Tom Cosgrove

Tom Cosgrove (June 21, 1930 – March 27, 2017) was an American football offensive lineman. He played collegiately for the Maryland Terrapins at the University of Maryland, starting on the varsity squad from 1949 to 1952.

In October 1952 Cosgrove made national news as one of three Maryland players coming forward ahead of a game to expose attempted bribery in conjunction with a point shaving scandal. A fugitive wanted in the case surrendered and was arrested shortly thereafter.

Cosgrove was selected in the 13th round of the 1952 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. His contract was traded to the expansion Baltimore Colts, who cut him at the end of training camp ahead of their debut 1953 season.

In 2005 Cosgrove was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame.

Early life

Tom Cosgrove was born June 21, 1930, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended West Catholic Preparatory High School, playing a reserve role for the school football team.

College career

Cosgrove entered the University of Maryland in 1948, playing football on the freshman team. The influx of older student-athletes back from military service in World War II had worked its way through college ranks, and younger players were expected to play a more impactful role on the varsity football squad in 1949, in the estimation of Baltimore Sun sports editor Paul Menton.

In 1950, Cosgrove was named an honorable mention All-American.

He played in the 1952 Sugar Bowl at Tulane Stadium, with Maryland defeating Tennessee, 28-13.

Cosgrove and Maryland quarterback Jack Scarbath were selected to play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, held January 3, 1953. The game was lost by the Marylanders and their South team, 28–13.

Cosgrove also played in the 1953 North-South Shrine Game and the College All-Star Game. — asserted that he had been offered $1,000 for his part in the $1,500, three player scandal.

Cosgrove and his two teammates — guard Frank Navarro and star quarterback Jack Scarbath — indicated that the bribes were offered as part of a point shaving scheme in which the Maryland squad was to keep the margin of victory under 21 points. He was convicted of the crime and sentenced to 18 months in the Maryland state reformatory and fined $1,000.

Professional career

Cosgrove was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round (156th overall) of the 1952 NFL draft.

His contract was traded to the expansion Baltimore Colts. In July 1953 he reported to the team's first training camp at Western Maryland College in Westminster, Maryland. Cosgrove got playing time during the team's preseason schedule but was waived from the Colts in the final cut to the league limit of 33 players on September 23.

Cosgrove's situation is mentioned in the memoir of Colts lineman Art Donovan, who contends there was pressure on head coach Weeb Ewbank to keep Cosgrove on the Baltimore roster due to his roots at the neighboring University of Maryland despite Ewbank's desire to release him. "He was supposed to be an All-American but he really wasn't too good," Donovan recalled, "He was okay, not the best — he just had two great centers in front of him..." His body was interred at Arlington National Cemetery Section 30, Site 841-RH.

In 2005, Tom Cosgrove was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame.