Sam Clancy, one of the greatest athletes in Western Pennsylvania history, will receive multiple honors from the City of Pittsburgh this week.
On Wednesday, City Council will declare Saturday, June 24, “Sam Clancy Day” in Pittsburgh. A proclamation will be read Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., at the City County Building (5th Floor, 414 Grant Street).
On Saturday, a street sign will be unveiled in Clancy’s honor at the corner of Bedford Avenue and Roberts Street in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District. A ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m., and feature an array of distinguished speakers, including Mayor Edward Gainey, Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle and Eugene Khorey, the first principal of Brashear High School, Clancy’s alma mater.
Saturday’s street naming celebration, featuring music and various food trucks, will continue through 3:30 p.m.
Clancy, who grew up in the shadow of Pitt’s campus, initially starred at old Fifth Avenue High School, leading the basketball team to a state championship as a junior in 1976. Following Fifth Avenue’s closure, he went to newly opened Brashear High and was a member of its first graduating class in 1977.
Clancy was a four-year basketball starter at Pitt from 1977-81, averaging 14.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. He is the only Pitt player to score more than 1,000 points (1,671) and grab over 1,000 rebounds (1,362) in a career.
Clancy was a three-time All-Eastern 8 selection, leading the Panthers to four winning seasons, the 1980 NIT and 1981 NCAA Tournament. He additionally played for legendary coach Bobby Knight as a member of the U.S. Gold Medal team at the 1979 Pan American Games.
His decorated basketball career earned him selection to the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame and Pitt’s All-Centennial Men’s Basketball Team (1905-2006). He additionally was named an Awardee of Distinction by the Pitt Varsity Letter Club (VLC).
Clancy was drafted by two different professional sports leagues: the NBA’s Phoenix Suns (1981) and the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks (1982), the latter occurring even though he never played collegiate football. Clancy played one season of professional basketball in the Continental Basketball Association (averaging 11.5 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Billings Volcanos) before playing 12 seasons of professional football.
He was a member of the Seahawks and then returned to Pittsburgh to play for the Maulers of the upstart United States Football League, earning the franchise’s MVP award. Clancy later played for the USFL’s Memphis Showboats before returning to the NFL as an impact defensive end for the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts.
Clancy played for some of the Browns’ greatest teams (coached by another Pitt product, the late Marty Schottenheimer), helping the franchise to four playoff berths, three AFC Central Division titles and two AFC Championship Games.
He concluded his 10-season NFL career with 227 tackles, 30 sacks and seven fumble recoveries.
Following his playing days, Clancy coached in NFL Europe, serving as the defensive line coach for the Barcelona Dragons and winning the 1997 World Bowl. He would later serve on the defensive staffs of the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders.
Clancy returned to the University of Pittsburgh in 2005 to complete a bachelor’s degree in social sciences. He served as a football strength and conditioning assistant for three seasons before transitioning to the administrative side of collegiate athletics with the Pitt Varsity Letter Club. Now in his 14th year directing the VLC, he is responsible for athletics alumni relations, engagement and connecting “Forever Panthers” with current Pitt student-athletes.
Source: E.J. Borghetti/Pitt Athletics
Image: Instagram/@pitt_athletics
