Earl Harry (Dutch) Clark

Earl Harry (Dutch) Clark

Portsmouth Spartans/Detroit Lions Football Player (1931 – 1932, 1934 - 1938)
Detroit Lions Football Coach (1937 – 1938)
University of Detroit Football Coach (1951 – 1953)

University of Detroit Athletic Director (1951 - 1954)

Dutch Clark was born in Fowler, Colorado  and attended Pueblo Central High School where he played football, basketball, baseball and ran track earning 16 Varsity letters and was regarded as the best all-around athlete in the state. He attended Colorado College and once again was an all-around athlete earning 13 varsity letters and was named a first-team All-American quarterback in 1928. Clark played professional football with the Portsmouth Spartans/Detroit Lions for seven seasons, was named All-Pro quarterback six times, named the best player in the NFL in 1935 and 1936 leading the Lions to the 1935 NFL Championship. In his final two years with the Lions (1937 – 1938) he also served as the head coach. Clark went on to coach the Cleveland Rams for four seasons and the Seattle Bombers of the American Football League for a season as well as spending a brief period with the U.S. Army during World War II. He finished off his athletic endeavors by being the football coach and serving as Athletic Director with the University of Detroit. Clark was named to the NFL 1930’s All Decade Team and in 1940 was named as Football’s Man of the Decade (1930s). Dutch Clark was inducted into the inaugural class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963, was inducted into the inaugural class of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1965 was inducted into the inaugural class of the Detroit Lions “Pride of the Lions” in 2009 and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1959. He passed away on August 5, 1978 at 71 years of age.