Bob St. Clair

Lore & Background

A native San Franciscan, St. Clair attended San Francisco Polytechnic High School and the University of San Francisco, and was part of USF's undefeated 1951 team. He finished his college career at the University of Tulsa. He was drafted by the 49ers in the third round of the 1953 NFL draft and played his entire 11-year professional career in San Francisco. He was nicknamed 'the Geek' by his teammates due to his eccentric off-the-field behavior, including a habit of eating raw meat. He was elected to Daly City's city council in 1958, which included a term as mayor from 1961 to 1962. He was the county supervisor for San Mateo County from 1966 to 1974. For many years he owned a liquor store in Noe Valley.

In Their Own Story

The stadium lights hummed over the muddy gridiron on a cold November night in Chicago. Bob St. Clair stood at the line of scrimmage, his hands dug deep into the turf, eyes locked on the center. The opposing quarterback called out signals, trying to find a crack in the armor, but there was no gap for him. As the ball snapped, St. Clair surged forward like a freight train, collapsing the pocket with a thunderous impact that silenced the crowd before he even touched the runner.

Reader's Guide

Bob St. Clair played offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers from 1953 to 1963. He started every game from 1954 to 1956, received multiple Pro Bowl selections, and blocked 19 field goals over his career. His only postseason game came in 1957. He missed time due to an Achilles injury in 1962 but returned to play the entire 1963 season, receiving the 49ers' Len Eshmont Award. He injured his other Achilles tendon in 1964 during punt return practice, requiring career-ending surgery. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. The city of San Francisco renamed the field at Kezar Stadium in his honor in 2001, and his number was retired by the 49ers later that year.

Did You Know?

• Bob St. Clair blocked 19 field goals over his career, ten of which came in 1956.
• He was elected to Daly City's city council while still an active player, and served as mayor from 1961 to 1962.
• St. Clair was nicknamed 'the Geek' by his teammates due to his habit of eating raw meat.
• He played all his high school and professional home games and three-quarters of his college home games at Kezar Stadium.