Slade Cutter

Bio

Slade Cutter grew up on a farm in Illinois. He did not play high school football. But he did finish first in the flute in a national competition for high school musicians. Cutter enrolled at Severn Prep in Maryland and was persuaded by the Severn football coach, Paul Brown, to try out. He made the Severn team and then became an All-America tackle at Navy. His 20-yard field goal in1934, gave Navy a 3-0 victory over Army, the first time since 1921 Navy had beaten Army. At the Naval Academy, Cutter also won two letters in lacrosse and three in boxing and was the collegiate heavyweight boxing champion. In World War II, he commanded a submarine, the Sea Horse, that sank 19 Japanese ships. He served as director of athletics at the U.S. Naval Academy 1957-60, then was curator of the Naval War College Museum. In 1957, Cutter was quoted about officers who have played football and commanded troops: "There is a grapevine in the ranks of all the services. The men make it their business to find out who their officers are. There is a special respect for those who would carry the ball on a football field, throw a wicked block, or make a dead-stop tackle."

Career Highlights

• 1934 First Team All-America