Born: | Bloomington, Illinois, U.S. | May 5, 1914
---|---|
Died: | August 4, 1999 South Bend, Indiana, U.S. | (aged 85)
Career information | |
Position(s) | End |
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
College | University of Notre Dame |
Career history | |
As player | |
1937 | Notre Dame |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Charles A. "Chuck" Sweeney (May 5, 1914 – August 4, 1999) was an American football end at the University of Notre Dame. He was a consensus All-American in 1937. In later life, he became a National Football League (NFL) game official.
Sweeney played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team under coach Elmer Layden during the 1935, 1936 and 1937 seasons. [1] In his senior year he beat out team captain Joe Zwers for a starting position. [2] During the season his play was difference in several Fighting Irish victories including a late safety against Navy and a blocked extra point versus Minnesota. [3] He also almost single-handedly beat Northwestern by blocking a punt for the only score of the game, recovering 2 fumbles, intercepting a pass, and downing a punt at the 1 yard line. [1] [3] For his play, the 6-foot, 190-pound end, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, having received first-team honors from several publications and organizations including the Associated Press (AP), and United Press International (UPI). [4] After the season, he was also invited to participate in several post season All-Star games including the Chicago College All-Star Game and the East-West Shrine Game. [1] In a game that pitted the previous season NFL Champion versus a team of recently graduated college players selected by fans across the country, Sweeney broke the Chicago College All-Star game record for the most votes for a single college player. [2] [5] He helped the College All-Stars beat a Sammy Baugh led Washington Redskins. [6]
After graduating from Notre Dame, he took a job as branch manager at Sinclair Refining Company in South Bend, Indiana. He worked at Sinclair until he retired in 1968. [2] He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1938 NFL Draft. [7] He never played a game in the league but did take part in many games. A few years after taking the job at Sinclair, NFL commissioner and Sweeney's former coach Elmer Layden offered him a job as a game official for the National Football League. [2] He officiated for 25 years including several championship games. [2] One, the 1958 NFL Championship Game, was the first sudden-death overtime game and became widely known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played." [2] [8] At the age of 85, Chuck Sweeney died August 4, 1999, of heart failure in St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in South Bend. [2]
Born: | Bloomington, Illinois, U.S. | May 5, 1914
---|---|
Died: | August 4, 1999 South Bend, Indiana, U.S. | (aged 85)
Career information | |
Position(s) | End |
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
College | University of Notre Dame |
Career history | |
As player | |
1937 | Notre Dame |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Charles A. "Chuck" Sweeney (May 5, 1914 – August 4, 1999) was an American football end at the University of Notre Dame. He was a consensus All-American in 1937. In later life, he became a National Football League (NFL) game official.
Sweeney played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team under coach Elmer Layden during the 1935, 1936 and 1937 seasons. [1] In his senior year he beat out team captain Joe Zwers for a starting position. [2] During the season his play was difference in several Fighting Irish victories including a late safety against Navy and a blocked extra point versus Minnesota. [3] He also almost single-handedly beat Northwestern by blocking a punt for the only score of the game, recovering 2 fumbles, intercepting a pass, and downing a punt at the 1 yard line. [1] [3] For his play, the 6-foot, 190-pound end, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, having received first-team honors from several publications and organizations including the Associated Press (AP), and United Press International (UPI). [4] After the season, he was also invited to participate in several post season All-Star games including the Chicago College All-Star Game and the East-West Shrine Game. [1] In a game that pitted the previous season NFL Champion versus a team of recently graduated college players selected by fans across the country, Sweeney broke the Chicago College All-Star game record for the most votes for a single college player. [2] [5] He helped the College All-Stars beat a Sammy Baugh led Washington Redskins. [6]
After graduating from Notre Dame, he took a job as branch manager at Sinclair Refining Company in South Bend, Indiana. He worked at Sinclair until he retired in 1968. [2] He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1938 NFL Draft. [7] He never played a game in the league but did take part in many games. A few years after taking the job at Sinclair, NFL commissioner and Sweeney's former coach Elmer Layden offered him a job as a game official for the National Football League. [2] He officiated for 25 years including several championship games. [2] One, the 1958 NFL Championship Game, was the first sudden-death overtime game and became widely known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played." [2] [8] At the age of 85, Chuck Sweeney died August 4, 1999, of heart failure in St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in South Bend. [2]