Cliff Sparks
 |
|
| Date of birth | September 24, 1896 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Jackson, Michigan |
| Date of death | February 5, 1975 (aged 78) |
| Place of death | Jackson, Michigan |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| College | University of Michigan |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Honors | First-team All-American, 1916 |
Clifford Maurice Sparks (September 24, 1896 – February 5, 1975) was an American football player. He played quarterback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team and was selected in 1916 as a first-team All-American by the New York sports writer Monty.
Sparks was a native of Jackson, Michigan. He was the son-in-law of Byron J. Carter, a founding partner of the Jackson Automobile Company. Sparks married Rachel Lucretia Carter May 12, 1920 in Jackson. They had three children: Carter, Sallie, and William. He weighed 153 pounds.
Sparks enrolled at the University of Michigan and joined the university’s football team coached by Fielding H. Yost. When Sparks arrived in Ann Arbor, the team had recently been led by All-American quarterback Tommy Hughitt. As a sophomore in 1916, Sparks took over the quarterback position and led the team to a 7-2 record. Prior to the opening game of the 1916 season, one Michigan newspaper wrote: "Sparks, the Jackson lad, is another back who has proved that he is ready to do his part and looks so much like 'Tommy' Hughitt in action that Yost has stopped worrying about his quarterback position." Yost told reporters before the season began that he believed Sparks would develop into "one of the best quarters Michigan has had in recent years."
Sparks played his first game for Michigan's varsity football team in the 1916 season opener, a 38-0 win over Marietta College. The Associated Press reported that "Michigan ground gaining was done through continuous hard smashing assaults upon the Marietta line with Captain Maulbetsch, Sparks and Raymond taking turns at scoring."
Three days later, Sparks played in a 19-3 win over Case, and the Associated Press wrote that "Sparks and Maulbetsch scored for Michigan."
Sparks received positive comments in the newspapers after Michigan beat Carroll College 54-0 in the third game of the season. While seven Michigan players scored in the game, one newspaper noted that "the whirlwind Sparks" was the only Michigan player with two touchdowns.
...
Wikipedia