Cliff Lewis (American football)
Encyclopedia
Clifford A. Lewis was a professional American football
player for the Cleveland Browns
of the All America Football Conference (1946 - 1949) and National Football League
(1950 - 1951). He was the team's first quarterback
.
He attended Lakewood High School in Lakewood, Ohio
, and Staunton Military Academy
in Virginia
. Lewis went to Duke University
, where he played football
as a back. He was a member of the Duke basketball
team during the (1944 - 1945) season.
playing tailback for Duke against the University of Pennsylvania
in 1944. He returned for a November game against the Georgia Tech
Yellow Jackets
.
Lewis connected with receiver Clark Jones during a Duke 34-0 victory over previously undefeated Wake Forest University
, at Wallace Wade Stadium
on November 11. He passed to Harold Raether for the final touchdown
in a 33-0 triumph over the University of North Carolina
, a win which gave Duke a second consecutive Southern Conference
title. Lewis' passing assisted Duke in moving the ball 64 yards in the third quarter of the 1944 Sugar Bowl
game in New Orleans, Louisiana
. All-America
Tom Davis carried the ball on eleven of twelve plays of the drive, which ended with him scoring. The Blue Devils won 29-26.
player and alternate quarterback
for the Fleet City, California Bluejackets in 1945. The Bluejackets' starting quarterback was Charlie O'Rourke
of the Chicago Bears
, while Louis Zontini of Notre Dame University was second team at the position.
The Los Angeles Rams
lost Lewis, who had been the 19th draft pick, when NFL commissioner, Bert Bell
, ruled him inelligble for the draft under league rules. The Rams selected Lewis with the idea that he was in the 1946 graduating class. Instead he had one more year of collegiate eligibility as an athlete who entered college in 1943.
The Browns signed Lewis in February 1946. Lewis started at quarterback for the Browns in their first three contests in the AAFC in his first season, sharing duties with Otto Graham
. He became a safety who also returned punts
and kickoffs
after Graham won the starting quarterback job early in the 1946 season. As a substitute for Graham, Lewis passed fifty yards to Bob Oristaglio for a touchdown against the Bears, in September 1951. After a 38-23 Cleveland upset of the Rams in October 1951, Lewis was one of three Browns defensive back
s credited by quarterback Norm Van Brocklin
with giving him difficulty. Lewis returned a
Bob Waterfield
long pass for twelve yards, to the Cleveland 32, during the Browns 24-17 loss to the Rams, in the 1951 National Football League title game
at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Lewis retired from the Browns to devote full time to his insurance business on July 30, 1952.
on Browns television broadcasts, and became vice president of insurance administration for the New York Yankees
following the team's purchase by George Steinbrenner
in 1973
. He participated in the retired players division of the NFL players' golf
tournament in Hollywood, Florida
, in January 1961.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the All America Football Conference (1946 - 1949) and National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(1950 - 1951). He was the team's first quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
.
He attended Lakewood High School in Lakewood, Ohio
Lakewood, Ohio
Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area, and borders the city of Cleveland. The population was 52,131 at the 2010 making it the third largest city in Cuyahoga County, behind Cleveland and Parma .Lakewood, one of Cleveland's...
, and Staunton Military Academy
Staunton Military Academy
Staunton Military Academy was an all-male military academy located in Staunton, Virginia for much of its 116-year history. The school closed in 1976. Many notable American political and military leaders are graduates...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Lewis went to Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, where he played football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
as a back. He was a member of the Duke basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
team during the (1944 - 1945) season.
Duke University athlete
Lewis broke his elbowElbow
The human elbow is the region surrounding the elbow-joint—the ginglymus or hinge joint in the middle of the arm. Three bones form the elbow joint: the humerus of the upper arm, and the paired radius and ulna of the forearm....
playing tailback for Duke against the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 1944. He returned for a November game against the Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
.
