Gators: A Story of Florida Football, The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama (1974). {{ISBN|0-87397-025-X}}.
• Nash, Noel, ed., The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football, Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois (1998). {{ISBN|1-57167-196-X}}.

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Category:1942 births

Category:Living people

Category:American football halfbacks

Category:American Football League All-Star players

Category:American Football League players

Category:American football safeties

Category:Buffalo Bills players

Category:Florida Gators football players

Category:Players of American football from Atlanta