Sam Claphan
Encyclopedia
Sam "Sammy" Jack Claphan (born October 10, 1956 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma
) attended high school at Stilwell High School
in Stilwell, Oklahoma
. He played his way to All-America
n status in 1974. He was recruited by Head Coach Barry Switzer
to play at the University of Oklahoma
. Claphan died of a heart attack
on November 26, 2001.
from 1975-1978. At 6' 7" and 295 lbs, Claphan was the largest player on the team. He was drafted in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft
(47th overall pick) by the Cleveland Browns
but failed to make the roster do to a preseason injury. He was picked up by the San Diego Chargers
in 1980.
Claphan played longer in the NFL than any other University of Oklahoma lineman. He was a starting offensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers, protecting the blind side of Hall of Fame
quarterback
Dan Fouts
. He was with the Chargers from 1981-1987 until he retired. Claphan, a Cherokee
, was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame
in 1994.
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Tahlequah is a city in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States located at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. It was founded as a capital of the original Cherokee Nation in 1838 to welcome those Cherokee forced west on the Trail of Tears. The city's population was 15,753 at the 2010 census. It...
) attended high school at Stilwell High School
Stilwell High School
Stilwell High School is a high school in the small town of Stilwell, Adair County, Oklahoma. As of 2006 it had some 615 students, of whom 70% were Native American, and some 38 teachers. The 2007-08 was the largest graduating class with a total of 169 graduates...
in Stilwell, Oklahoma
Stilwell, Oklahoma
Stilwell is a town in Adair County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,276 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Adair County...
. He played his way to All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n status in 1974. He was recruited by Head Coach Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
to play at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. Claphan died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on November 26, 2001.
Career
Sam Claphan played on the 1974 and 1975 National Championship teams. He was the starting lineman for the Oklahoma SoonersOklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
from 1975-1978. At 6' 7" and 295 lbs, Claphan was the largest player on the team. He was drafted in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979...
(47th overall pick) by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
but failed to make the roster do to a preseason injury. He was picked up by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1980.
Claphan played longer in the NFL than any other University of Oklahoma lineman. He was a starting offensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers, protecting the blind side of Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
. He was with the Chargers from 1981-1987 until he retired. Claphan, a Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
, was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame
Haskell Indian Nations University
Haskell Indian Nations University is a tribal university located in Lawrence, Kansas, for members of federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States...
in 1994.