Lewis connected with receiver Clark Jones during a Duke 34-0 victory over previously undefeated Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
, at Wallace Wade Stadium
Wallace Wade Stadium
Wallace Wade Stadium is a stadium on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Primarily used for American football, it is the home field of the Duke Blue Devils. It opened in 1929 with a game against Pitt, as the first facility in Duke's new west campus. The...
on November 11. He passed to Harold Raether for the final touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
in a 33-0 triumph over the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, a win which gave Duke a second consecutive Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
title. Lewis' passing assisted Duke in moving the ball 64 yards in the third quarter of the 1944 Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
game in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
Tom Davis carried the ball on eleven of twelve plays of the drive, which ended with him scoring. The Blue Devils won 29-26.
Professional football player
Lewis was a triple threatTriple threat man
In gridiron football, the phrase triple-threat man refers to a player who excels at all three of the skills of running, passing, and kicking. In modern usage, such a player would be referred to as a utility player....
player and alternate quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Fleet City, California Bluejackets in 1945. The Bluejackets' starting quarterback was Charlie O'Rourke
Charlie O'Rourke
Charles C. O'Rourke also known as Chuckin' Charlie is a former quarterback and defensive back for the Boston College Eagles, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Dons, and Baltimore Colts. He quarterbacked the BC football team to one of its most famous wins...
of the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, while Louis Zontini of Notre Dame University was second team at the position.
The Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
lost Lewis, who had been the 19th draft pick, when NFL commissioner, Bert Bell
Bert Bell
De Benneville "Bert" Bell was the National Football League commissioner from 1946 until his death in 1959. As commissioner, he helped chart a path for the NFL to facilitate its rise in becoming the most popular sports attraction in the United States...
, ruled him inelligble for the draft under league rules. The Rams selected Lewis with the idea that he was in the 1946 graduating class. Instead he had one more year of collegiate eligibility as an athlete who entered college in 1943.
The Browns signed Lewis in February 1946. Lewis started at quarterback for the Browns in their first three contests in the AAFC in his first season, sharing duties with Otto Graham
Otto Graham
Otto Everett Graham, Jr. was a professional American football and basketball player who played for the Cleveland Browns in both the All-America Football Conference and National Football League, as well as the Rochester Royals in the National Basketball League.-Early life:Born in Waukegan,...
. He became a safety who also returned punts
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
and kickoffs
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
after Graham won the starting quarterback job early in the 1946 season. As a substitute for Graham, Lewis passed fifty yards to Bob Oristaglio for a touchdown against the Bears, in September 1951. After a 38-23 Cleveland upset of the Rams in October 1951, Lewis was one of three Browns defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
s credited by quarterback Norm Van Brocklin
Norm Van Brocklin
Norman Mack "Norm" Van Brocklin , nicknamed "The Dutchman", was an American football player and coach. He was also a first rate punter in college and in the NFL...
with giving him difficulty. Lewis returned a
Bob Waterfield
Bob Waterfield
Robert "Bob" Stanton Waterfield was an American football player.Waterfield attended Van Nuys High School, in Van Nuys, California and went on to play college football for UCLA. In 1943 he led the Bruins to the Pacific Coast Conference football championship...
long pass for twelve yards, to the Cleveland 32, during the Browns 24-17 loss to the Rams, in the 1951 National Football League title game
NFL Championship Game, 1951
In the 1951 National Football League Championship Game, the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cleveland Browns, 24–17, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California on December 23, 1951. This Championship Game was the first one televised coast-to-coast. The DuMont Network purchased...
at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Lewis retired from the Browns to devote full time to his insurance business on July 30, 1952.
Post-NFL career
Lewis worked for two years (1961-62) as a color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on Browns television broadcasts, and became vice president of insurance administration for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
following the team's purchase by George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
in 1973
1973 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 71st season for the team in New York, and its 73rd season overall. The Yankees finished with a record of 80-82, finishing 17 games behind the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees were managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played at old Yankee Stadium, on the south side...
. He participated in the retired players division of the NFL players' golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
tournament in Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
, in January 1961.