John (Jack) Carl Scarbath

John (Jack) Carl Scarbath

Jack Scarbath was born in Baltimore, MD on August 12, 1930, the son of Carl Francis Scarbath and Ruth Dunn Scarbath and the loving grandson of Margaret Dunn. He graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic High School and attended the University of Maryland, College Park on a Charlie Keller Scholarship. He lettered in both Football and Lacrosse and graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor Degree in Engineering.

Under the tutelage of Coach Jim Tatum, Jack quarterbacked Maryland’s 28-13 upset of National Champion, University of Tennessee in the 1951 Sugar Bowl. Maryland achieved an undefeated streak of 22 games while Jack was calling signals in 1951-52. In 1952 he led the nation in total offense (1396 yards) and in yards passing (1149).

Jack was honored as first team All American by Associated Press, United Press International, Colliers and Look Magazines. He was runner-up behind winner Billy Vessels of Oklahoma for the Heisman Trophy. Jack was named All-South and All Southern Conference “Player of the Year” and was the South’s “MVP” in the North/South Shrine Game in Miami. He was team captain in the Senior Bowl and quarterbacked in the College All Star Game. Later in life, Jack was honored by being named the first “Legend of the Atlantic Coast Conference” representing the University of Maryland.

After graduation, Jack played Pro ball with the Washington Redskins, the Ottawa Roughriders of the Canadian League and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the quarterback coach at the University of South Carolina for five years before starting his own business, John C. Scarbath & Sons, a sales engineering company dealing in sales and service of abrasive and metallurgical qualities of the metal manufacturing industry.

Jack was inducted into the National Collegiate Hall of Fame, the State of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame, as well as the Univ. of MD Hall of Fame. He served on the Univ. of Maryland Board of Regents, the Cecil Community College Board of Directors, the M & T Bank Regional Board and was a Trustee of St. Agnes church and member of the Good Shepherd church council. He served as president of the St. Patrick’s Chapel Historical Society, Inc., a group dedicated to restoring a chapel which was originally built in 1819 and is located in Pilottown, MD.

Jack was a member of the Univ. of MD Hall of Fame Board, former chairman of the U of M Educational Foundation and former president of the MD State Hall of Fame Board. He served as a member of the board of the Northern Chesapeake Hospice and was appointed by the Governor to be a member of the Bainbridge Development Corp. to oversee the development of the old Bainbridge Naval Training Center property on behalf of Cecil County and the State of MD.

After retirement, Jack actively pursued his hobby of painting and of carving wild fowl. He had a successful showing of his work at the Liriodendron Museum in Bel Air, MD. His first competition piece, a Canadian Goose flying into a cornfield, garnered him a second place ribbon in the World Competition held in Long Island, NY. Jack’s work won him many accolades on the East Coast and has found its way into private collections as well as corporate areas.

Jack is predeceased by his wife of 66 years, the former Lynn Brown, his parents and a sister Dale Trapnell. He is survived by two sons Thomas Dunn Scarbath (wife, Petra) and John Blair Scarbath (wife, Mary). He was dearly loved by his 6 grandchildren: Sara, Derek, Zachary, Katie, Michael and Emma as well as 6 great grandchildren: Xavier, Caleb, Emmeline, Sophie, Reagan and Luke. In addition, he is survived by his brother Richard Scarbath and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Jack’s life will be planned for a later date. A graveside service will be held for immediate family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made payable to St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church or The Amedisys Foundation in care of Lee A. Patterson & Son Funeral Home, P.A., P.O. Box 766, Perryville, MD 21903-0766.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John (Jack) Carl Scarbath, please visit our floral store.