Tommy James (football player)
Encyclopedia
Thomas L. "Tommy" James, Jr. (September 16, 1923 in Canton, Ohio
– February 7, 2007) was a former professional
American football
cornerback
.
James played for Paul Brown
at Massillon High School
and Ohio State
before rejoining him with him the Cleveland Browns
in 1948 after a year in Detroit
.
James started at right cornerback in 1948 and intercepted
four passes for a team that went 15-0 and won the All-America Football Conference
championship.
The defensive back
continued to be a key player as the Browns moved to the National Football League
. He intercepted nine passes in 1950 to set a club record that stood until 1978. After leaving Cleveland, he played briefly for the Baltimore Colts
in 1956.
James ended his NFL career with 26 interceptions, all with the Browns, tying him for eighth place in team history.
He died in 2007 of heart failure. He is survived by three sons and seven grandchildren.
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
– February 7, 2007) was a former professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
.
James played for Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
at Massillon High School
Massillon Washington High School
Massillon Washington High School, is a 9 to 12 grade secondary school within the Massillon City School District located in the city of Massillon, Ohio. It serves students within the city of Massillon as well as parts of Tuscarawas Township...
and Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
before rejoining him with him the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1948 after a year in Detroit
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
James started at right cornerback in 1948 and intercepted
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
four passes for a team that went 15-0 and won the All-America Football Conference
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
championship.
The defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
continued to be a key player as the Browns moved to the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He intercepted nine passes in 1950 to set a club record that stood until 1978. After leaving Cleveland, he played briefly for the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
in 1956.
James ended his NFL career with 26 interceptions, all with the Browns, tying him for eighth place in team history.
He died in 2007 of heart failure. He is survived by three sons and seven grandchildren.