| No. 39 | |||||||||
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| Position | Safety | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | November 29, 1962 Jamaica, New York, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Nanticoke (PA) Fine | ||||||||
| College | Penn State | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1984: 7th round, 176th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Harry Edwin Hamilton (born November 29, 1962) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). Hamilton was the first Black African-American to graduate from John S. Fine High School, Nanticoke, Pennsylvania.[1] He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Early life
[edit]His father Stan Hamilton was a civil rights activist in New York in the 1960s and a writer of Sesame Street. In 1972, the family moved to a horse farm owned by Stan Hamilton and his father-in-law, after a flood damaged their house in Wilkes-Barre. They were the only black people in the area and Hamilton suffered abuse at school, being called racial slurs and seeing a burning cross on a bonfire during a football pep rally. He set several track records at school and proved to be an adept Western-style horse rider and football player. After graduating, the family moved back to Wilkes-Barre.[1]
Football career
[edit]Having graduated with honors, he was recruited by a number of colleges for his excellence in academics and athletics before selecting Penn State. During his collegiate career, he was an Academic All-American safety at Penn State University following the 1982 National Championship season and 1983 seasons.[1] After which, he played eight seasons as a safety in the National Football League with the New York Jets[2] and Tampa Bay Buccaneers[3] before retiring in 1993.
Post-football career
[edit]During his professional football career, Hamilton attended law school and immediately put his Juris Doctor degree to work for legal services in Tampa, Florida before embarking on a career in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps.[citation needed]
In March 2018, Hamilton was charged with a number of offenses including burglary, criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor count of simple assault and two summary offenses of harassment after he confronted his son about drug abuse. He was also accused of forcing his way into his ex-wife's home and assaulting his son.[4] Hamilton was arraigned and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Donovan, Dan (September 21, 1983). "Hamilton fits mold of hero". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
- ^ a b Pallotto, Bret. "Local football legend Harry Hamilton accused of attacking his son". Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
- ^ Beauge, John (June 26, 2018). "Ex-Nittany Lion's charges to remain in Centre County". pennlive. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
- ^ Sokolski, Paul (March 31, 2018). "Ex-Penn State star Hamilton accused of assaulting son, blasts authorities". Times Leader. Retrieved October 5, 2021.