Randy Crowder
Randolph Channing Crowder is one of the most celebrated football players produced in Mercer County.
During his career at Farrell, in football he was a Parade All-American lineman, played in the Big 33 Game, was All-Midwestern Athletic Conference MVP and captain of the MAC championship team in 1969.
In basketball he was a three-year letterman and key member of the 1969 state championship team his junior year. He was a strong inside force for the Steelers of Coach Ed McCluskey and the second-leading scorer on the team (328 points) behind another Mercer County Hall of Famer, the late Dave Johnson.
He was also a three-year letterman in track.
He went on to a brilliant career for Coach Joe Paterno at Penn State University. He was an All-American defensive lineman and team captain of the 1973 team that posted a perfect 12-0 record.
He was named "Most Valuable Lineman" of the Orange Bowl in 1973 and voted "Defensive Player of the Year" by the Washington Touchdown Club that same year. He was later inducted into the Penn State Hall of Fame.
Randy went on to a professional career, playing with the Miami Dolphins from 1974-76 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1978-80.
He served as assistant football coach at Penn State in 1983 and 1984, and is currently a real estate specialist for the City of Tampa, Fla. He is past president of the Tampa Chapter of the NFL Players Association Retired.
In a letter to the Mercer County Hall of Fame, Coach Paterno stated: "Randy Crowder was one of the finest players I have ever coached. In addition to his playing ability, in a quiet considerate way, Randy is a strong leader. ... Randy Crowder is a Hall of Famer."
His son Channing plays for the Miami Dolphins.