Clarence "Pete" Gracey (December 18, 1910 – December 5, 2000) was an American football player who was an All-American center for the

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team of

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...

Early years

Gracey was born in Franklin, Tennessee.

Vanderbilt University

He enrolled at Vanderbilt University in nearby Nashville, Tennessee in 1929, where, after an undefeated season on the freshman team, he played for coach Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores varsity football team from 1930 to 1932.
Vanderbilt Football 2014 Fact Book
'', Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, pp. 134, 142, 151 (2014). Retrieved August 17, 2014. He was a two-year starter at center for McGugin's Commodores, and the team compiled a three-year win-loss-tie record of 19–7–2 during his college career.

1931

Gracey said "In my first varsity year, the night before we played Georgia Tech, Coach McGugin casually walked up to me in the lobby of our hotel, put his arm around my shoulder and sorta whispered, "I was with some Atlanta newspapermen this afternoon and I told them you were the finest sophomore center I had ever coached. I hope that I haven't made it embarrassing for you" We beat Tech, 49 to 7. Afterward I talked to seven other players and you know, Coach McGugin told them all the same thing he told me."

1932

After leading the Commodores to a 6–1–2 record as a senior in

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

, he was a first-team All-Southern selection and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, when he received first-team honors from the ''New York World-Telegram'' and United Press (UP), and second-team accolades from the Associated Press (AP), International News Service (INS), Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), and the ''New York Sun''.''2014 NCAA Football Records Book''
Award Winners
, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indianapolis, Indiana, pp. 2, 5, 17 (2014). Retrieved August 19, 2014. The Commodores and rival

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fought to a scoreless tie. "Considering that we lost such a valuable player as Pete Gracey so early in the game, I thought that Vanderbilt was very fortunate in getting out with a tie" said McGugin.

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gracey, Pete 1910 births 2000 deaths All-American college football players American football centers Sportspeople from Franklin, Tennessee Vanderbilt Commodores football players All-Southern college football players Players of American football from Tennessee