Ace Parker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Clarence "Ace" Parker
Date of birth: (1912-05-17) May 17, 1912 (age 101)
Place of birth: Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.
Career information
Position(s): Quarterback / Halfback
Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight: 178 lb (81 kg)
College: Duke
High school: Woodrow Wilson (VA)
NFL Draft: 1937 / Round: 2 / Pick: 13
Organizations
 As player:
1937–1941
1945
1946		 Brooklyn Dodgers
Boston Yanks
New York Yankees
Career highlights and awards
Playing stats at NFL.com
College Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1972
Military service
Allegiance: United States United States
Service/branch: United States Navy seal U.S. Navy
Years of service: 1942-1945
Rank: US-O1 insignia.svg 2nd Lt.
Battles/wars: World War II
Ace Parker
Shortstop
Born: (1912-05-17) May 17, 1912 (age 101)
Portsmouth, Virginia
Batted: Right Threw: Right 
MLB debut
April 24, 1937 for the Philadelphia Athletics
Last MLB appearance
September 4, 1938 for the Philadelphia Athletics
Career statistics
Batting average     .179
Home runs     2
Runs batted in     25
Teams

Clarence "Ace" Parker, (born May 17, 1912) is a former quarterback who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1937–1941), Boston Yanks (1945), and the New York Yankees. He was an All-American tailback at Duke University in 1936. Parker also played Major League Baseball during 1936 and 1937 with the Philadelphia Athletics.

Contents

Early years[edit]

Ace Parker was the son of Ernest and Mabel Parker and grew up near Norfolk, Virginia. He attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth, graduating with the class of 1933 and starring in five sports. He enrolled at Duke University as a freshman in 1933.[1]

Duke career[edit]

At Duke, Parker competed in three sports: football, basketball, and baseball. From 1934 - 1936, he starred at tailback, doing most of the running and passing for Duke. He was second team All-American in 1935 and consensus All-American first team in 1936. He placed sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1936. Parker was a great open-field runner and one of the best punters in college football at the time. His 105 yard kickoff return against North Carolina is still a Duke school record. Parker also stood out as a baseball player at Duke, playing in 1935-1936.

In his senior season at Duke, he served as team captain for the Duke Blue Devils who went 9-1, caputured the league title with a 7-0 record, and finished the season ranked 11th in the Associated Press national poll.[1]

He was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955. He was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1963, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1972, and was an inaugural member of the Duke University Sports Hall of Fame, inducted in 1975.

Early pro career[edit]

Parker was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers as the third pick of the second round in the 1937 NFL draft. Sammy Baugh was the only passer drafted ahead of Parker. Parker, who played for the Philadelphia Athletics of Major League Baseball beginning in 1937, originally had no intention of playing in the NFL. Baseball was the glamour pro sport at the time and the NFL had a rough, vulgar reputation. But perhaps because of his .117 batting average that year, he asked for and received permission from the A's to play football. Parker thus became a true two-sport phenomenon, playing both Major League Baseball and NFL football in both 1937 and 1938. Parker, playing various infield positions, batted .179 over two seasons with the A's, scoring 20 runs with 25 RBI over 94 games. Parker was the first of only seven Major League Baseball players to hit a home run as a pinch-hitter in their first at bat.[2]

NFL stardom[edit]

When Parker joined the Dodgers in 1937, Brooklyn had been a perennial NFL cellar-dweller in the East Conference since 1930. With his running, passing, and punting ability, he brought them instant credibility. He led the team in passing in 1937 and every year he played. In 1938, he led Brooklyn to a 0.500 record and led the NFL in passing yards with 865. When legendary coach Jock Sutherland joined the Dodgers in 1940, Parker's career took off. In 1940, he threw for 817 yards and 10 TDs, rushed for 306 yards, caught 3 passes, including 2 for TDs, and led the league in points after touchdowns. The Dodgers finished only one game out of first, with an 8-3 record, and Parker was named the NFL MVP. In 1941, Parker continued to shine, but the Dodgers again finished second to the New York Giants, despite beating their New York rivals twice during the season. Parker's NFL career went on hold in 1942, as he, like many NFL players, left football to enlist in the Armed Services. After serving for over two years, Parker returned to the NFL, this time with the short-lived Boston Yanks, but at age 33, he took on a minor role.

He rejoined the former owner of the Dodgers, Dan Topping, in 1946 as part of the New York Yankees of the new All-America Football Conference (AAFC). Coached by former Washington Redskins coach Ray Flaherty and led by Parker, the Yankees won the AAFC East, giving Parker his only division title in pro football. The Yankees met the powerful Cleveland Browns in the championship game. The Yankees played well, but eventually succumbed to the Browns. Parker was 8 of 18 passing, for only 81 yards and an interception. Parker retired after the game, completing a fine career at age 34. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972.

Later years[edit]

After his playing days, Parker became the head baseball coach (1953-1966) and assistant football coach (1947-1965) at Duke University. He was manager of the Durham Bulls from 1949–52, serving as player-manager for the first three seasons and finishing with a record of 303-266 (.533). He was Piedmont League manager of the year in 1949 and 1951. He was also a founding member of the Elizabeth Manor Golf and Country Club in Portsmouth, Virginia.

On August 13, 2008, Parker was part of the inaugural class inducted into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, honoring athletes, coaches and administrators who made contributions to sports in Southeastern Virginia.

As of 2013, Parker is the oldest living member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[3] As of March 2013, Parker is the oldest living former professional football player.[4] As of May 8, 2012, he is the last living person to play on the same major league baseball field as Baseball Hall of Fame member Rogers Hornsby. On May 7, 1937, Parker appeared for the Philadelphia Athletics while Hornsby played one of his last games for the St. Louis Browns.[5] Parker and Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr are the last men to play on the same field as baseball immortal Lou Gehrig.[6]

Ace Parker turned 101 on May 17, 2013.[7]

See also[edit]

Portal icon Biography portal
Portal icon World War II portal

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Ace Parker Celebrates 100th Birthday Today - Duke University Blue Devils | Official Athletics Site". GoDuke.com. Retrieved 2012-08-12. 
  2. ^ "Pinch Hitting Records". baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  3. ^ Molinaro, Bob (2008-08-13), Portsmouth sports legend's loyalty to the city makes him an ace among men, Virginian-Pilot, retrieved 2008-11-20 
  4. ^ "Oldest Living Pro Players - Oldest Living Pro Football Players". Oldestlivingprofootball.com. Retrieved 2012-08-12. 
  5. ^ "May 7, 1937 Philadelphia Athletics at St. Louis Browns Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball-Reference.com. 1937-05-07. Retrieved 2012-08-12. 
  6. ^ "April 26, 1938 New York Yankees at Philadelphia Athletics Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. 1938-04-26. Retrieved 2012-08-12. 
  7. ^ Miller, Ed (2012-05-17). "Ace Parker, athlete of the century, turns 100 | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com". HamptonRoads.com. Retrieved 2012-08-12. 

External links[edit]


Preceded by
Parker Hall		 NFL Most Valuable Player
1940 season		 Succeeded by
Don Hutson
Pre-Modern Era
Modern Era
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ace_Parker&oldid=555520083"