Bob Suffridge: Difference between revisions

Games played:	20
Games started:	10
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	U.S. Navy
Years of service	1942–1944
Rank	Lieutenant commander
Battles / wars	World War II

Bob Suffridge
No. 60, 65
Position:	Guard
Personal information
Born:	March 17, 1916; Union County, Tennessee, U.S.
Died:	March 3, 1974 (aged 57); Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:	Central; (Knoxville, Tennessee)
College:	Tennessee
NFL draft:	1941 / round: 6 / pick: 42
Career history
As a player:
	Philadelphia Eagles (1941, 1945);
As a coach:
	NC State (1956–1961); Line;
Career highlights and awards
	Unanimous All-American (1940); 2× First-team All-American (1938, 1939); 3× First-team All-SEC (1938, 1939, 1940);
Career NFL statistics
Games played:
Games played:	20
Games started:	10
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	U.S. Navy
Years of service	1942–1944
Rank	Lieutenant commander
Battles / wars	World War II
	College Football Hall of Fame

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Robert Lee Suffridge (March 17, 1916 – March 3, 1974) was an American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at the University of Tennessee, where he was later inducted into the school's hall of fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. Suffridge also served in the United States Navy during World War II.

Early years

Suffridge attended Central High School in Knoxville, Tennessee.

College career

Suffridge played college football at the University of Tennessee, where he played under coach Robert Neyland from 1938 to 1940. He was a three time All American, receiving the honor each year of his playing career. He also won the Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy.^[1]

Suffridge was noted for his quickness. As one bio states "Suffridge was so quick he once blocked the same point-after- touchdown three times, twice called for off-sides when many observers felt he wasn't."^[2] During his time at Tennessee, the Volunteers did not lose a regular season game.^[2]

"Robert Neyland never wanted to answer when asked, ’Who were your greatest players?’ But, when pressed, he would reluctantly answer, ’I’ll start a team, but will not attempt to complete it. You’ll have to start with Bob Suffridge the greatest lineman I ever saw and that’s as far as I will go with the line. For a backfield, you’ll start with Gene McEver, the greatest I ever coached.’"^[3]

Suffridge was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1961. He was also honored as a member of the all-time Southeastern Conference team in 1982 and was chosen by the Football Writers Association for the all-time All America team.^[2]

Professional career

Suffridge was drafted in the sixth round of the 1941 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1941 and 1945.^[4] His career was shortened due to World War II. During the war, Suffridge was a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy.^[2]

Suffridge made the All-Pro team in 1941. Again Suffridge's speed was noticed. On one occasion Suffridge blocked three consecutive punts but was penalized for being offsides each time.

"That last offside will cost you $50", Coach Greasy Neale told him. "But I wasn’t offside", Suffridge protested. "That’ll cost you $50 more." "I said I wasn’t offside." "Make it one hundred." "I’m telling you, I wasn’t offside." "It’s now $200." Unwilling to argue the point past $200, Suff sat down. Neale finally told him he would look at the movies. "If you were offside, the $200 fine sticks. If you weren’t, I’ll give you a hundred." The movie showed beyond question that Suffridge had not been offside. "I got the hundred", he said, "the easiest hundred I ever made."^[3]

Coaching career

Suffridge coached at North Carolina State University from 1946 to 1951. He was a line coach for the Wolfpack.^[2]

References

^ Scott, Richard (September 15, 2008). SEC Football: 75 Years of Pride and Passion. Minneapolis, MN: Quayside Publishing Group. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-7603-3248-1. Retrieved December 15, 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Bob "Suff" Suffridge". College Football Hall of Fame. National Football Foundation.
^ ^a ^b "Robert Lee". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2006.
^ "1941 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.

External links

Bob Suffridge at Find a Grave

[1] Scott, Richard (September 15, 2008). SEC Football: 75 Years of Pride and Passion. Minneapolis, MN: Quayside Publishing Group. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-7603-3248-1. Retrieved December 15, 2013.

[cfhof-2] "Bob "Suff" Suffridge". College Football Hall of Fame. National Football Foundation.

[fountaincity-3] "Robert Lee". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2006.

