24 Facts About Gaylon Smith

Gaylon Wesley Smith was a professional American football back and defensive end who played five seasons for the Cleveland Rams in the National Football League and one season for the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference.

Gaylon Smith was selected by the Rams in the second round of the following season's NFL draft and played for the Cleveland team until deciding to retire from the sport in 1943.

Gaylon Smith was discharged two years later and signed with the Browns, then a new team in the AAFC.

Gaylon Smith was a second-string player with the Browns but substituted for an injured Marion Motley late in the season as the team won the AAFC championship game.

Gaylon Smith retired after the 1946 season but stayed in Ohio to raise his family and work as a manufacturer's representative.

Gaylon Smith grew up in Beebe, Arkansas and attended Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee starting in 1935.

Gaylon Smith played baseball, basketball and track in college, but he was best known as a star halfback on the school's football team.

Gaylon Smith was named to All-Dixie teams in 1937 and 1938, and was named a Little All-American in 1938.

Gaylon Smith started out as a halfback, but was shifted to quarterback and then tailback in the 1940 season before moving back to quarterback.

Gaylon Smith then served primarily as a fullback in 1941 and 1942, and like many players of his era was assigned to both the offensive and defensive units.

Gaylon Smith retired from football after the 1942 season and took a job as personnel director of Thompson Products, Inc.

Gaylon Smith played amateur baseball as a catcher and regional professional basketball in 1943.

Gaylon Smith boxed in an amateur tournament organized by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The Rams had moved to Los Angeles after the 1945 season, and Gaylon Smith was one of five former Rams players to stay in Cleveland with the Browns, alongside Tommy Colella, Mike Scarry, Don Greenwood and Chet Adams.

Gaylon Smith joined the Browns despite a lawsuit filed by the Rams against Adams in which the Rams contended he was still under contract with the team.

Gaylon Smith said he had signed with the "Cleveland Rams" and that the contract said nothing about a move to Los Angeles.

Gaylon Smith was not a regular starter for the Browns when the team started play in 1946, but he got additional playing time toward the end of the season after fullback Marion Motley suffered injuries to his feet.

Gaylon Smith ran for 240 yards and scored five touchdowns as the Browns won the first AAFC championship that year.

Gaylon Smith retired from professional football for good after the season.

Gaylon Smith was associated in the mid-1950s with a company started by Browns quarterback Otto Graham and Cleveland Indians catcher Jim Hegan that sold gift items including trophies, watches and jewelry to companies for presentation to clients.

Gaylon Smith worked for Thompson Products and the National Screw Company as a manufacturer's representative.

Gaylon Smith died in 1958 in Ohio, where he had remained with his family after retiring from football.

Gaylon Smith is considered one of the best football players Rhodes has produced.

Gaylon Smith was inducted into the Rhodes College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.