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Rams receiver Leon Clarke and the house afire

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This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

The news that Leon Clarke, a leading offensive end for the USC Trojans and the Los Angeles Rams in the 1950s, died Oct. 5 at age 76 brought back memories of the days when the NFL still played here in L.A. on Sundays -- and not just on television.

The Rams drafted Clarke in the second round of the 1956 NFL draft then after four seasons traded him to the Cleveland Browns. But the Clarke family stayed in South Pasadena (yes, instead of moving to Cleveland). Which leads us to the burning bungalow that Clarke helplessly watched from the Browns’ bus as it drove to the Coliseum for a 1962 game against his former team.

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Click here to read the original Times article.

-- Claire Noland

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