[4] "1941 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Short description|American football player (1916–1974)}}
-{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
+{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
-{{Infobox gridiron football person
+{{Infobox NFL biography
 | name = Bob Suffridge
 | image =
@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 | death_date = {{death date and age|1974|3|3|1916|3|17|mf=y}}
 | death_place = [[Knoxville, Tennessee]], U.S.
-| team =
+| number = 60, 65
+| position = [[Guard (American football)|Guard]]
-| number =
-| status =
+| height_ft = 6
-| position1 = [[Guard (American football)|Guard]]
-| height_ft =
 | height_in =
-| weight_lb =
+| weight_lb = 205
-| college = [[University of Tennessee|Tennessee]]
+| high_school = [[Central High School (Knoxville, Tennessee)|Central]]<br>([[Knoxville, Tennessee]])
+| college = [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Tennessee]]
-| NFLDraftedYear = 1941
-| NFLDraftedRound = 6
+| draftyear = 1941
+| draftround = 6
-| NFLDraftedPick = 42<br />(By the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]])
-| NFLDraftedTeam =
+| draftpick = 42
+| pastteams=
-| playing_years1 = 1941,1945
-| playing_team1 = [[Philadelphia Eagles]]
+* [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ({{NFL Year|1941}}, {{NFL Year|1945}})
+|pastcoaching=
-| career_highlights =
+*[[NC State Wolfpack football|NC State]] (1956–1961)<br>Line
+| highlights =
+* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1940 College Football All-America Team|1940]])
+* 2× First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1938 College Football All-America Team|1938]], [[1939 College Football All-America Team|1939]])
+* 3× First-team [[List of All-SEC football teams|All-SEC]] ([[1938 All-SEC football team|1938]], [[1939 All-SEC football team|1939]], [[1940 All-SEC football team|1940]])
+| statlabel1  = Games played
+| statvalue1  = 20
+| statlabel2  = Games [[Starting lineup|started]]
+| statvalue2  = 10
+<!--Military service-->
+{{Infobox military person
+| embed            = yes
+| allegiance       = {{Flag|United States}}
+| honorific_prefix = Lieutenant Commander
+| name             = Bob Suffridge
+| branch           = [[File:Emblem of the United States Navy.svg|15px]] [[U.S. Navy]]
+| serviceyears     = 1942–1944
+| rank             = [[File:US-O4 insignia.svg|15px]] [[Lieutenant commander]]
+| unit             =
+| battles_label    =
+| battles          = [[World War II]]
+| awards           =
+}}
 | NFL = SUF415291
 | DatabaseFootball = SUFFRBOB01
@@ Line 30: / Line 51: @@
 }}
-'''Robert Lee Suffridge''' (March 17, 1916 – March 3, 1974) was an [[American football]] player in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]].  He played [[college football]] at the [[University of Tennessee]], where he was later inducted into the school's hall of fame and the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].  Suffridge also served in the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]].
+'''Robert Lee Suffridge''' (March 17, 1916 – March 3, 1974) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]].  He played [[college football]] at the [[University of Tennessee]], where he was later inducted into the school's hall of fame and the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].  Suffridge also served in the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]].
 ==Early years==
@@ Line 36: / Line 57: @@
 ==College career==
-Suffridge played [[college football]] at the [[University of Tennessee]], where he played under coach [[Robert Neyland]] from 1938–1940.  He was a three time [[All America]]n, receiving the honor each year of his playing career. He also won the [[Washington D.C. Touchdown Club#Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy|Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Richard |title=SEC Football: 75 Years of Pride and Passion |date=September 15, 2008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cm1TZA6jCSgC&pg=PA52  |access-date=December 15, 2013 |publisher=Quayside Publishing Group |location=Minneapolis, MN |isbn=978-0-7603-3248-1 |page=52}}</ref>
+Suffridge played [[college football]] at the [[University of Tennessee]], where he played under coach [[Robert Neyland]] from 1938 to 1940.  He was a three time [[All America]]n, receiving the honor each year of his playing career. He also won the [[Washington D.C. Touchdown Club#Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy|Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Scott |first=Richard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cm1TZA6jCSgC&pg=PA52 |title=SEC Football: 75 Years of Pride and Passion |date=September 15, 2008 |publisher=Quayside Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-7603-3248-1 |location=Minneapolis, MN |page=52 |access-date=December 15, 2013}}</ref>
-Suffridge was noted for his quickness.  As one bio states "Suffridge was so quick he once blocked the same point-after- touchdown three times, twice called for off-sides when many observers felt he wasn't."<ref name=cfhof>{{cite web |url= {{College Football HoF/url|id=1584}} |title=Bob "Suff" Suffridge |work=[[College Football Hall of Fame]] |publisher=[[National Football Foundation]]}}</ref>  During his time at Tennessee, the Volunteers did not lose a regular season game.<ref name=cfhof />
+Suffridge was noted for his quickness.  As one bio states "Suffridge was so quick he once blocked the same point-after- touchdown three times, twice called for off-sides when many observers felt he wasn't."<ref name="cfhof">{{Cite web |title=Bob "Suff" Suffridge |url={{College Football HoF/url|id=1584}} |website=[[College Football Hall of Fame]] |publisher=[[National Football Foundation]]}}</ref>  During his time at Tennessee, the Volunteers did not lose a regular season game.<ref name="cfhof" />
