Nate Clark facts for kids
Nate Clark, 1955
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| Hillsdale Chargers | |
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| Position | Halfback |
| Class | Graduate |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | February 28, 1933 Hawkinsville, Georgia |
| Died: | February 5, 2005 (aged 71) |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Nathan Clark Jr. (born February 28, 1933 – died February 9, 2005) was an amazing American football player. He was a halfback who played for Hillsdale College from 1953 to 1956. Nate helped his team have two perfect seasons in a row, in 1955 and 1956. He was also chosen as one of the best players in college football for those years. In 1955, he scored more points than any other college player in the country!
Growing Up and Early Life
Nate Clark was born in Hawkinsville, Georgia, and grew up in Benton Harbor, Michigan. When he was young, he worked hard to overcome a speech problem.
He was very good at sports. Nate played in every football game for Benton Harbor High School from 1949 to 1952. He was even picked as an all-state player twice. Besides football, Nate was also a talented boxer. He won the Golden Gloves championship in Michigan and had a fantastic boxing record of 42 wins and only 2 losses.
Playing for Hillsdale College
Nate joined Hillsdale College in the fall of 1953. In his first year, he was the top scorer for Hillsdale, getting six touchdowns and one extra point. As a sophomore in 1954, he scored the most points in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
In 1955, Nate had an incredible season. He ran for 949 yards and scored a total of 144 points! That's 24 touchdowns in just nine games. He scored way more points than any other player in small college football that year. Because of his amazing performance, the Associated Press chose him as a top player for the 1955 Little All-America college football team.
The 1955 Hillsdale team was invited to play in a big game called the 1956 Tangerine Bowl. However, the team made a brave decision. They all agreed to turn down the invitation because not all of their players would be allowed to play. Nate Clark later said he felt sad for the team missing the game, but he was very proud of his teammates for standing up for what was right.
In 1956, Nate was chosen as a co-captain for the Hillsdale team. Even though other teams tried hard to stop him, Nate's coach, Muddy Waters, said it was Nate's best season. His great playing helped Hillsdale have another perfect season. Nate was once again named to the Little All-America team.
Life After Football
Nate Clark married his high school sweetheart, Lucille Butler, in 1956. They had four children together.
In 1957, Nate earned his college degree in physical education from Hillsdale. He tried out for the Green Bay Packers, a professional football team. However, an injury kept him from playing in the NFL. He also went back to boxing for a short time in 1957.
Nate and his family moved to Detroit in 1969, where he worked for a construction company. In 1998, he was honored for his amazing sports career when he was added to Hillsdale's athletic hall of fame. Nate Clark passed away in 2005 at the age of 71.
