Paul Lipscomb
{{Short description|American football player (1923–1964)}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image = Paul Lipscomb - 1951 Bowman.jpg
| caption = Lipscomb on a 1951 Bowman football card
| number = 47, 76, 74
| position = Defensive tackle
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|1|13}}
| birth_place = Benton, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1964|08|20|1923|01|13}}
| death_place = Elm Grove, Wisconsin, U.S.
| high_school = Benton
| college = Tennessee
| undraftedyear = 1945
| teams = * Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1945}}–{{NFL Year|1949}})
- Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1950}}–{{NFL Year|1954}})
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1954}})
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 117
| statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue2 = 18
| statlabel3 = Interceptions
| statvalue3 = 2
| highlights = * 4× Pro Bowl selection (1950-53)
| pfr = L/LipsPa00
}}
Paul F. "Lippy" Lipscomb (January 13, 1923 – August 20, 1964) was an American professional football player who was a lineman for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), principally at the tackle position and also at guard and end. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers.
Early years
Lipscomb was born in 1923 in Benton, Illinois, and attended Benton High School. He enrolled at the University of Tennessee and played college football at the tackle position on the 1942 Volunteers team that compiled a 9–1–1 record, defeated Tulsa in the 1943 Sugar Bowl, and was ranked No. 7 in the final AP poll. He then served in the United States Army during World War II.
Professional football
After three years in the Army, Lipscomb signed with the Green Bay Packers.{{cite news|title=Tackle, Guard Under Contract With Bays|newspaper=Green Bay Press-Gazette|date=July 31, 1945|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette-tackle-guard-un/129542335/|via=Newspapers.com}} Lipscomb played five seasons for the Packers from 1945 to 1949.{{cite news|title=Paul Lipscomb Joins Packer Tackle Corps|newspaper=Green Bay Press-Gazette|date=May 10, 1946|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette-paul-lipscomb-jo/129542988/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Tackle Lipscomb Back For 4th Packer Season: Giant Lineman Only Five Pounds Under Play Weight|newspaper=Green Bay Press-Gazette|date=June 10, 1948|page=35|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette-tackle-lipscomb/129542583/|via=Newspapers.com}} Lipscomb was accused by some of "dirty" football, though Lipscomb insisted, "I play the game as hard and as well as possible but not dirty."{{cite news|title=Lipscomb Insists He Plays Hard but Not 'Dirty' Football|newspaper=The Evening Star|date=August 18, 1950|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-star-lipscomb-insists-he-plays-h/129543658/|via=Newspapers.com}}
In August 1950, the Packers traded Lipscomb to the Washington Redskins.{{cite news|title=Redskins Obtain Paul Lipscomb From Packers|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=August 4, 1950|page=IV-1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-redskins-obtain-pa/129543345/|via=Newspapers.com}} He played five seasons for the Redskins from 1950 to 1954.
Lipscomb concluded his playing career with Chicago Bears during the 1954 season.{{cite web|title=Paul Lipscomb|publisher=Pro Football Archives|accessdate=August 6, 2023|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerl/lips00400.html}} He appeared in a total of 129 NFL games, 107 as a starter, was selected to play in four Pro Bowls (1950, 1951, 1952, and 1953) and was selected as a second-team All-Pro in 1951.{{cite web|title=Paul Lipscomb|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=August 6, 2023|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LipsPa00.htm|via=Newspapers.com}}
Later years
Lipscomb later worked as sales manager for a financial firm. He died from a heart attack in 1964 at age 41 at his home in Elm Grove, Wisconsin.{{cite news|title=Paul Lipscomb Dies; Former NFL Player|newspaper=Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune|date=August 20, 1964|page=7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-tribune-paul-lipscomb-dies-fo/129541686/|via=Newspapers.com}}