Clarke Hinkle

Clarke Hinkle

Hinkle at Pro Football Hall of Fame induction
Position:	Fullback, linebacker, defensive back
Personal information
Date of birth:	April 10, 1909
Place of birth:	Toronto, Ohio
Date of death:	November 9, 1988 (aged 79)
Place of death:	Steubenville, Ohio
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school:	Toronto (OH)
College:	Bucknell
Career history
Green Bay Packers (1932–1941)
Career highlights and awards
3× Pro Bowl (1938, 1939, 1940) 4× first-team All-Pro (1935, 1936, 1937, 1938) 2× NFL champion (1936, 1939) NFL 1930s All-Decade Team NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Rush yds: 3,860 Average: 3.3 Rush TDs: 35
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame

William Clarke Hinkle (April 10, 1909 – November 9, 1988) was a professional American football player for the Green Bay Packers. He played tailback and linebacker from 1932 to 1941.

At the time of his retirement, he was the NFL’s all time leading rusher.

College career

While playing in Bucknell University, Hinkle led the team to an undefeated season in 1931. Hinkle's coach at Bucknell, Carl Snavely, called him: "Without a doubt, the greatest defensive back I have ever seen or coached." Those words were uttered by a man who had seen and coached many of the nation's best.^[1]

Green Bay Packers

When Hinkle left Bucknell University, he initially considered signing with the New York Giants, and was invited to attend a game against the Green Bay Packers. Hinkle was so impressed with the Packers' performance, however, that he chose to sign with Green Bay instead, playing mainly fullback on offense. In the early years of Hinkle's career, he was compared to his counterpart on the rival Chicago Bears, Bronko Nagurski as being the NFL's two best fullbacks. Hinkle himself acknowledged that Nagurski was a more powerful runner than he was. However, there is a story that Hinkle once hit Nagurski so hard that Nagurski suffered two cracked ribs and a broken nose. Hinkle played for the Packers for his entire ten-year career, during which he was the Packers' top runner. Combined with the passing attack that featured Don Hutson, Hinkle helped the Packers to NFL titles in 1936 and 1939. When he retired, Hinkle was the NFL all-time leading rusher with 3850 career yards. He surpassed the old record of 3511 yards held by Cliff Battles.

Honors

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971, and the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1972. In 1997, the Packers' west practice field across Oneida Street from Lambeau Field was dedicated Clarke Hinkle Field. He is on the NFL 1930s All-Decade Team.

Death

Hinkle died on November 9, 1988 in Steubenville, Ohio, at the age of 79.^[2]

References

1. College Football Hall of Fame bio
2. "Obituary - Clarke Hinkle, 79, Former Football Star". New York Times. Associated Press. November 11, 1988. Retrieved March 4, 2016.

External links

• Pro Football Hall of Fame: Member profile
• Clarke Hinkle at Find a Grave