Paul Moore (American football)

Paul Moore
Profile
PositionHalfback
Personal information
Born(1918-01-23)January 23, 1918
York, South Carolina, U.S.
DiedMay 3, 1975(1975-05-03) (aged 56)
Martin County, Florida, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Listed weight208 lb (94 kg)
Career information
High schoolYork (SC)
CollegePresbyterian
Career history
Career statistics
Games played15
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Paul Neely "June" Moore (January 23, 1918 – May 3, 1975) was an American football player. He played college football as a halfback for the Presbyterian Blue Hose from 1936 to 1939 and professional football for the Detroit Lions in 1940 and 1941.

Early years

Moore was born in 1918 in York, South Carolina. He attended York High School and Presbyterian College, both in South Carolina. He played college football as a blocking halfback for the Presbyterian Blue Hose football team from 1936 to 1939.[1][2]

Professional athlete

Presbyterian coach Walter A. Johnson recommended that Detroit Lions coach Potsy Clark sign Moore. Clark invited Moore for a tryout, and Moore impressed. He played for two seasons as a blocking back and linebacker for the Lions. He appeared in 14 or 15 games during the 1940 and 1941 seasons.[1][3]

Moore also played minor league baseball.[4] In January 1942, Moore enlisted in the United States Navy following the attack on Pearl Harbor.[5][6] He was medically discharged from the Navy in 1943 and returned to the Lions in August 1943.[7] He did not return to the team's regular season lineup.[1]

Family and later years

Moore was married in March 1942 to Sally Virginia Gentel.[8] Teammate Chuck Hanneman was his best man.[9]

Moore lived in later years at Okeechobee, Florida. He was a counselor at the Dunklin Memorial Camp there. He died there in 1975 at age 57 of an apparent heart attack.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Paul Moore". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  2. ^ John N. Sabo (August 21, 1940). "Polite Smasher: Paul Moore=, Unknown Son of the South, Pleases Potsy at Lions' Practices with His Terrific Blocking". Detroit Free Press – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Paul Moore". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  4. ^ "Ex-Lion Gridder with Cops' Foes: Paul Moore to Catch in Sunday Game Here". The Bay City Times. August 6, 1942. p. 1 (section 2) – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Paul Moore, of Lions, Enlists as Coxswain". Detroit Evening Times. January 9, 1942. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Major Flays Booing Fans". The Flint Journal. February 7, 1942. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Lions Sign Four, Seek Five More: Paul Moore Returns After Navy Discharge". The Saginaw News. August 11, 1943. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Paul Moore Married". Detroit Evening Times. March 17, 1942. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Sally Gentel to Marry Paul N. Moore". Detroit Free Press. March 8, 1942. p. 4 (part 3) – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Paul N. Moore". The Port Huron Times Herald. May 8, 1975. p. 2A – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Area Deaths". The Palm Beach Post. May 8, 1975. p. C2 – via Newspapers.com.