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| No. 60 | |
|---|---|
| Positions | Defensive tackle •Offensive tackle |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 25, 1932 (1932-11-25) Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Died | December 20, 2000 (2000-12-21) (aged 68) Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Career information | |
| Junior team | Regina Dales |
| Career history | |
| 1951–1964 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| Awards and highlights | |
Canadian Football Hall of Fame (Class of 1996) | |
Norman Edwin William Clarke (November 25, 1932 – December 20, 2000) was a Canadian professionalfootball player who played bothdefensive tackle andoffensive tackle for theSaskatchewan Roughriders from 1951 through 1964. Clarke also was acurler, and won the inauguralCanadian schoolboy championships for Saskatchewan in 1950.[1]
Bill Clarke was born in Regina on November 25, 1932, to parents G.W.R. (Bill) and Ruth L. Clarke. He playedjunior football with the Regina Dales (later to become theRegina Rams) before turning professional with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1951.[2][3]
Clarke became one of the longest-serving members of the Roughriders, playing 14 seasons as both an offensive and defensive tackle, including 8 seasons serving as the captain of the defence squad. He was awarded the Stack Tibitts Trophy as the Roughriders most valuable Canadian in 1959 and 1961 and was named to theWestern Football Conference's All-Star team as a defensive tackle in 1961 and 1963. The 1963 Riders defence was notable for playing five games without yielding atouchdown.[4][5]
Clarke's longtime dedication to the club was honoured with a life membership in 1963 and he was inducted into the Roughriders' Plaza of Honour in 1988. He retired from play following the1964 CFL season.[4]
After football, Clarke began a career as a public servant. In 1966, he was executive director of Sport and Recreation for Saskatchewan and from 1982 to 1987, he served asDeputy Minister of what is now the Department of Culture, Youth and Recreation. In addition, he was a member of numerous boards and committees including the Saskatchewan Games Council, the Canada Games Council, andHockey Canada. As an advocate for theSpecial Olympics and theUnited Way, he also organised charitycurlingbonspiels andgolf tournaments to raise money forParkinson's disease research, a disease with which he was afflicted.[3]
Clarke was admitted to the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1979 and theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 1996. He received anhonoraryDoctorate of Law from theUniversity of Regina in 1995.[4]
He died December 20, 2000, in Regina, from Parkinson's disease.[2][6]
