Joe Scarpati
Joseph Henry Scarpati, Jr. (born March 5, 1943) is a former professional American football safety in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints. He was the holder for Tom Dempsey's record breaking 63-yard field goal on November 8, 1970.
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||
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| Born: | March 5, 1943 Brooklyn, New York | ||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||
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| College: | North Carolina State | ||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1964 / Round: 13 / Pick: 100 (By the Boston Patriots) | ||||||||
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Raised in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Scarpati attended Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.[1]
Scarpati played halfback in college football at North Carolina State University, earning second team All-ACC for football and Academic All-ACC honors in 1962 and 1963. He was selected in the 13th round of the 1964 AFL Draft by the Boston Patriots. After a knee operation, playing free safety in 1969, he had 4 interceptions and one touchdown. A few weeks after Dempsey's record-setting kick, Scarpati retired from professional football.
References
- "Honoring Former High School Greats", The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood, November 13, 1997. Accessed November 13, 2018. "Mayor Connelly presented a plaque to Mr. Scarpati, who lettered in football, basketball and track for the Raiders and served as the captain of the football team in 1959. Mr. Scarpati went on to play as a defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints professional football teams, and was the holder of the record-setting 63-yard (58 m) field goal kicked by Tom Dempsey in 1970 during the game between the Saints and the Detroit Lions."