Arnold Tucker, 95, Celebrated but Overshadowed Quarterback, Is Dead

At a time when college rules restricted substitutions, Tucker played not only quarterback but also safety, punt returner and kickoff returner. The one blemish on his team’s records was a 0-0 tie in a game against unbeaten Notre Dame in 1946 at Yankee Stadium.

That same year he earned first-team All-America honors and came in fifth in Heisman Trophy balloting — behind Blanchard and Davis, of course. (Davis won the trophy that year; Blanchard got his the year before.)

But before graduating in 1947, Tucker won the Sullivan Award as America’s outstanding amateur athlete. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears but never played professional football. For several years in the mid-1950s he was an assistant coach at West Point to Vince Lombardi, who went on to glory with the Green Bay Packers.

From 1947 to 1976, Tucker served in the Army and Air Force in many capacities, including transport pilot during the Korean War. He retired as a lieutenant colonel, having been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and other honors.

Tucker married Patricia Small in 1947. She died in 1998. In addition to Ms. Nugent, Tucker is survived by two grandsons. His son, Arnold Thomas Tucker, known as Tom, died in 2014.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/20/sports/football/arnold-tucker-dead.html