Bob Whitlow

Robert Edward Whitlow (February 15, 1936 – October 23, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a center in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, and Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the Arizona Wildcats.

Whitlow was born in Shelbyville, Indiana and attended Bloomington High School in Bloomington, Indiana, where he played high school football and participated in track and field as a shot putter.

After high school, Whitlow attended and played college football at Compton Junior College in Compton, California, before transferring to the University of Arizona. He was also a shot putter in college. He left college in 1957 and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.

After serving with the Marines, Whitlow qualified for the Summer Olympics trials in shot put, but decided to play football instead. He signed with the Chicago Bears in 1960, but was then traded to the Washington Redskins. Midway through the 1961 season, he was traded to the Detroit Lions, where he played through 1965 and played every offensive down in 1962 and 1963. Whitlow was then traded to the Atlanta Falcons during their inaugural 1966 season. He was then traded to the Los Angeles Rams for undisclosed draft picks, but never played for the Rams. In 1968, he was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but was waived before the end of the offseason. He was then signed by the Cleveland Browns and played for them for one season snapping for all placekicks and punts, but then had to retire after a hernia operation. He attempted to make a comeback in 1974 with the World Football League's Portland Storm, but failed.

During the Lions' 1963 season, Whitlow was the center for George Plimpton when Plimpton was practicing and playing with the team for the Sports Illustrated article that became the book Paper Lion.

A longtime racing fan who idolized Richard Petty and A. J. Foyt, Whitlow became interested in dabbling in a racing career when he was still with the Lions, though the team and his wife forbade him from pursuing it. After retiring from football, he purchased a 1970 Dodge Charger and received a helmet from New Orleans Saints owner John W. Mecom Jr., who previously ran the Mecom Racing Team. He raced with No. 51 as a nod to his number from his playing days.

Whitlow explained in July 1973 that "racing and football have some of the same organizations. You've got to have organization to win in either sport. You've got to think about what you're going to do, and you have to be able to analyze what you're doing wrong." Otherwise, he stressed "there is simply no comparison" between the two sports.

Whitlow made his racing debut in United States Auto Club (USAC) stock cars at Texas World Speedway in April 1973, where he finished 20th and 20 laps behind winner Gordon Johncock. In June, he entered the NASCAR Winston Cup Series race there in a Ford Torino and placed 21st.

Whitlow was an assistant basketball coach for two seasons at Oakland Community College from 1986 to 1988. Whitlow was the head basketball coach at Madonna College from 1988 to 1989, posting a 13–17 record. He was a track and field coach at Northview High School in Johns Creek, Georgia.

Between his retirement from football and beginning a racing career, Whitlow worked for a carpet business.

Whitlow died on October 23, 2020, in Forsyth County, Georgia at age 84.

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)