 <blockquote>
-"Robert Neyland never wanted to answer when asked, ’Who were your greatest players?’  But, when pressed, he would reluctantly answer, ’I’ll start a team, but will not attempt to complete it.  You’ll have to start with Bob Suffridge the greatest lineman I ever saw and that’s as far as I will go with the line.  For a backfield, you’ll start with [[Gene McEver]], the greatest I ever coached.’"<ref name=fountaincity>{{cite web |url=http://www.fountaincitytnhistory.info/People33-SuffridgeBob.htm |title=Robert Lee |access-date=2006-12-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927214156/http://www.fountaincitytnhistory.info/People33-SuffridgeBob.htm |archive-date=2007-09-27 }}</ref>
+"Robert Neyland never wanted to answer when asked, ’Who were your greatest players?’  But, when pressed, he would reluctantly answer, ’I’ll start a team, but will not attempt to complete it.  You’ll have to start with Bob Suffridge the greatest lineman I ever saw and that’s as far as I will go with the line.  For a backfield, you’ll start with [[Gene McEver]], the greatest I ever coached.’"<ref name="fountaincity">{{Cite web |title=Robert Lee |url=http://www.fountaincitytnhistory.info/People33-SuffridgeBob.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927214156/http://www.fountaincitytnhistory.info/People33-SuffridgeBob.htm |archive-date=2007-09-27 |access-date=2006-12-12}}</ref>
 </blockquote>
-Suffridge was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1961.  He was also honored as a member of the all-time [[Southeastern Conference]] team in 1982 and was chosen by the [[Football Writers Association]] for the all-time All America team.<ref name=cfhof />
+Suffridge was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1961.  He was also honored as a member of the all-time [[Southeastern Conference]] team in 1982 and was chosen by the [[Football Writers Association]] for the all-time All America team.<ref name="cfhof" />
 ==Professional career==
-Suffridge was [[NFL Draft|drafted]] in the sixth round of the [[1941 NFL Draft]] by the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], and played for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] in 1941 and 1945.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1941 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1941/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>  His career was shortened due to [[World War II]].  During the war, Suffridge was a lieutenant commander in the [[United States Navy]].<ref name=cfhof />
+Suffridge was [[NFL Draft|drafted]] in the sixth round of the [[1941 NFL draft]] by the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], and played for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] in 1941 and 1945.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1941 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1941/draft.htm |access-date=March 31, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>  His career was shortened due to [[World War II]].  During the war, Suffridge was a lieutenant commander in the [[United States Navy]].<ref name="cfhof" />
 Suffridge made the [[All-Pro]] team in 1941.  Again Suffridge's speed was noticed. On one occasion Suffridge blocked three consecutive punts but was penalized for being offsides each time.<blockquote>
-"That last offside will cost you $50", Coach [[Greasy Neale]] told him.  "But I wasn’t offside", Suffridge protested. "That’ll cost you $50 more."  "I said I wasn’t offside."  "Make it one hundred."  "I’m telling you, I wasn’t offside."  "It’s now $200."  Unwilling to argue the point past $200, Suff sat down.  Neale finally told him he would look at the movies.  "If you were offside, the $200 fine sticks.  If you weren’t, I’ll give you a hundred."  The movie showed beyond question that Suffridge had not been offside.  "I got the hundred", he said, "the easiest hundred I ever made."<ref name=fountaincity />
+"That last offside will cost you $50", Coach [[Greasy Neale]] told him.  "But I wasn’t offside", Suffridge protested. "That’ll cost you $50 more."  "I said I wasn’t offside."  "Make it one hundred."  "I’m telling you, I wasn’t offside."  "It’s now $200."  Unwilling to argue the point past $200, Suff sat down.  Neale finally told him he would look at the movies.  "If you were offside, the $200 fine sticks.  If you weren’t, I’ll give you a hundred."  The movie showed beyond question that Suffridge had not been offside.  "I got the hundred", he said, "the easiest hundred I ever made."<ref name="fountaincity" />
 </blockquote>
 ==Coaching career==
-Suffridge coached at [[North Carolina State University]] from 1946 to 1951.  He was a line coach for the Wolfpack.<ref name=cfhof />
+Suffridge coached at [[North Carolina State University]] from 1946 to 1951.  He was a line coach for the Wolfpack.<ref name="cfhof" />
 ==See also==
@@ Line 77: / Line 98: @@
 [[Category:American football guards]]
 [[Category:Philadelphia Eagles players]]
-[[Category:People from Knoxville, Tennessee]]
+[[Category:Players of American football from Knoxville, Tennessee]]
 [[Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players]]
 [[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]

v t e 1940 College Football All-America Team consensus selections
Backfield	QB Frankie Albert HB George Franck HB Tom Harmon FB John Kimbrough
Line	E Gene Goodreault E David Rankin T Alf Bauman T Nick Drahos T Urban Odson G Marshall Robnett G Bob Suffridge C Rudy Mucha