Ray Gene Smith (November 27, 1928 – August 16, 2005) was an American football defensive back who played four seasons with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He attended Lawton High School in Lawton, Oklahoma.[1] Afterwards, he first enrolled at Cameron State Agricultural College before transferring to Midwestern State University. Later, after graduating from the University of Texas Law School, he became a criminal lawyer.[2]
 Smith on a 1954 Bowman football card | |
| No. 20 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive back |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | November 27, 1928 Anadarko, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died: | August 16, 2005 (aged 76) Garland, Texas, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight: | 187 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Lawton (OK) |
| College: | Midwestern State |
| Career history | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
After graduating from Midwestern State University in 1950,[3] he served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1951 to 1954. For three years after leaving the Marines, he played for the Chicago Bears where in 1956, he was named a second-team All-NFL performer by the New York Daily News. After 1957, he decided to return to academia at the University of Texas Law School graduating in 1962[2] with his Juris Doctor. He practiced criminal law in Wichita Falls for 35 years.[4]
In his lifetime, he had a daughter, two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and two brothers. He died at the age of 76 in Garland, Texas and was buried at Anadarko City Cemetery.[4]
References
edit- ^ "RAY GENE SMITH". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ a b e-yearbook.com (tm). "University of Texas School of Law - Peregrinus Yearbook (Austin, TX), Class of 1962, Cover | E-Yearbook.com has the largest online yearbook collection of college yearbooks, university yearbooks, high school yearbooks, middle school yearbooks, military yearbooks, and naval cruise books | Yearbook pictures | Yearbook photographs | Yearbook photos | Yearbook images". e-yearbook.com. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ "Ray Gene Smith (2013) - Hall of Honor". MSU Athletics. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ a b "Ray Gene Smith". The Lawton Constitution. August 19, 2005. Retrieved May 29, 2024.