Ralph Smith (American football)
No. 85, 41, 81 | |||||||||
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Position: | End | ||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
Born: | Brookhaven, Mississippi, U.S. | December 1, 1938||||||||
Died: | August 23, 2023 McComb, Mississippi, U.S. | (aged 84)||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
Weight: | 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||||
Career information | |||||||||
High school: | University Military School (1954) Brookhaven (1955–1957) | ||||||||
College: | Ole Miss (1958–1961) | ||||||||
NFL draft: | 1962 / Round: 8 / Pick: 111 (by Philadelphia Eagles) | ||||||||
AFL draft: | 1962 / Round: 12 / Pick: 93 (by San Diego Chargers) | ||||||||
Career history | |||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Ralph Allon "Catfish" Smith Sr. (December 1, 1938 – August 23, 2023) was an American professional football player who was an end in the National Football League (NFL). He played eight seasons, for the Philadelphia Eagles (1962–1964), Cleveland Browns (1965–1968), and the Atlanta Falcons (1969). He was drafted out of Ole Miss by the Eagles in 1962 and also had a stint with the New Orleans Saints.
Early life
Smith was born on December 1, 1938, in Brookhaven, Mississippi, and grew up there.[1][2] He first attended the University Military School in Mobile, Alabama, in 1954, before transferring to Brookhaven High School in his hometown, where he would attend from 1955 to 1957.[2] A teammate of Lance Alworth on the football team, he earned 15 letters across four sports (football, basketball, track, baseball).[3]
Smith had many accomplishments at Brookhaven.
College career
Smith began attending the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in 1958 and played on the freshman football team that year.[1] He made the varsity team in 1959 and went on to play through 1961 as a two-way end.[3] He contributed to their back-to-back national championships in 1959 and 1960 and overall the team went 29–3–1 with him on the roster.[3] Ole Miss made a bowl game every year Smith was on the roster and he earned All-SEC honors in his final two years, being a third-team selection in 1960 and a second-team choice in 1961.[2][4][5] As a senior in 1961, he led the team in both receiving and tackles for loss while being named second-team All-American.[2][3]
Smith received the nickname "Catfish" at Ole Miss, being likened to Vernon "Catfish" Smith who played at Georgia.[3][6]
Professional career
Smith was selected in both the
Smith joined the Cleveland Browns after being released by Philadelphia.[9] He went on to play four years for the Browns, appearing in every game during that span while starting 29 of his 56 appearances.[1] He caught 13 passes for 183 yards with three touchdowns in 1966 and had a career-best 14 catches for 211 yards the following year, scoring two touchdowns in that season (one receiving, one on a fumble return).[1] He was released following the 1968 season.[10]
After leaving the Browns, Smith signed with the
Later life and death
Smith started and operated a barbecue restaurant called "Skinny's" after his football career.[3][14][15] He was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.[2] He died on August 23, 2023, in McComb, Mississippi, at age 84.[1][3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Ralph Smith Stats". Pro Football Archives.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Ralph Smith". Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Ralph Allon 'Catfish' Smith Sr". The Daily Leader. August 25, 2023.
- ^ a b "Ralph Smith Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "Ralph Smith NFL Transactions". Pro Football Archives.
- ISBN 978-1-4556-1398-4. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
- ^ Gordon, Mac (September 13, 2023). "Three losses southwest Mississippi could ill afford. See who they were". Clarion Ledger. Retrieved October 25, 2023.