Claude Marion Hipps (April 23, 1927 May 20, 2017) was an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...

who played two seasons with the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...

of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He was selected by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 1952 NFL draft after playing college football at the University of Georgia.

Early life and college

Claude Marion Hipps was born on April 23, 1927, in Hazlehurst, Georgia. He attended Waycross High School in Waycross, Georgia. He was inducted into the Ware County Sports Hall of Fame in 1986. He letterman (sports), lettered for the Georgia Bulldogs football, Georgia Bulldogs in 1944. His college career was interrupted by a stint in the United States Marine Corps. While in the military, he played football for the Atlantic Fleet All Star teams and was the MVP of the China Bowl. He returned to college in 1949 and lettered for the Bulldogs from 1949 to 1951. Hipps was named first-team List of All-SEC football teams, All-SEC by the Associated Press his senior year in 1951. He graduated with a degree in business.

Professional career

Hipps was selected by the

in the seventh round, with the 78th overall pick, of the 1952 NFL draft. He played in 12 games, starting nine, for the Steelers during the 1952 season, recording three interceptions. He appeared in five games, starting four, during the 1953 season and made two interceptions. He spent part of the season on injured reserve. Hipps became a free agent in May 1954.

Personal life

Hipps died in 2017 at the age of 90 in West Melbourne, Florida.Claude Hipps' obituary
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hipps, Claude 1927 births 2017 deaths Players of American football from Waycross, Georgia American football defensive backs Georgia Bulldogs football players Pittsburgh Steelers players People from Hazlehurst, Georgia 20th-century American sportsmen United States Marines