Paul Cleary (2003) - USC Athletics Hall of Fame

Paul Cleary

Induction:
2003
Class:
1947

Paul Cleary won consensus All-American and All-Conference first team honors as a 2-way end in 1947, helping the Trojans that year to the conference title, a berth in the Rose Bowl and an eighth-place finish in the AP poll. A 2-year letterman (1946-47), he then played in the 1948 College All-Star Game and was picked in the 10th round of the NFL draft by the Detroit Lions, as well as in the fourth round by the Chicago Rockets of the All-America Football Conference (he ended up playing pro football with the New York Yankees in 1948 and Chicago Hornets in 1949). He was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and then the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. He came to USC from Santa Ana (Calif.) High via Santa Ana Junior College and then 3 years in the Army. After his playing career, he became the president and chairman of the board of an asphalt paving, construction and engineering firm. He died on Jan. 8, 1996, at age 73.