Bubba Smith
| Career history | |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Colts Oakland Raiders Houston Oilers | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith (born February 28, 1945) is an American actor and former athlete. He was a professional football player in the 1960s and 1970s who became an actor in the late 1970s. Born in Orange, Texas, he attended Beaumont Charlton-Pollard high school in Beaumont, Texas. In addition to his great football ability, he was well known for what was considered to be a tremendous size at the time of his football career: 6 ft 7 in and 260 lbs (118 kg).
College athlete
Smith played college football at Michigan State University. He was awarded with All-America honors in 1965 and 1966. In his junior season the Spartans tied for a National Title with Alabama after losing the 1966 Rose Bowl 14-12 on January 1, 1966. In his senior season, he played in the "Game of the Century" (a 10–10 tie at home against the University of Notre Dame). Michigan State finished 2nd in the voting behind Notre Dame but still got a share of the National Title. In 1988, Smith was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. Smith was a popular athlete at Michigan State, earning the slogan "Kill Bubba Kill."
Michigan State retired his number 95 jersey on September 23, 2006, prior to the Spartans' home game against Notre Dame, amid repeated cheers of his old slogan from the student section. This game also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the "Game of the Century".
Professional football player
Smith spent nine seasons in the NFL as a defensive end. He was the first overall selection in the 1967 NFL Draft, chosen by the Baltimore Colts. The Colts won Super Bowl V at the end of the 1970 season, earning Smith his only Super Bowl ring. However, in interviews, he has stated that he never wears the ring, as it was seen as a "sloppy" game by many. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders before the 1972 season, and finished his career with the Houston Oilers. He was selected All-Pro one year, All-Conference two years, and went to two Pro Bowls.
Professional actor
After leaving professional football, Smith began his acting career in small movie and television roles in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He is best known for his role as Moses Hightower in the Police Academy film series, a role he has reprised in all but one of the Police Academy sequels. He is the long time spokesman of Baltimore area law firm Cohen, Snyder, Eisenberg & Katzenberg. Smith starred in the short-lived television series Blue Thunder, partnering with Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive star Dick Butkus. He was also a part of the successful Miller Lite beer advertising campaign demonstrating "the easy opening can". He also appeared once in an episode of Family Matters as Bones, a thuggish debt collector for a local bookie. The nickname, Bones explains, is derived from what he does to clients who don't settle their debts in a timely manner. He also appeared twice on Married… with Children, once as Al's old football nemesis "Spare Tire" Dixon and once as himself.
Personal
Smith was born in Orange, Texas. His brother, Tody, played collegiately for the University of Southern California and professionally for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers, and Buffalo Bills.
External links
- 1945 births
- African American actors
- American actors
- American Conference Pro Bowl players
- American film actors
- American football defensive linemen
- American football defensive ends
- Baltimore Bullets draft picks
- Baltimore Colts players
- Houston Oilers players
- Living people
- Michigan State Spartans football players
- National Football League first overall draft picks
- Oakland Raiders players
- People from Beaumont, Texas
- People from the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area