Furfari At-Large
December 22, 2004 09:16 PM | General
Clyde Sweeney lettered as a two-way tackle on West Virginia University's 1953 football team that earned a berth in the Sugar Bowl at New Orleans.
The West Union native had enrolled in 1951 as a 6-5, 218-pound tight end from Doddridge High, where he earned area and regional honors. After playing with a WVU freshman team, he was held out the following season because of an injury suffered in an automobile accident.
Coach Art "Pappy" Lewis switched him to tackle when Ben Dunkerley was hurt in the 1953 opener, which WVU won against old rival Pitt, 17-7. Sweeney remained at that position the rest of the season.
He's also listed in the 1954 media guide. But he never made it to preseason camp that year at Jackson's Mill. Uncle Sam had already drafted him for a three-year stint of military service.
Sweeney's football career wasn't over yet, though.
He served as a heavy weapons instructor in the 101st Airborne Division for two years at Fort Jackson, S.C. Then he was dispatched to the Army's Far East headquarters at Camp Zama, Japan, where he was a security inspector.
While there one year, Sweeney played a pro-like season of football with an all-Army team. It won 15 of 16 games. He also played some basketball in the Tokyo area.
"I really enjoyed that," he said recently while in Morgantown. "We had a great football team. Most of the guys had played in college and some had played pro ball."
His team was rated one of the best in U.S. Army ranks. Reader’s Digest even carried a story about it.
After being discharged with the rank of sergeant, Sweeney enrolled at Salem College in 1958 and played another year of football. He received all-WVIAC recognition as a tight end and finished his studies for a degree in business.
"I also took a graduate business course at WVU while working for Columbia Gas," he recalled. Later he spent about six years with Potomac Gas in Pittsburgh.
After that, he worked for a St. Louis-based hospital medical supply company for six years. He represented that firm as a salesman traveling in four states.
Sweeney's longest stint covered 17 years with the Williamsport, Pa., Hospital as equipment purchasing manager. "That was interesting," he said. "It really kept me busy."
He eventually worked for two or three different corporations as a vice-president for managing materials and equipment. One firm built rehab units throughout the U.S. Another was involved in assisted living accommodations.
"I also did some consulting work before retiring in 1997," Sweeney said.
He was coached by Bob Murphy at Doddridge High. "We beat Farmington High a couple of times, as I reminded Sam Huff when we became teammates at WVU," he said.
Sweeney also was invited to play in the Nortn-South all-star football game at Charleston.
The Los Angeles Rams selected him in the 18th round of the 1955 NFL draft, but he was in military service at that time. "When I came back, the Cleveland Browns called me," he said. "But I was not in playing shape for pro ball."
Sweeney, now 71, resides in Mechanicsburg, Pa., with his wife of 20 years, Linda B. Sweeney. Each has three children from a previous marriage. They also have 10 grandchildren.
